Construction industry urges its clients to step up safety compliance

A coalition of construction industry organisations has launched a campaign to encourage clients to speed up adoption of building safety standards.

The Client’s Guide to the Building Safety Act is produced by the Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) and has been published with the backing of the Building Safety Regulator’s Industry Competence Committee.

The campaign is supported by eight industry bodies – Constructing Excellence, the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), the Construction Clients’ Leadership Group (CCLG), Cast Consultancy, SFG20, The Industry Competence Steering Group, Ackroyd Lowrie and the Safety & Health Engineering Partnership (SHEP).

BESA said the guide is a response to growing concerns that many clients are still basing procurement decisions primarily on cost and speed of delivery and avoiding their legislative responsibilities to improve safety and sustainability.

The group published research, last year which highlighted that many clients were either unaware or choosing to ignore their legal responsibilities under the Act, which has been in force since 2022.

The new guidance sets out clients’ legal duties and emphasises their leadership role in the industry transformation needed to keep all building occupants safe and protect their long-term health and well-being. It reiterates the message that the new building safety regime applies to all buildings, not just to higher risk buildings (HRB) or high-rise residential developments.

Lilly Gallafent, CEO of the real estate consultancy Cast said:

Change needs to start with clients. Whilst many already do, clients all need to recognise that they have the power to drive a new culture through their supply chains, but they need to be willing to allocate risk fairly and focus on how their decisions will affect the operational life of their buildings.”

BESA said the guide also ‘boils down the complexity of the legislation into simplified guidance using plain English and avoiding the overload of information that can lead to important messages being misunderstood or ignored.’

Jon Vanstone, chair of the Industry Competence Committee (ICC) said:

The Building Safety Act places clear legal duties on clients. They set the tone for projects through their procurement decisions, appointments and allocation of resources. If those duties are taken seriously and supported by competent appointments and informed oversight, the quality and safety of outcomes will improve. If they are not, no amount of downstream control can fully compensate.”

BESA said the guide defines the client, along with the legal requirements of that role. It sets out the client’s duties and how they can ensure their project remains compliant at every stage and the potential consequences of failure. It also sets out the specific rules and processes required for HRBs; explains how to avoid common problems; and points to further resources.

Jon added:

Guidance that helps clients understand both their statutory responsibilities and the practical implications of those responsibilities is therefore welcome, particularly where it aligns with the Regulator’s Principles for Informed Clients and supports consistent cross-industry understanding.”

Rachel Davidson, BESA’s director of specialist knowledge, said:

This is a practical guide designed to help clients navigate the building safety process. It is intended to educate not intimidate by explaining what good looks like so clients can make better, safer procurement decisions that also make sense for their businesses.

She added that the Client’s Guide would also help contractors and other supply chain members explain some of the key elements of the legislation to their clients:

It should give contractors the confidence to challenge decisions and point out errors in procurement that can compromise safety and quality. Contractors are duty bound under the legislation to refuse to start work unless they are satisfied that the client is fully aware of their responsibilities.”