Building Safety Act: What Every UK Tradesperson Must Know

Who Does It Affect?

The Building Safety Act affects everyone involved in the design, construction, and management of buildings. This includes:

• Principal designers and principal contractors
• All subcontractors and tradespeople
• Building owners and managers (for occupied buildings)
• Building control bodies
• Product manufacturers and suppliers

The Golden Thread

The "golden thread" is a digital record of building information that must be created, maintained, and passed on throughout a building's lifecycle. For tradespeople, this means:

• Documenting all work carried out with photographs and specifications
• Recording materials used (manufacturer, batch numbers, fire ratings)
• Providing as-built drawings and installation certificates
• Maintaining records in a prescribed digital format
• Passing information to the building owner/manager on completion

Competence Requirements

The Act requires all professionals to demonstrate competence. For trades, this means:

• Holding relevant qualifications and certifications
• Maintaining CPD (Continuing Professional Development) records
• Being registered with an appropriate competent person scheme
• Demonstrating knowledge of fire safety requirements
• Understanding your duties under the Act

Higher-Risk Buildings

Buildings over 18 metres (7+ storeys) or care homes/hospitals over 18 metres face the strictest requirements:

• Mandatory gateway process (3 stages of approval)
• Building Safety Regulator oversight
• Mandatory occurrence reporting (safety incidents)
• Residents' engagement strategy required
• Building assessment certificates needed before occupation

Penalties

• Failure to comply with building regulations: unlimited fine + up to 2 years imprisonment
• Providing false or misleading information: unlimited fine + up to 2 years imprisonment
• Failure to comply with compliance notice: up to £200 per day
• Contravention of duty holder requirements: criminal prosecution

What Tradespeople Must Do Now

• Register with a competent person scheme for your trade
• Set up digital documentation systems for the golden thread
• Ensure all materials are properly recorded and traceable
• Maintain up-to-date CPD records
• Understand your duty holder responsibilities for each project
• Report safety occurrences to the Building Safety Regulator
• Keep records for at least 15 years (building lifetime)