How subcontractors can get aligned with the Building Safety Act in 5 easy steps

The Building Safety Act (BSA) legislation is now in force, and is the most significant change in building regulation in the UK since 1984. In this blog, we’ll outline the five steps you can take to show you’re taking the new Building Safety Act legislation seriously.

The Building Safety Act ushers in crucial new building requirements and regulations. For those currently supplying services to the construction sector, it means your buyers will now be scrutinising compliance and competence throughout their construction supply chain – and, as a result, you must be well prepared.

But how can you bridge regulatory expectations with industry practice? And how can you follow BS 8670-1: 2024 – a standard which sets out core criteria for building safety competence frameworks, and to which the Building Safety Act is aligned?

Luckily, there are proactive measures you can take right now to make sure you’re prepared and in the best position to win more business.

Why you need to turn the Building Safety Act into Action

The Building Safety Act is now law in the United Kingdom. A pivotal moment for the industry, the Building Safety Act raises the bar for construction building safety by addressing critical issues in competency, accountability, and more. It introduces rigorous building safety standards aimed at ensuring buildings are designed, constructed, and managed in a way that prioritises safety, minimises risks and holds the entire construction supply chain to account at every level and step of the way.

As a result, buyers are now actively seeking construction suppliers who demonstrate compliance and the high competency standards demanded by the Building Safety Act. They’ll be closely monitoring their construction supply chains to identify non-compliance. This means businesses that haven’t adapted to these new building regulations will risk, at best, falling behind their competitors and, at worst, simply being excluded from projects.

5 steps to showcase your Building Safety Act credentials

Step one: Go for the gold standard

Making sure you’re a Constructionline Gold or Platinum member is your first step.

After a thorough review and gap analysis of BS 8670-1:2024, our Gold and Platinum memberships were identified as having questions which already mapped directly into BS 8670-1:2024, which means you are already part way to turning the Building Safety Act into Action.

Step two: Complete our SSIP scheme Acclaim questions

Acclaim is the go-to for SSIP certification. The questions used in Acclaim are developed by Constructionline and aligned with the BS 8670-1:2024 document. As each SSIP provider sets its own criteria, we cannot guarantee that other SSIP schemes have been directly mapped into BS 8670-1:2024 in this way or what evidence is required to pass. So be sure to complete Acclaim even if you already have a Deemed To Satisfy SSIP.

Additionally, Acclaim is the simplest way to complete your SSIP certification. It’s simple, credible and transparent – and your application is processed in just two business days. 

Step three: Fill in our Social Value question set

The Building Safety Act isn’t just about health and safety. The main purpose of BS 8670-1:2024 – is to look at the behavioural aspects of an organisation. Therefore, there are specific questions within our social value set that are necessary to comply with the Building Safety Act. These areas include a company’s net zero and EDI policies, and confirmation of whether they are a member of any external schemes such as Considerate Contractors.

So, how do these areas evidence a business’s behaviour? Take a net zero policy for example. It demonstrates that the company is forward thinking and has a plan in place to reduce its carbon emissions and impact on the environment. If they have an EDI policy in place, then it shows they care about their workforce and creating a safe and inclusive environment to work in – which ultimately leads to safer behaviours.

Step four: Evidence your competence with additional Act-specific questions in our Building Safety Act Assessments

This is the most crucial step. Our new Building Safety Act Assessments let you easily showcase your competencies, and demonstrate that you’re aligned with the requirements of the Building Safety Act legislation. These cover both standard construction projects and higher-risk buildings, allowing you to showcase your skills, knowledge, experience, behaviours and commitment to safety across a range of projects.

All of your answers and actions from the previous three steps will be updated within the BSA Assessments question set when logged into your membership account. Additionally, there will be some BSA-specific questions members will need to fill out, which have been created in line with BS 8670-1:2024.

Step five: Update your Common Assessment Standard

Build UK have updated the Common Assessment Standard question set so that it’s tailored to meet the requirements of the Building Safety Act as part of BS 8670-1:2024. If you’ve completed the four previous steps, then you are ready to answer these additional questions. Completing these updated Common Assessment Standard questions will ensure your profile remains fully verified and aligned with the Building Safety Act’s demands.

Get prepared now

The Building Safety Act is the biggest change to building safety in a generation. As champions of positive change, we’ve worked with prominent construction industry buyers to make sure our members have everything they need to be fully prepared.

By following our outlined steps, you’ll not only meet the Building Safety Act’s requirements but also demonstrate leadership and excellence in a changing industry landscape.

For more information on the Building Safety Act and how Constructionline can help your business navigate the legislation, please visit our BSA Resource Hub.  

Our BSA hub was developed as a central place to help you stay informed about the BSA with our free-to-use resources, such as guides, webinars, blogs, and videos.

*Please note on 31st May, BSI Flex 8670 was superseded by BS 8670-1:2024.