A coalition of construction industry organisations has launched a campaign to encourage clients to speed up adoption of building safety standards.
New guidance produced by the Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) and supported by eight other bodies* has been published with the backing of the Building Safety Regulator’s Industry Competence Committee.
BESA’s Client's Guide to the Building Safety Act 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.
BESA research, published late last year, 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 higher risk (HRB) or high-rise residential developments.
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.
Quality
Jon Vanstone, chair of the Industry Competence Committee (ICC), which advises the Building Safety Regulator, said BESA’s guide was a timely reminder of the central role clients play in delivering compliant and safe buildings.
“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,” said Vanstone.
“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.”
The BESA Client's Guide defines ‘Who is the Client’ and 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 explains the specific rules and processes required for HRBs, how to avoid common problems and further resources available.
“This is a practical guide designed to help clients navigate the building safety process,” said BESA’s director of specialist knowledge Rachel Davidson. “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.
“By following the information in the guide, they can reduce project risks and avoid costly mistakes which lead to expensive delays and re-designs.”
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 and emphasise the importance of only appointing competent people and companies to work on their projects.
“It should also give contractors the confidence to challenge decisions and point out errors in procurement that can compromise safety and quality,” said Davidson. “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.”
Lilly Gallafent, CEO of the real estate consultancy Cast, said the BESA guide was a timely reminder to clients of the need to take a long-term view.
“Change needs to start with clients,” she said. “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.
Expensive
“Pushing hard for cost savings at the start of a project can, when not managed appropriately, end up being very expensive in the long run and risk needs to be properly assessed and not just pushed down the supply chain,” said Gallafent.
“This excellent guide reminds us that this is a once in a generation opportunity to bring about meaningful and lasting change to construction procurement for the benefit of the industry and all building users.”
The Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) also welcomed the guide which highlights some of the key issues contained in the organisation’s own more detailed Client Guide.
Head of client development, Linda Stevens, said: “The Building Safety Act places responsibilities on both clients and their contractors, and we hear that for many clients it can be a struggle to get to grips with exactly what they are required by law to do.
"Our own Client Guide includes information on building safety amongst other important subjects, and we very much welcome this additional resource from BESA which can help clients in their understanding of what can be complex legislation. It can only be through everyone conforming to the Building Safety Act that we will ensure the built environment is safe for every community,” she added.
The guide, which can be downloaded for free here, will also be the focus of a special building safety briefing event at the Palace of Westminster on May 5.
