The Grenfell Tower fire has prompted a review of existing legislation on fire safety standards and building regulations. New legislation is due to come into force on 6th April 2023 and will make provisions for high-risk buildings. The Compliance People consultant Alison Long looks at this important change.
A high-risk building is any building that:
- contains 2 or more rooms used for residential purposes; and
- is 18 metres above ground level or has 7 or more storeys.
Owners and operators of high-rise buildings must now:
- register with the Building Safety Regulator (BSR); and
- appoint a principle accountable person (PAP) to:
- assess and manage building safety risks such as structural failure and spread of fire;
- reduce the seriousness of incidents;
- prepare a safety case report; and
- provide relevant building information to the BSR.
All high-risk buildings must be registered by October 2023.
The draft legislation can be viewed here.
Do you want to have your say on fire safety standards and building regulations?
Take a look at the following consultations issued by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and the Welsh Government.
- Managing building safety.
- Building safety competence information for principal contractors and principal designers.
- Building safety for higher-risk buildings.
In Summary
Organisations are required to register with the BSR and appoint a principle accountable person for high-risk buildings. The deadline for compliance is currently October 2023.