Government publishes new safety guide for high-rise residential buildings

The UK government has released a detailed guide on assessing safety risks in high-rise residential buildings, specifically targeting accountable persons in England.

The guide is designed to help these individuals understand and manage potential safety risks in buildings that have at least seven storeys or are 18 metres high, with at least two residential units.

The guide emphasises the importance of registering these buildings with the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) before occupation, as required under the Building Safety Act 2022.

Assessing safety risks in high-rise buildings

The guide outlines the process for assessing building safety risks, helping accountable persons to demonstrate that they have taken “all reasonable steps” to manage these risks.

It advises that a risk assessment team should include people with knowledge of safety management systems, fire safety, and structural safety, although the guide notes that the team does not necessarily have to include external consultants.

According to the guide: “You and your organisation know your building better than anyone else and you may be able to assess the risks yourselves.”

Scenarios to consider in risk assessments

In the guide, various risk scenarios are detailed, including fire-risk scenarios such as single-floor fires spreading to multiple compartments, between-floor fires, and whole-building fires.

Structural-risk scenarios are also covered, such as the potential for structural collapse, issues with balconies or suspended walkways, and the impact of aggressive environmental conditions.

The guide advises that worst-case scenarios should be considered to fully understand and manage the risks within a building.

Using HAZID for risk assessment

The guide suggests the HAZID (hazard identification) risk assessment method as a possible approach for assessing safety risks in high-rise buildings.

The HAZID method involves a systematic exploration of potential hazards, encouraging team members to ask “what if” or “how could” questions to identify risks and evaluate existing control measures.

The team should include experts with knowledge of the building’s construction, resident profile, fire and structural safety, and maintenance regimes.

Conducting and recording assessments

The guide recommends that buildings be divided into areas for assessment, depending on their design and use, to facilitate a thorough risk evaluation.

It advises that the assessment process be recorded meticulously, with any identified actions or recommendations tracked until completion.

If additional measures are identified but not implemented, the guide suggests providing a clear explanation as to why they were deemed unreasonable.

UK government publishes guide on assessing safety risks in high-rise residential buildings: Summary

The UK government has released a guide for accountable persons in England to help them assess and manage safety risks in high-rise residential buildings.

The guide outlines the importance of understanding potential safety risks, including those related to fire and structural stability, and provides advice on forming a risk assessment team.

It suggests using the HAZID risk assessment method to identify and manage hazards and stresses the need for careful documentation and follow-up on all identified risks and recommendations.

The guide is applicable to buildings with at least seven storeys or 18 metres in height and requires registration with the Building Safety Regulator before occupation.