{"id":734374,"date":"2024-04-22T05:09:50","date_gmt":"2024-04-22T04:09:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.architectsjournal.co.uk\/?p=734374"},"modified":"2024-04-22T09:01:02","modified_gmt":"2024-04-22T08:01:02","slug":"ahmm-paul-bussey-building-safety-act-construction-matierals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.architectsjournal.co.uk\/news\/opinion\/ahmm-paul-bussey-building-safety-act-construction-matierals","title":{"rendered":"AHMM\u2019s Paul Bussey: \u2018We\u2019ll be seeking greater transparency from manufacturers about products\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

Paul Bussey, architect, Allford Hall Monaghan Morris<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

The Building Safety Act<\/a> is a whole new world for architects. As the principal designer it significantly increases our responsibilities, designating us as a \u2018guiding hand\u2019 for health and safety issues. Some people think the Act only applies to higher-risk buildings and that, if they don\u2019t do high-rises, they don\u2019t need to worry about it. But this is not the case. The act increases architects\u2019 responsibilities for safety in the design and construction of all<\/i> buildings.<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s now the architect\u2019s job to eliminate hazards such as fire and falls from height so far as is reasonably practical<\/i>. This means specifying safety solutions that will keep contractors, maintenance workers and residents safe, as well as be cost-effective and work well visually and structurally.<\/span><\/p>\n

Clearly, we can\u2019t be accountable for all the details ourselves, so we\u2019re going to need increased support from experts in our team, including structural engineers, CDM advisers, building regulation advisers, fire safety experts, fa\u00e7ade consultants and maintenance consultants. We\u2019re also going to need to work with industry more closely than we\u2019ve done in the past. In particular, we\u2019ll be seeking greater transparency from manufacturers about products, so that we can be confident that we\u2019re specifying solutions that are fit for purpose.<\/span><\/p>\n

But our responsibilities under the Building Safety Act don\u2019t stop there. Once we\u2019ve decided on the solutions that will keep people safe, we then need to demonstrate to the Building Safety Regulator that we\u2019ve complied with their requirements and that the solutions we\u2019ve specified will actually work. <\/span><\/p>\n

This requires us to provide the regulator with a visual document giving calculations, architectural drawings, sections, structural details and so forth. For example, in the case of a fall protection system, we must be able to demonstrate it will do the job it\u2019s supposed to do \u2013 keep someone safe and, if they fall off a roof, that the entire fall arrest process is acceptable, including rescue. This means we must be totally confident that the system will work and sure our client, funder and insurer are happy, too.<\/span><\/p>\n

Manufacturers have a key role to play here in providing the information we need to be able to get a solution approved fast. We don\u2019t want chapter and verse on everything \u2013 we just need to know what\u2019s relevant and current that will help us demonstrate we\u2019re fulfilling our responsibilities under the Act.<\/span><\/p>\n

This can all sound a bit overwhelming, but remember that as an architect you\u2019re only responsible for managing safety risks so far as is reasonably practical. No one expects you to eliminate risks entirely. Basically, the new regime boils down to all the different players in the construction industry taking a more ethical approach and I, for one, welcome this.<\/span><\/p>\n

Stuart Pierpoint, specification sales manager, MSA Safety<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

For manufacturers, the Building Safety Act represents a big change in emphasis, ushering in a world where we need to take a scrupulously ethical approach. The consequences for those who behave unethically are pretty stringent \u2013 two years in prison and an unlimited fine.<\/span><\/p>\n

In practice, the new regime means manufacturers need to be more transparent when it comes to compliance. An example is when fall protection manufacturers offering products that only comply with the 1997 EN standard, rather than the revised 2012 standard, need to make this clear and avoid making misleading claims, for example by saying simply that their product meets \u2018current standards\u2019.<\/span><\/p>\n

As manufacturers, we need to simplify the correct specification of a system<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

As an industry, we also need to be much clearer about when a product is \u2018fit for purpose\u2019 and when it isn\u2019t \u2013 and be able to provide evidence to support any \u2018fit for purpose\u2019 claims. It is possible that some fall protection systems have not been tested on the same substrate that the architect is intending to use. Again, the loadbearing capability differs between different substrates \u2013 thinner pliable substrates will have far less capabilities than heavier and denser substrates and both these factors are important considerations when choosing a fall protection system. <\/span><\/p>\n

As manufacturers, we need to simplify the correct specification of a system. We need to get our manuals and documentation correct, making it clear what a product can and can\u2019t do, what its limitations are and where it\u2019s successful. And we need to make sure that the wording and imagery in these documents are clear for multiple users.<\/span><\/p>\n

We also need to ensure that our labelling, serialisation and evidence for any quality claims are all correct, that we follow quality management processes to the letter, do enough batch conformance testing to know that our products are being manufactured correctly, and carry out the correct audit trail with our manufacturing. <\/span><\/p>\n

Manufacturers also need to work in close partnership with both installers and architects. When we\u2019ve worked with an architect to help them select a \u2018fit for purpose\u2019 fall protection solution, it\u2019s important that their specification for the roofing type is maintained so that our recommendation for the safest system is accurate.<\/span><\/p>\n

In short, there\u2019s a lot manufacturers can do to support architects and help achieve the new Act\u2019s vision.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ultimately, the new Building Safety Act is a positive step forward in building safety and both architects and manufacturers welcome the change. While the parameters of responsibility have changed for principal architects, that presents an opportunity where both manufacturers and architectural teams can work together to ensure the most effective solutions are considered and installed.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Paul Bussey, architect, Allford Hall Monaghan Morris The Building Safety Act is a whole new world for architects. As the principal designer it significantly increases our responsibilities, designating us as a \u2018guiding hand\u2019 for health and safety issues. Some people think the Act only applies to higher-risk buildings and that, if they don\u2019t do high-rises, …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":738630,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_oasis_is_in_workflow":0,"_oasis_original":0,"ep_exclude_from_search":false},"categories":[745],"tags":[1332,14379],"yoast_head":"\nAHMM\u2019s Paul Bussey: \u2018We\u2019ll be seeking greater transparency from manufacturers about products\u2019<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"An architect and a manufacturer \u2013\u00a0Paul Bussey\u00a0of AHMM and\u00a0Stuart Pierpoint\u00a0of\u00a0MSA Safety \u2013 compare the impact of the Building Safety Act\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" 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