Rebecca Croton, Content Marketing Executive at Quelfire, examines the Building Safety Act and the importance of early engagement in prioritising the fire safety of a building from the offset  

Sadly, it has taken the tragedy of the Grenfell Tower fire to expose the systemic failures of the government, construction industry and other trade bodies. In September 2024, the Grenfell Tower’s public inquiry came to a close, finding that all 72 deaths were avoidable and unsurprisingly, that the industry needed to change. And fast.  

Since June 14th 2017, the construction industry has faced increased scrutiny, resulting in the implementation of the Building Safety Act 2022. It has also borne witness to the findings and recommendations of the public inquiry.

From cost-cutting and ignored warnings to dangerous marketing and training failures, the inquiry uprooted decades of evidence that clearly highlights why the way the industry designs, builds and views fire safety must change. 

Rebecca Croton

In an interview for CIBSE Journal, Dame Judith Hackitt said: “Fire safety is, clearly, extremely important, but whatever you are working on – be it acoustics or thermal insulation – if it’s not done properly the building will not be fit for purpose.” 

Construction needs to start being recognised as a team exercise; non-compliant work will only create challenges for the stakeholders that follow.  

Aims of the Building Safety Act  

The Building Safety Act was created in response to the Grenfell Tower fire. Setting the foundation for building safety in the construction sector, it overhauls existing regulations to create lasting change. This is through setting clear guidelines on how buildings should be effectively designed, built and maintained. With one goal in mind: to protect the end user.  

The Building Safety Act now gives residents and homeowners more authority after the inquiry found that concerns of Grenfell residents about the tower’s safety were consistently ignored. What overarches the goal of the Building Safety Act is the responsibility placed on companies and individuals within the construction industry. Not only to ensure compliance with building regulations, but to demonstrate competency. 

What positive changes is the industry seeing from the Building Safety Act? 

The Building Safety Act has been a catalyst for cultural change, especially regarding attitudes towards fire safety: ‘design, then build’. In Quelfire’s ‘Navigating Gateway 2’ panel discussion at London Build 2024, Jeremy Ockenden, Technical Director at Affinity Fire, highlighted that one positive from the Building Safety Act is the current attitudes of design teams.

This being that they must collaborate and demonstrate compliance with building regulations. Ockenden said, “We have to be absolutely rock solid; there’s no let’s test the waters, let’s see if we can get away with this.” 

Furthermore, though there may be more upfront costs associated with the ‘design, then build’ approach, Graeme Whitty, National Product Director at Willmott Dixon, emphasised that contractors, consultants and product suppliers will have to be chosen earlier. Whitty added, “[The client] can’t play the game, drive lowest cost, or best-value decision.”  

Compliance with the Building Safety Act, especially when submitting a Gateway application, requires partnerships built on integrity and a commitment to getting it right the first time around. It puts fire safety first.  

Exploring the Gateway regime  

One section of the Building Safety Act is the Gateway regime. The Gateways control the flow and progress of higher-risk buildings. Planning Gateway One- at the planning application stage. Gateway Two- before building work starts. Gateway Three- when building work is completed.  

Gateways Two and Three are ‘stop and go’ checkpoints, meaning the project can only progress to the next stage once approved.  At the time of writing, looking at recent statistics for Gateway Two applications, only 11 have been approved. Nine of these have been confirmed by the Health and Safety Executive as legacy projects from AIS Chartered Surveyors or Assent Building Control; therefore, do not depict an accurate representation.  

Contractors are facing unclear submission requirements and extensive delays, with some already being rejected.

Rebecca Croton

This emphasises how difficult the Gateways are to successfully navigate, especially as the Building Safety Regulator is relatively new. A shared understanding of the ‘design, then build’ approach, the importance of early engagement and increased collaboration between all stakeholders will put projects in better stead for a successful Gateway submission – even with the uncertainty of timings and requirements. Focus on what can be controlled first – that is, working in line with tested solutions alongside the manufacturer and other stakeholders.  

What is early engagement? 

Early engagement in firestopping is what it says on the tin. It brings all parties involved in the design and installation of service penetration seals into the project’s design stage. This ensures the fire safety of the building is a priority from the outset and that the building is constructed in line with regulations and manufacturers’ guidance. This is where the ‘design then build’ model can be applied.  

Early engagement helps facilitate this approach as it’s about thoroughly planning the project – including choosing service types, insulation, and agreeing fire ratings, for instance – and ensuring there are available tested details to work to.

Rebecca Croton

Only when the design is ready can the construction phase commence. Early engagement is beneficial as it can be applied to all areas of construction, not just service penetrations.  

Does early engagement have any other benefits?  

It offers a wide range of benefits that can easily be overlooked. Most importantly, it saves live through effective compartmentation and works to available tested solutions, meaning buildings are constructed around test evidence. It also helps to avoid extra delays and costs through effective planning, ensures compliant and achievable installations and improves reputations by building trust.  

When evaluating the Building Safety Act, it can be easy to overlook all the positives, especially when faced with significant delays, lack of communication and blurred submission requirements from government bodies. But, ultimately, like all other legislation, it is there for a reason. To protect people and property and ensure Grenfell never happens again. 

Rounding up the panel discussion, Tom Hughes, Principal Building Safety Consultant at Safer Sphere, emphasised that it is vital to understand that “we’re designing and constructing people’s homes.” Early engagement. Collaboration. Design, then build. 

This article was originally published in the April 2025 Edition of International Fire & Safety Journal. To read your FREE copy, click here.