HSE consults on a range of building safety and regulation issues

The Health and Safety (HSE) and Building Safety Regulator (BSR) have recently launched several consultations and research in connection with building safety.

Professional Conduct Rules for Registered Building Control Approvers (RBCAs)

The BSR will be operating as part of the HSE from April 2023. Building control professionals will have to register with the BSR to perform building control work in England. The professional conduct rules sets out standards of professional conduct and practice that registered building control approvers are expected to meet.

The professional conduct rules are mandatory principles of conduct and standards applying to all who wish to register with the BSR as Registered Building Control Approvers (RBCA) in the private sector.

The HSE are seeking views on the proposals and the consultation closes on 17 February 2023.

Draft Code of Conduct for Registered Building Inspectors

Building control professionals will have to register with the BSR to perform building control work in England. The code of conduct sets out standards of professional conduct and practice that registered building inspectors (RBIs) are expected to meet.

The code of conduct are mandatory principles of conduct and standards of behaviour for RBIs, whether they work in the private or public sector.

HSE are seeking views on the proposed code of conduct and the consultation closes on 17 February 2023.

Managing Building Safety

The BSR is inviting views on their information document that highlights the necessary competency for those managing high risk buildings (HRBs), including a summary of the recent British Standard, publicly available specification (PAS):

• PAS 8673:2022 Built environment – Competence requirements for the management of safety in residential buildings – Specification

The consultation will close on 24 April 2023 and can be found here.

Building Safety Competence Information for Principal Contractors and Principal Designers

The BSR is inviting views on their information document that highlights the necessary competency for the new principal designer and principal contractor roles, including a summary of the recent British Standards, publicly available specifications (PAS):

• PAS 8671:2022 Built environment – Framework for competence of individual Principal Designers – Specification
• PAS 8672 Built environment – Framework for competence of individual Principal Contractors – Specification

The consultation will close on 24 April 2023 and can be found here.

HSE Research Project – Accountable Person and Principal Accountable Person

The HSE has commissioned an independent research agency, Kantar Public, to interview people working in private and public sector housing organisations who will be an Accountable Person or Principal Accountable Person; will make decisions about the role; are knowledgeable about the role; and/or who will work on important aspects of the role (such as building registration, resident engagement and complaints handling).

All interviews will be conducted by independent, experienced researchers at Kantar Public. For further information or to register your interest to participate in this research, please email marios.zampetis@kantar.com