{"id":141489,"date":"2024-07-10T07:00:12","date_gmt":"2024-07-10T06:00:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pbctoday.co.uk\/news\/?p=141489"},"modified":"2024-07-10T07:01:34","modified_gmt":"2024-07-10T06:01:34","slug":"building-competence-supply-chains-impact-building-safety-act-2022","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pbctoday.co.uk\/news\/building-control-news\/building-competence-supply-chains-impact-building-safety-act-2022\/141489\/","title":{"rendered":"Building competence in supply chains: The impact of the Building Safety Act 2022"},"content":{"rendered":"

Alex Minett, global head of new markets at Veriforce CHAS, explores the role of competence in the new Building Safety Act and offers insight on how organisations can foster competence throughout their supply chains<\/h2>\n

The Building Safety Act 2022<\/a>,\u00a0which took effect on 1 October, 2023, represents a pivotal shift in the UK construction industry\u2019s regulatory landscape.<\/p>\n

This legislation introduces stringent dutyholder requirements to enhance accountability, particularly in higher-risk buildings (HRBs).<\/p>\n

A key component of this act is its focus on driving competence throughout the entire supply chain, ensuring that all parties involved in building projects meet high standards of skill, knowledge and responsibility.<\/p>\n

A new era of accountability<\/h3>\n

At the heart of the Building Safety Act is the principle of accountability<\/a>. The act mandates clear identification of dutyholders at every stage of the building process \u2013 from design and construction to occupancy.<\/p>\n

This clarity aims to eliminate ambiguity about who is responsible for compliance with Building Regulations, thereby fostering a culture of accountability.<\/p>\n

The role of competence<\/h3>\n

Competence is a central theme in the new dutyholder roles introduced by the act.<\/p>\n

The regulations stipulate that anyone involved in the design and construction of buildings must possess the necessary skills, knowledge, experience and behaviours to perform their duties effectively.<\/p>\n

This emphasis on competence ensures that the safety and quality of building work are not compromised by inadequately qualified individuals.<\/p>\n

To facilitate this, the British Standards Institution (BSI) has developed Flex 8670<\/a>,\u00a0which includes PAS 8671 and PAS 8672 standards for principal designer and principal contractor roles, respectively.<\/p>\n

These standards provide a structured approach for demonstrating and maintaining competence, setting a benchmark for the industry.<\/p>\n

Key dutyholder roles<\/h3>\n

The Building Safety Act introduces three primary dutyholder roles: client, principal designer and principal contractor. Each of these roles has specific responsibilities:<\/p>\n