Building safety: BSI seeking views on the overarching framework for building safety competence

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As part of the wholesale review of building safety and regulations in the UK following the Grenfell Tower fire, BSI is building a framework of documents, sponsored by MHCLG, which aims to raise the standards of competence (skills, knowledge, experience and behaviours) for key professions and trades that are expected to work on buildings in scope of the new building safety regime. 

The overarching framework, known as BSI Flex 8670, is the first phase of the BSI work on developing competence standards. The second phase will see the overarching framework inform the three PASs the BSI has been commissioned to develop for the three new statutory roles in the forthcoming Building Safety Bill: Principal Designer, Principal Contractor and Building Safety Manager (BSM). The overarching competence framework is covering areas including safety management, risk management, regulations and processes, building systems, ethics and fire/life safety. 

BSI is currently seeking comments on the specification for these building safety competences under its standardisation process. IWFM’s Life Safety Working Group, which has fed into the competence requirements for the new Building Safety Manager role, is reviewing this latest version of the overarching standard and provide its feedback to the BSI consultation.

It is expected that statutory guidance following the forthcoming Building Safety Bill will make references to these standards to help duty-holders meet their legal duties. This means that BSMs will need to demonstrate compliance with the future BSM PAS before they can be appointed as a BSM.

The overarching framework, once published as a BS Flex (expected March 2021), can also be used to develop sector-specific competence frameworks for wider relevant trades and professions.

IWFM members can download, review and comment on the draft here (closing date for comments is 2 February 2021).

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