The Building Safety Alliance

Final report on Grenfell Charity

Wednesday 4th September saw the publication of the Phase 2 report of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry – the long-awaited milestone report reviewing the events that led to the tragic loss of 72 lives in June 2017. The Building Safety Alliance recognise the effect the tragic, and as we now know, avoidable, event continues to have on all those who perished, the survivors and their families – we extend our sympathy to all the victims once more.

We are reviewing the report and all the recommendations for further action carefully. While we cannot change the past, we can recognise the findings reported in the Phase 2 report and learn our lessons from it. We pledge to continue to work to drive culture change and help improve the competence of those who work to provide safe homes for people to live in.

 

Building Safety Alliance releases crucial guidance documents to elevate competence standards in residential occupied sector.

The Building Safety Alliance, a collaborative effort uniting leading industry figures, associations, and bodies, has announced the publication of two pivotal documents aimed at bolstering competence standards and fostering the recruitment of qualified professionals within the residential occupied sector.

The newly unveiled documents, BSAS 01:2024 Organisational Capability Management System Standard and Guidelines outlining competence expectations for stakeholders involved in specifying, procuring, and managing services for occupied high-rise and higher-risk residential buildings, serve as essential resources for organisations seeking to enhance competence within their building safety functions. These initiatives align with the imperative of meeting the requirements set by the new building safety regime and its regulations pertaining to competence.

In an evolving landscape where evidence of competence management, particularly organisational capability, is increasingly scrutinised, stakeholders across the sector must demonstrate their commitment to upholding rigorous standards. Clients will demand tangible proof of competence management, compelling organisations of all sizes and complexities within the supply chain to ensure the proficiency of their workforce, including contracted and subcontracted personnel.

The development of these documents is a testament to the dedication and expertise of industry professionals who have tirelessly contributed to their creation.

8 May 2024

 

The Building Safety Alliance (BSA) was formed in March 2021 as a stakeholder group from the occupation phase with representation from many disciplines active in the residential housing sector. Initially it was seeking to implement the recommendations from Working Group 8 of the Competence Steering Group, which was tasked to develop a competence framework for the building safety manager. We have since evolved to become the pre-eminent Forum for all those organisations providing services and products to the occupied residential sector.

The Building Safety Alliance includes owners, residents, insurers, facility and property managers, representatives from professional and trade bodies and a wide number of professional services providers such as engineering, installing and maintenance.

It continues to grow as the wider sector agrees that co-operation and co-ordination of effort to drive competence and culture change is achieved better, faster and consistently together.

The vision of the Building Safety Alliance is to deliver safe buildings for residents and society at large by:

  • bringing together representative bodies and organisations with one voice to deliver on its vision;
  • driving culture change, competence and best practice throughout the occupation phase, through collaborative working;
  • bringing together resources for the betterment of the sector;
  • promoting excellence in safety management in residential buildings, including promotion of residents’ voice; and
  • supporting the implementation of the Building Safety Act 2022, the Fire Safety Act 2021 and the amended Regulation Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.