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In-depth research to measure how well the mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) sector is adapting to the new building safety regime has been launched by the Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) and will be carried out in partnership with construction analysts Barbour ABI.
The research comes at a critical time with the government having stripped the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) of responsibility for enforcement of the Building Safety Act, says BESA.
Extensive planning delays and a shortage of qualified assessors led to the creation of a new “fast track process” under the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MCHLG) headed up by two former senior fire chiefs.
A Freedom of Information request by cost consultant Cast also revealed that just 10.8 per cent of Gateway 2 new project applications had been approved.
This is the second annual building safety survey carried out by BESA. It is aimed at companies of all sizes from right across the building engineering spectrum to assess levels of awareness and understanding of legal responsibilities and the implications for individual competence and organisational capability. The Association said the findings would help to shape “practical support, clear guidance, and targeted interventions to drive industry-wide improvement”.
The research will segment understanding by role and business type, measure ‘real world’ changes in behaviour and business practices, and capture reasons for inaction to guide future education and policy support.
BESA’s Director of Specialist Knowledge Rachel Davidson said: “We want to find out what is preventing organisations from adopting the requirements of the legislation. Levels of awareness and understanding of the Act have improved in the past 12 months, but it is a far from consistent picture.
“We are seeing very big variations by role and type of organisation. Those with greater understanding, particularly of individual competence and organisational capability, are more likely to have taken steps to comply with the Act.”
She added: “Where action has not been taken, it is often due to a lack of clarity, guidance, or support. Identifying these barriers will inform targeted interventions to improve industry-wide compliance.”
The research also includes questions requested by Jon Vanstone, chair of the Industry Competence Committee (ICC) which advises the Building Safety Regulator.
Vanstone said: “BESA’s research comes at an important time because pressure is building to get more projects through planning gateways. However, this also raises the stakes around competence and compliance because the industry will still need to meet rigorous safety standards as workloads increase.
“Therefore, any findings that help us understand why companies might be struggling to meet the requirements will be incredibly helpful in shaping our advice to the regulator.”
BESA believes the findings will take on even greater significance because the government has pledged to speed up the planning process by employing 100 new specialists. This is partly motivated by the impact the delays were having on its aim to deliver 1.5 million new homes during this parliament.
BESA CEO, David Frise added that it was important for everyone to remember why the legislation exists and the importance of the new checks and balances in the planning process.
“The research we are launching aims to understand why so many companies and individuals are still not changing their behaviour because, ultimately, this has to be about doing the right thing – even when no-one is looking,” Frise said.
To take part in the research please click here.
