Building Control Deadline Extended

Summary

The Building Safety Act 2022 introduced new regulations for building control professionals, requiring accreditation by specific deadlines. Deadlines for building control accreditation have been extended in both England and Wales, providing more time for professionals to complete the process. This extension addresses concerns about insufficient professionals meeting the original deadlines and aims to ensure a smoother transition to the new system.

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** Main Story**

Accreditation Extension: Breathing Room for Building Control Professionals

Good news for the building industry in England and Wales! We’ve seen extensions granted by both the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and the Welsh Government regarding the deadlines for building control professionals to get accredited under the Building Safety Act 2022. This is a direct response to real concerns that professionals wouldn’t be able to meet those initial deadlines, and honestly, the potential impact on our ability to deliver building control services was a bit worrying. I think most people in the industry agree, it was cutting it fine.

England’s Extended Timeline: A Little More Wiggle Room

So, in England, the original deadline was April 6, 2024. Now, the HSE has pushed that back to July 6, 2024. That’s thirteen extra weeks to complete those competency assessments, which should make a real difference. It’s specifically for those who’d already registered by that original April 6th deadline and are actively enrolled in an approved competency assessment scheme.

Think of it like having a little more time to study for a crucial exam. However, the HSE wants to ensure everyone keeps on track so they still need you to continue pursuing registration and accreditation without delay.

Wales Follows Suit: A Six-Month Cushion

And what about Wales? Well, the Welsh Government acknowledged the pressure too, extending their deadline to October 1, 2024, a full six months from the initial April date. This aligns perfectly with that overall goal of making sure we’ve got enough qualified pros to handle building control functions. I mean, can you imagine the chaos if they didn’t?

Easing the Pressure: Addressing Industry Concerns

These extensions are addressing some pretty significant worries. Plenty of building control professionals were anxious about hitting those initial deadlines, pointing to the rigor of the competency assessments and how it could potentially disrupt services. These extensions give local authorities and approved inspectors more time to shift to the new Registered Building Control Approver (RBCA) system.

The goal, obviously, is to keep any service disruptions to a minimum. Construction projects need to keep running smoothly, right?

Construction Industry: Breathing a Collective Sigh of Relief

What does this mean for the construction industry? In short, it’s a big deal. Projects can move forward without the immediate crunch of the original deadlines, allowing for a much more manageable transition. Plus, it gives people more time for continued professional development. And, ultimately, that contributes to a more capable and qualified workforce; and who doesn’t want that?

The Big Picture: Building Safety Act 2022

The Building Safety Act 2022 is a huge shake-up to building regulations in the UK. Implemented step-by-step, with key changes from October 1, 2023, it introduces much stricter rules for higher-risk buildings – think residential buildings over 18 meters or seven stories, also hospitals, and care homes.

The Act also created the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) to oversee everything. It is crucial that this new landscape places greater emphasis on accountability and competence throughout the entire lifecycle of a building, so, from design and construction all the way through to occupation and management.

Breaking down the key changes:

• New Dutyholder Roles: Now everyone involved in the design, construction, and management of higher-risk buildings has defined roles and responsibilities. This is good, because accountability is key.
• Enhanced Building Control System: For higher-risk buildings, the oversight is way more rigorous, and the scrutiny of design and construction is tighter than ever. Necessary, in my opinion.
• The Golden Thread of Information: We now have to maintain comprehensive digital records of building information throughout the building’s entire existence. A bit of extra work, sure, but worth it for the increased transparency.
• Safety Cases: Higher-risk buildings now need mandatory safety cases that show how safety risks are being managed. It makes perfect sense. I mean, shouldn’t we always be thinking about safety first?
• Mandatory Occurrence Reporting: There’s now a system for reporting building safety incidents to the BSR. Hopefully, it will prevent any serious problems.

Ultimately, these deadline extensions are a pragmatic way to make sure the Building Safety Act’s objectives are met effectively. It also avoids the very real risk of a workforce shortage in the already strained building control sector. Going forward, ongoing updates and guidance from the HSE and the Welsh Government will be crucial for all of us as we navigate these changes. It’s going to be interesting to see how it all unfolds and I’m cautiously optimistic!