The New Building Safety Regime – paving the way
Following our recent NHMF Conference workshop exploring how asset managers can pave the way for the new building safety regime, the question of the affordability of the Building Safety Manager (BSM) role within the constraints of local authority pay scales was identified as a key area that the sector will need to consider going forward.
The Building Safety Bill will create the role of a building safety manager (BSM). A competent BSM, which can be either an individual or an organisation, must be appointed by the principal accountable person for all occupied buildings specified in the Bill. The BSM will play a key role in helping the accountable person meet their obligations. BSMs will be expected to support in the planning, managing, and monitoring of the various tasks necessary to ensure compliance with the accountable person’s duties.
The principal accountable person may appoint themselves as the BSM, providing they have the capability and inform the Building Safety Regulator. There is no limit to the number of buildings a BSM or accountable person can manage, provided safe outcomes for residents aren’t compromised. The role will however require familiarity with each building managed and its residents – a generic approach to multiple buildings of a similar type will not suffice.The
British Standards Institute (BSI) has published a draft standard, PAS 8673, that describes the competence requirements for BSMs and nominated accountable persons undertaking the role.The government doesn’t intend to set up a register of Building Safety Managers. If industry chooses to create one, it should be underpinned by robust, consistent assurance processes, including third-party accreditation of organisations making assessments of BSM competence or organisational capability.
Useful resources
BSM role factsheet Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
The government’s Explanatory Notes on the Bill also give some very full information that might be helpful for readers requiring a more in-depth explanation. These include relevant detail on thw BSM role pages 123-4 and 127-8, relating to Bill clauses 78 and 81 respectively (note that clause numbering has since changed following further unrelated amendments to the Bill).
About the author
Jeremy Bevan is the Health and Safety Executive’s business burdens policy manager, based in Westminster. His current work focuses on tackling the burdens that can arise from what businesses ask (or require) other businesses, especially small and micro ones, to do on worker health and safety. The team has recently published an in-depth report on its work following two years’ research.
