Joe Goss, Enterprise Sales Executive at Fixflo discusses the possibilities for safety reform in 2021.
January’s arrival will bring along not only joy but perhaps relief this year. 2020 was a challenging year with impacts of the Covid pandemic still felt in many local communities. As we see more vaccine programmes commencing around the globe, it seems, finally, we can begin to imagine an end to the public health crisis.
Now that the new year is upon us, there is another reason to be hopeful. The recommendations documented in the Hackitt Report could soon be rolled out as the Building Safety Bill makes its way through Parliament. Many believe 2021 is the year we see the Bill enacted, putting into effect a new building safety regime and power its dedicated Building Safety Regulator.
‘Safer Future’ is Here
Three years after the major fire incident at Grenfell which claimed 72 lives, the Government published its draft Building Safety Bill in July 2020, promising an all-encompassing, revolutionary overhaul to a system deemed ‘not fit for purpose’ in the Hackitt Report.
After consulting a spectrum of industry participants from builders to operators to residents, the Government promises to replace the building safety regime with one that could ‘provide stronger oversight of duty-holders with incentives for the right behaviours, and effective sanctions for poor performance‘ and ‘reassert the role of residents’.
This year, we could see major progress effecting positive changes for residents in high-risk buildings and high-rises in general. Hailed as the most significant change in nearly 40 years, the new building safety regime will instil a multitude of requirements for persons and companies responsible for building safety in the design, construction and occupation phases.
A new, regulated mechanism will string together those accountable for the design, construction and management of buildings, allowing for vital safety information to be retained throughout a building’s life cycle, an aspect which was identified as the missing link in the Government’s inquiry.
Recognising building safety concerns- not just fire safety but also structural integrity as a whole, the Building Safety Bill will include structural requirements in its core and be supplemented by the Fire Safety Bill.
New residential buildings above 18 metres in height or six storeys and above will be in scope when the Bill is first introduced, but expectations are that eventually, buildings of any height, including existing blocks will also fall into scope.
As we welcome a new year, signified by the ox in the Chinese zodiac, here are a few ideas to get you started on your building safety journey. It is time to dig up the grounds, check for hidden issues and lay a strong foundation for your compliance with the Building Safety Bill.
Test Drive Your New Resident Strategy
2021 is all about rethinking your resident engagement strategy. The Building Safety Bill (BSB) puts forth a long list of requirements concerning resident engagement to accelerate the culture change being urged by Dame Hackitt. This list includes several proactive elements.
One such requirement is that all residents and owners of 16 years old or above should receive a set of up-to-date documents, which will likely consist of the following:
- Full, current and historical fire risk assessments;
- Planned maintenance and repairs schedules;
- Outcome of Building Safety inspection checks;
- How assets in the building are managed;
- Details of preventive measures;
- Fire protection measures in place;
- Information on the maintenance of fire safety systems;
- Fire strategy for the building;
- Structural assessments; and
- Planned and historical changes to the building.
Apart from structural safety, the hidden fire risks posed by old or faulty electrical appliances and installations are also recognised. On top of the routine reminders to residents to remove obstructions in communal areas and to obtain permission for in-unit alteration works, block managers should use 2021 to raise awareness of electrical safety.
Educating residents about recalled appliances and distributing fire safety checklists could be low-cost and effective ways to mitigate undetected risks within your buildings.
Another critical step-change here is resident participation. Use this year to test your communication channels and technologies and facilitate the legislated, two-way interaction with residents and owners. Involving them in building safety decisions will soon become a must. Take advantage of the time you have now and pilot new software systems so that when the time comes, you can be more than ready.
Pick up the (Golden) Thread
One of the more time-consuming aspects of property management work is documentation. You need to keep hold of numerous safety information records on a building; you must keep them up-to-date and avail them to leaseholders and residents when requested.
In future, buildings in occupation will require a valid Building Assurance Certificate in order to comply with the BSB. This document must also be displayed in the building for residents to view. To obtain this certification from the Building Safety Regulator (BSR), the Accountable Person, an entity (person or company) accountable for the building safety of an occupied block must build a Safety Case Report detailing identified risks and mitigation plans, amongst other prescribed information in the BSB. Failure to comply with this requirement carries a fine and potential custody sentence.
When it comes to building safety, it is often easier to request and compile documentation when you take over the management of a new block from the developer. It can be a lot more complicated when there have been two, three or more block management companies responsible for a block before your appointment, especially when the regulation during their tenure was less stringent.
You will likely have to thread your way through different suppliers and potentially reach out to previous block management companies to compile what you need.
Not to be forgotten are insurance policies. Start shopping for professional indemnity (PI) policies or discuss any additional responsibilities imposed on you by the BSB with your existing policy providers.
Info gathering is just one of the many steps towards full compliance with the BSB, so starting here will allow you to prepare for hidden surprises. Starting your audit and digitising all vital safety information now will buy you time when you need it the most.
Not Just ‘Who’s Who’, But ‘Who Can’
Competency is at the heart of the new building safety regime. The Accountable Person (AP) must appoint a qualified BSM when the building is in occupation and ensure that the BSM receives timely information on repairs, maintenance and any other occurrence relating to the safety of that building. The easiest way to keep the time-cost for this channel of communication as low as possible is to use a specialist maintenance management system that contain reactive and planned maintenance in one hub.
The BSM must also manage the building in accordance with the AP’s Safety Case Report and operate a complaints system set up by the AP. The AP must ensure that their BSM is adequately skilled with demonstrable qualifications. Now is the time to design training plans and plug any knowledge gaps in your firm.
It is expected that new national standards will be set up by the British Standards Institute (BSI) to evaluate the competency of the BSM and such standards could reflect the recommendations documented in the working group report, Safer people, safer homes: Building Safety Management.
The working group chaired by Anthony Taylor of Avison Young examined the desired competency of the Building Safety Manager with a focus on BSMs of Higher Risk Residential Buildings (HRRB), referring to blocks taller than 18 metres or six storeys.
The report recommends that a BSM must demonstrate adequate and appropriate experience in managing building risk, (including pre-new regime experience), and satisfy the requirements of a new competency framework (also referred to as the WG8 framework) through assessments in three areas: knowledge, experience or skills, and behaviour. The report also suggests that BSM certifications be refreshed every three years with the participation of CPD courses and adherence to a Code of Conduct.
Those preparing to take up the responsibilities of the Building Safety Manager could use 2021 to draw up training plans for relevant staff. Apart from the BSM, the Building Safety Bill also acknowledges the multitude of contractors and suppliers involved in the maintenance of a building and all suppliers must be adequately skilled and be able to demonstrate the levels of qualifications required for their works.
Survey your people and suppliers now and find out what relevant levels of skills and qualifications are held by them currently. Use this information to conduct a skills audit and document this exercise. When it comes to winning new business in the block management sector, being able to demonstrate your qualifications and knowledge is key and will become vital once the Building Safety Bill receives royal assent.
Readiness is Your Strongest Competitive Advantage
Preparedness will not only buy you time in the future, but you will also make gains by having time when others do not. You do not need to wait for legislated deadlines to dictate your firm’s strategic direction. With foresight, you can eliminate potential setbacks and create a strong competitive advantage for your business development efforts. The burden on admin work will increase further following the Bill’s introduction and having the right technologies to automate repetitive tasks and manage planned works will free you up to focus on compliance issues.
Now is also the time to let your existing leasehold committees know about your commitment to comply with the new building safety rules and show them that you are investing time and effort in their safety. The Bill is likely to increase service charges by some degree, so demonstrating the value of your services can go a long way in helping you retain existing clients.
