Building Safety Act 2022 Advice & Guidance
Building Safety Act 2022 Advice & Guidance
The Building Safety Act 2022 received Royal Assent on 28 April 2022, making ground-breaking reforms to give residents and homeowners more rights, powers, and protections – so homes across the country are safer.
Important Update - CIOB Response to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase Two Report and Subsequent Government Response
In September 2024, the Grenfell Tower Inquiry published its Phase 2 Report on the causes of the Grenfell Tower Fire that claimed the lives of 72 people on 14 June 2017.
CIOB has taken time since the publication of the Phase 2 Report to consider its role in creating a safer built environment and has published this formal response to indicate what work CIOB has done to date on improving building quality and safety, both for our members, the wider built environment and the public.
This document will also outline CIOB’s responses to some of the main recommendations in the Phase 2 Report. It will not cover every recommendation, but those which we can actively contribute on, particularly if they impact our membership or the wider public. We are, however, supportive of the intentions of these other recommendations and are keen to contribute our member expertise where appropriate.
Click here to read the full response.
Background to the Building Safety Act
In February 2017, Professor John Cole CBE published a report into the defects that led to the closure of 17 schools in Edinburgh. Just a few months later, in June 2017, the tragic fire at Grenfell Tower in London claimed the lives of more than 70 people. Both incidents were followed by official inquiries, and their subsequent reports made for uncomfortable reading for all those in the industry. These incidents have placed the construction industry under the microscope and highlighted the need for an urgent review of the way in which quality and safety are managed.
In July 2020, the Government published the Draft Building Safety Bill, which was designed to take forward fundamental reform of the building safety system and address the issues identified by Dame Judith Hackitt DBE in her independent review, Building a Safer Future.
Following Parliamentary scrutiny and input from industry stakeholders, the Building Safety Bill received Royal Assent and became an Act of Parliament (the Building Safety Act 2022) on 28 April 2022.
What is the Building Safety Act 2022?
The Building Safety Act 2022 will bring in several measures intended to make buildings and residents safer.
The Act is divided into six parts (see below) with the majority of the substantive detail and reforms set out in parts two to five.
- Part 1: Introduction
- Part 2: The Regulator and its Functions
- Part 3: Building Act 1984
- Part 4: Higher-Risk Buildings
- Part 5: Other Provision about Safety, Standards, etc.
- Part 6: General
For more information on how the Act you can read our recent article in Barbour ABI titled "The Building Safety Act 2022 - One year on".
At the end of 2023, CIOB published two blogs, breaking down the key aspects of the Building Safety Act 2022 and providing and overview of what they mean for construction clients. You can read part one of the series here, and part two here.
Find out more
Check out the Government's latest guidance on the Building Safety Act 2022 and its implications for the construction industry.
What does the Building Safety Act 2022 Mean for the Devolved Nations?
CIOB’s policy and public affairs team has compiled information on the Building Safety Act (BSA) 2022 aspects that relate to the devolved nations and what actions the devolved nations are taking to address building safety.
CIOB's Guide to Products Critical to Safe Construction
CIOB has launched its new free guide aimed at improving the safety of buildings.
The guide provides designers, specifiers, and installers with the information they need to make informed decisions about construction products and includes examples and case studies to signpost industry best practice, such as the Code for Construction Product Information.
CIOB Building Safety Qualifications
Through the CIOB Academy and our registered partners we provide a variety of qualifications relating to building safety to ensure that the industry is prepared and properly skilled for the new competencies required as part of the Building Safety Act 2022.
Some of our current qualifications include:
- Certificate in Fire Safety for Construction - The CIOB Certificate in Fire Safety for Construction is designed for a range of construction related occupations including duty holder roles such as Building Safety Manager and project managers working on higher risk buildings. This qualification comprises two units and is designed to develop the learner’s knowledge and skills to understand and manage the fire safety of buildings effectively and efficiently. More details can be found here.
- Diploma in Building Safety Management - Our Diploma in Building Safety Management is designed for construction professionals moving into this key duty holder role. The qualification develops the learner’s knowledge and skills to manage the safety of the building in occupation. This qualification comprises six units. More details can be found here.
- Building Control Qualifications - Within this suite of Building Control Qualifications are four qualifications which are designed to develop learners’ knowledge and skills. These include a Level 6 Certificate in Fire Safety for Building Control - Complex Buildings, CIOB Certificate in Managing Legislative Compliance in Building Control, CIOB Certificate in Managing Public Service Building Control and CIOB Certificate in Building Control for Safety at Sports Grounds and other Public Events. Detail on all of these courses can be found here.
- New - Building Safety Act Awareness eLearning course - In November 2023, the CIOB Academy launched a Building Safety Act Awareness eLearning course. It has been produced by Equans in collaboration with Build UK and its members, including Skanska, Willmott Dixon, RLB, Mace and 3B Training. The 90-minute online course is structured around four key areas, including an introduction to the Building Safety Act 2022, Building Safety Act legislation, roles and scope, and the ‘golden thread’. The course, which is available at the not-for-profit cost of £25 can be accessed on the CIOB academy website Building Safety Act: Awareness (registration required).
New - CIOB Principal Contractor Competency Certification Scheme (PCCCS)
Demonstrating competency is now a legal requirement for the new dutyholder roles of the Building Safety Act.
This is why in March 2024, CIOB launched the CIOB Principal Contractor Competency Certification Scheme (PCCCS) to provide a route to proving your competency as a Principal Contractor, as required by the Building Safety Regulator (BSR). The regulatory transformation introduced with the establishment of the BSR includes the creation of new safety-critical roles, including the Principal Designer and Principal Contractor, both with building safety responsibilities.
CIOB’s PCCCS is suitable for individuals performing or appointed to the role of the Principal Contractor, and is open to those currently carrying out the Principal Contractor role under the Building Safety Act 2022. The applicants must also either be current members of CIOB or an alternative qualifying professional body.
Built Environment – Framework for the competence of Site Supervisors in England
Following Grenfell, the Construction Industry Council set up an Industry Response group to aid Dame Judith Hackitt in her work. A subgroup, the Competence Steering Group, was formed to examine the important issue of competence, which was responsible for developing competence frameworks for key professionals. Site Supervision was identified as an important work stream and we have taken the lead on this work. This framework sets out baseline requirements for non-Higher Risk Residential Buildings and further competencies for Higher Risk Residential Buildings in recognition that the Building Safety Act covers all buildings that are subject to Building Regulations.
Mandatory Occurrence Reporting
In January 2024, guidance came out about how to submit a mandatory occurrence notice and report for higher-risk buildings to the Building Safety Regulator (BSR).
The important point to highlight is that a safety occurrence includes both an incident that has happened and the risk of an incident happening in the future.
The responsibility for submitting a mandatory occurrence notice and report during construction sits with the dutyholders i.e. the Principal Designer (PD) and Principal Contractor (PC). Further information can be found below:
- MOR service start page Submit a mandatory occurrence notice and report - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
- MOR guidance Submitting mandatory occurrence notices and reports - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
- MOR system guidance Operating a mandatory occurrence reporting system - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
- Updated contact us start page (including Complaints) Contact the Building Safety Regulator - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Insurance Broker Pledge - Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities
In November 2023, the government published guidance on five agreed insurance brokers who will be changing their practices to assist leaseholders in buildings over 11 meters and/or four stories affected by fire safety issues.
The pledge, drafted with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), Competition Markets Authority (CMA) and insurance brokers, will look to reduce costs for leaseholders who are currently facing high premiums for buildings that have been remediated or need remediation.