BESA launches campaign to bridge building safety knowledge gaps
Iain Hoey
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BESA introduces interactive guide for building safety
The Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) has launched an awareness campaign to address gaps in the industry’s understanding of roles and responsibilities under the Building Safety Act.
The ‘Play it Safe’ interactive guide uses football analogies to help companies and individuals identify their specific roles and direct them to detailed information on the BESA Building Safety Act Hub.
The campaign, timed to coincide with the end of the 2024 European Championships, aims to simplify the complexities of the legislation.
By comparing building services professionals to various roles in a football club, the guide highlights competence requirements and the type of evidence needed for each member of the supply chain.
The ‘Play it Safe’ guide will be available exclusively to BESA members before being launched to the entire industry at the Association’s Annual Conference on 17 October in London.
Industry survey to gauge awareness of the Building Safety Act
In conjunction with the campaign, BESA is conducting a survey of the building engineering services industry to measure awareness of the Building Safety Act and its implications.
Partnering with market research specialists Barbour ABI, the survey aims to understand how well industry professionals comprehend their responsibilities and the steps taken to ensure compliance.
Survey participants will be entered into a prize draw for an England footballer Rachel Daly’s Euro 2022 championship shirt.
The survey will close at midnight on Friday, 30 August.
Previous research from the specification platform NBS revealed that many in the construction sector are unsure of their responsibilities under the new regime, despite the Act being in force since 2022.
NBS found that half of the respondents were either unsure or unaware of their responsibilities, with only 12% feeling “very clear” about their obligations.
This lack of clarity is especially concerning given that two-thirds of respondents have experience working on higher-risk buildings.
BESA’s effort to address the complexities of the Building Safety Act
Rachel Davidson, BESA’s director of specialist knowledge, emphasized the importance of the ‘Play it Safe’ guide.
She said: “This demonstrates just why our ‘Play it Safe’ Guide is so timely.
“As well as being a practical and relatable tool, we hope it will also provide some welcome reassurance to our members and the wider industry in the face of growing concern about the implications of the legislation.”
Davidson noted that many firms are aware of the legislation but are unclear about their specific responsibilities.
BESA has been collaborating with other industry bodies and the Building Safety Regulator to clarify these roles and ensure that all members of the supply chain understand their obligations under the Act.
The campaign aims to cut through the mass of information available, guiding firms and individuals to relevant resources that will help them prove their competence, ensure compliance, and reassure clients about their capability to meet legislative requirements.
Davidson concluded: “Ultimately, this is about doing the right thing: Keeping people safe and well in buildings and driving the much-needed culture change that will transform the sector and help rebuild the industry’s reputation and trust.”