In November, Mark Elwell, our Managing Director, attended Business Insiders’ Roundtable, where he was joined by several “powerhouses” from the industry. The discussion surrounded the regulatory aspects of the Building Safety Act, the importance of the Golden Thread for maintaining safety and transparency, and the role of technology in facilitating these processes.
There are currently many health and safety regulations in place in the UK, including laws such as the Building Safety Act 2022, which was introduced to ensure higher safety standards in construction and management. However, there is still a challenge of ensuring that these regulations are implemented at a high standard.
One critical question that was debated was: “How effective are these regulations in making buildings safer". While local authorities and block management companies are in charge of ensuring that buildings are meeting health and safety standards, there is still a knowledge gap between landlords about the act and how it impacts them.
Golden Thread
One of the requirements for the Building Safety Act was the introduction of the Golden Thread, which mandates the creation and maintenance of detailed, up-to-date records about all aspects of a building such as the design, construction and health and safety measures implemented, to ensure people are safe. However, Natalie Boardman, the Director at Belvoir – a letting agent in Tunbridge Wells, explained that many landlords who are not with managing agents are unaware of these procedures and therefore do not stay up to date on renewing the health and safety measures within their buildings.
The discussion then moved on to the importance of compartmentation, especially for historic properties. As a collective, the experts agreed that the Golden Thread is key when compartmentalising buildings, such as minor changes in the building’s fabric from when items have been repaired or installed. This proper documentation is what ensures buildings are up-to-date and to the highest levels of safety.
Technological advancements in the Health and Safety industry
Finally, as expected the conversation moved on to technological advancements in the industry, and how we can continue to optimise them to manage safety systems such as the Golden Thread. The Building Safety Act emphasises the need for digital tools in managing and storing documentation in an organised manger, highlighting the importance of data portability and group-up access. Currently, there is no central portal, and several non-bespoke applications are being used. This is a current limitation within the industry, which is being monitored, and will be an interesting opportunity if delivered over time.
Overall, the discussion was inspiring, being able to see how different overarching agencies within the construction and health and safety industry all intertwine to work towards a common goal of creating safe buildings for people to inhabit.
