Small firms ‘overwhelmed’ by building safety regime

In a survey carried out by BESA, small businesses revealed they are prioritising cost and speed over safety

Better communications and more consistent enforcement are needed to improve compliance with the Building Safety Act, according to speakers at the recent London Build Expo.

A lively panel session informed by new research from the Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) debated the need for more targeted information about the Building Regulations, more vigorous enforcement, and sector-specific training to overcome the barriers to compliance reported by the SMEs and micro-businesses that make up 99% of the construction sector and its related professions.

BESA’s director of specialist knowledge, Rachel Davidson, told the busy event at the Olympia exhibition centre in London that 88% of the industry’s professionals were aware of the Act. Still, most SMEs found the legislation “overwhelming and daunting” and felt “left behind”.

“This is critical because those companies are the lifeblood of the industry,” said Davidson. “There are also a lot of people who still think the legislation only applies to HRBs (higher risk buildings).”

BESA’s second annual survey of the sector’s response to the legislation also showed that many clients were carrying on with “business as usual” meaning they continue to prioritise cost and speed over safety.

“A lot of this comes back to leadership and culture,” said Davidson. “78% of companies tell us that this is important to them, but fewer than half report having taken enough action.”

She said that building engineering contractors were increasingly calling for precise and consistent enforcement of the legislation because “unless there are consequences, clients will continue to think compliance is optional”.

Davidson added that BESA was delivering more guidance to help firms see “what good looks like” in their sector.

“It is also important to reassure people that they don’t need to know or understand everything about the Act – they should focus on the parts they can control and their specific roles and responsibilities.”