The JIB and ECS responded to a recent government consultation ‘Improving proportionality and safety outcomes in building control‘.
We believe that achieving improvement requires consideration at two levels: organisational capability and individual competence. Mechanisms such as Competent Persons Schemes (CPS) provide assurance that organisations have appropriate systems, supervision and quality controls in place but they do not demonstrate that the individuals carrying out the work are competent.
Government proposals include the introduction of limited dispensations from certain building control procedures, for specific types of work. This includes the installation and repair of mobile communication masts, and of fibre infrastructure in buildings – including those with higher-risk. The aim is to reduce administrative delays for routine or time-sensitive projects, but this brings a risk of reductions in safety standards.
Some areas, such as compartmentation, limit the risk of fire spreading within buildings and are a vital consideration for the electrotechnical and wider building services sectors. The key to maintaining these safeguards is competence. Any dispensation should require that work is undertaken by properly qualified and certified individuals working within competent organisations.
Independent personnel certification schemes, such as ECS, play an essential role in providing transparent verification of an individual’s skills, knowledge, experience, behaviours, and employer endorsements. This gives confidence, to clients, building owners and regulators, that those undertaking work on buildings have the appropriate competence.
Maintaining robust competence verification is particularly important where work may interact with building fabric, fire compartmentation, electrical infrastructure or other safety-critical systems.
The JIB and ECS will continue to engage with government and industry partners to enable necessary infrastructure works to be carried out efficiently and ensure that any regulatory changes support safe delivery, high standards and a competent workforce.
Companies are encouraged to remain engaged with developments in this area and to continue prioritising competence verification and good organisational practice in all building work.
