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The new safety regime introduced by the Building Safety Act 2022 comes into force on 1 October 2023, putting residents at the heart of new building safety systems. It places greater responsibility on all players in the construction industry for keeping buildings and their occupants safe. A leading architect and safety manufacturer each offer their thoughts on the impact of the new legislation on architects.
Paul Bussey, Architect, RIBA, Allford Hall Monaghan Morris
“The Building Safety Act is a whole new world for architects. It significantly increases our responsibilities as principal designers, designating us as the ‘guiding hand’ on health and safety issues.
“Some people think that the bill only applies to higher risk buildings and may think that if they are not building high-rise buildings (HRBs) they don’t need to worry. However, this is not the case. The bill increases the role of architects in designing and construction safety responsibilities all building.
So what does the new regime mean for architects in practice?
“Well, our job is to eliminate hazards such as fires and falls from heights. As long as it is reasonably practicable (SFAIRP). We also need to reduce the risks posed by residual hazards.
“This means specifying safety solutions that ensure the safety of building contractors, maintenance workers and residents, while also being cost-effective and visually and structurally sound.
“Obviously we cannot be responsible for all the details ourselves, so we need additional support from experts within the wider team, including structural engineers, CDM consultants, building regulations consultants, fire safety experts, facade consultants and maintenance staff consultants.
“We also need to work more closely with industry than we have in the past. In particular, we will be looking to manufacturers to increase transparency about their products so that we can be confident that we are specifying fit-for-purpose solutions.
“But our responsibilities under the Building Safety Act go beyond that. Once we decide on solutions to keep people safe, we need prove Demonstrate to building safety regulators that we comply with their requirements and that the solutions we specify actually work. This requires us to provide the regulatory agency with visual documentation containing calculations, architectural drawings, sections, structural details, etc.
“For example, if we use a fall protection system, we must be able to demonstrate that the system can do its job – ensuring the safety of people in situations where falls cannot be restrained and from heights. The entire fall protection process on the roof is acceptable , including rescue. This means we must have complete confidence that the system will work properly and ensure that our clients, funders and insurers are also satisfied.
“Manufacturers have a key role to play here, providing us with the high-level information we need to quickly get approved solutions. We don’t need to have a rule about everything – we just need to know what is relevant and current, which will Help us demonstrate that we are meeting our responsibilities under the new Act.
“I realize this sounds a bit overwhelming, but remember that as an architect you are only responsible for managing safety risks As long as it is reasonable and feasible. No one expects you to completely eliminate risk. Basically, the new regime boils down to a more ethical approach for all the different players in the construction industry, which I personally welcome. “
Stuart Pierpoint, Specification Sales Manager, MSA Safety
“For manufacturers, the Construction Safety Act represents a sea change of emphasis, ushering in a world where we need to take a strict ethical approach. Those who behave unethically will face quite severe consequences – two years in prison and no Capped fines.
“In practice, the new regime means that manufacturers need to be more transparent about compliance. An example is when a fall protection manufacturer supplies a product that only complies with the 1997 EN standard rather than the revised 2012 standard. This needs to be made clear and avoid Misleadingly claims that its products meet “current standards”.
“As an industry, we also need to have a clearer understanding of when a product is ‘fit for purpose’ and when it is not, and be able to provide evidence to support any ‘fit for purpose’ claims. Some fall protection systems may not have been designed by architects yet Tests are conducted on the same substrate used. Again, load-carrying capacity varies between different substrates – thinner, flexible substrates have much lower load-carrying capacity than heavier and denser substrates. When choosing a ‘fit for purpose’ Both of these factors are important considerations when designing a fall protection system.
“As manufacturers, we need to simplify the correct specification of our systems. We need to make sure our manuals and documentation are correct – clear about what the product can and cannot do, what its limitations are and what its successes are. We need to make sure The wording and images in these documents are clear to multiple users and languages.
“We also need to ensure that our labels, serial numbers and evidence of any quality claims are correct, that we strictly follow quality management processes, conduct sufficient batch consistency testing to know that our products are being manufactured correctly, and that we perform our of manufacturing with proper audit trails.
“Manufacturers also need to work closely with installers and architects. As we work with architects to help them select a ‘fit for purpose’ fall protection solution, it is important to maintain their specifications for the roof type so that we can understand the best fit for purpose. The security system recommendations are spot on.
“Simply put, there is a lot that manufacturers can do to support architects and help realize the vision of the new Act. At MSA Safety, we are passionate about playing our part to help make buildings safer for everyone.” Ultimately, the new The Construction Safety Act is a positive step forward for building safety and compliance, with architects and manufacturers alike welcoming the change. While the parameters of the lead architect’s responsibilities have changed, this change provides an opportunity for manufacturers and construction teams to work closely together to ensure that the most effective fall protection safety solutions are considered and installed in future developments.
Architecture, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
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