Understanding the Building Safety Act
The Building Safety Act 2022 (BSA) represents a major shift in the regulation of construction safety and competency. It introduces new legal duties for those involved in the design and delivery of higher-risk buildings — going beyond the CDM Regulations 2015 and Building Regulations 2010.
Under the BSA, compliance is no longer optional — organisations must be able to prove that their Principal Designers and Principal Contractors meet clearly defined competency standards.
Key elements of the Act
Core objectives
- Ensure compliance with Building Regulations
- Define duty holder roles and improve accountability
- Require competent individuals to manage and monitor projects
New duty holders
- Principal Designer: Coordinates the design team to ensure regulatory compliance
- Principal Contractor: Oversees construction and manages compliance with design requirements
HSE expectations
The Principal Designer should be part of the design team — typically an architect, engineer or surveyor — and must be involved from the outset of the project.
How it relates to CDM 2015
The BSA mirrors the CDM Regulations but forms a separate and stricter framework, particularly for higher-risk buildings.
Competency requirements
Principal Designers and Contractors must demonstrate competency through a combination of:
- Skills, Knowledge, Experience and Behaviour (SKEB) — aligned with BS 8670
- PAS 8671 and PAS 8672 — for duty holders in scope of the BSA
- Technical understanding of the Building Safety Act and related regulations
- Ability to plan, manage and monitor design or construction activities
Our support services
2-stage competency assessment
PIB Risk Management offers a structured two-stage process to help assess duty holder competence:
- Stage 1: Interview-based assessment (in person, online or hybrid)
- Stage 2: Site or office-based verification of compliance with required standards
Clients receive a competency report and scoring matrix to benchmark against BSA requirements.
CPD sessions
We also deliver CPD training sessions on the BSA and duty holder obligations. These typically run for 1.5 to 2 hours and are available in face-to-face, virtual or hybrid formats. CPD certificates are provided upon completion.
Need help meeting BSA requirements?
We support Principal Designers, Contractors and clients in understanding their duties and demonstrating compliance. Get in touch to book a competency assessment or CPD session tailored to your needs.