BESA guidance “cuts through principal contractor confusion”

Currently, there’s no standard approach. As such, clients have been approaching the appointment of principal contractors in a ‘piecemeal’ fashion, which has led to further complication, confusion and project delays.

Principal contractors themselves are also coming under increasing pressure to provide evidence of competence throughout their supply chains, but have lacked a recognised and standard format for doing so.

Following months of research and cross-industry collaboration, the BESA has produced its Guidance Framework for Principal Contractor Competence, which provides a considerably simplified and standardised method for meeting PAS 8672 (ie the standard used to assess principal contractor competence).

The new Guidance Framework is aligned with British Standards Institution standards and cross-mapped to relevant ISO standards along with the Build UK Common Assessment Standard to help all the members of a given supply chain prove their compliance once and avoid having to continually repeat the process for every project on which they’re involved.

It can be used by both organisations and individuals to define and provide evidence of the Skills, Knowledge, Experience and Behaviours (SKEB) and core functions of this key role, all supported by practical guidance and examples of the proof that must be provided to clients (including evidence of existing qualifications and accreditations).

Limited recognition

The need for such a guidance document has been growing in recent months as more potential principal contractors reported having to provide overly prescriptive and repetitive pre-qualification questionnaire evidence, while also noting that existing certifications were only receiving limited recognition.

“Providing clear and practical guidance like this is a priority for BESA to help the industry adapt to the new demands placed on it by the building safety regime,” affirmed Rachel Davidson, the Association’s director of specialist knowledge. “We carry out regular research to understand the main barriers to wider adoption of the safety legislation and then use the information obtained to produce sector-specific and targeted support.”

One regular concern is around principal contractors being asked to comply with every element of PAS 8672 – not just those relevant to the project size, nature and complexity – and the difficulty of breaking down SKEB and core functions into a practical solution for self-assessment and selection.

The new BESA guidance outlines a structured approach towards proving compliance with SKEB criteria related to the core minimum functions and competency requirements set out in PAS 8672. It also clearly sets out how evidence can be mapped against industry standards and accreditations to avoid unnecessary duplication of effort.

What’s more, the guidance covers core themes and competence categories across the six major areas relevant to the principal contractor’s role: legal and contractual requirements, managing building work, planning and organising work, construction supervision and quality, leadership and competence culture and stakeholder and information management.

Clearly defined route

As well as being useful for principal contractors seeking to prove competence and their ability to carry out the role, the BESA guidance also affords clients and duty holders alike a structured and clearly defined route towards appointing suitably qualified and competent firms and individuals.

Consultants, construction managers and compliance professionals will also find the Guidance Framework document useful as it defines a standardised approach towards the appointment of principal contractors. The detailed document offers welcome reassurance to regulators, insurers and public sector bodies due to the fact that it provides transparent and evidence-based criteria.

Ultimately, the BESA Guidance Framework is designed to help all specialist contractors align with their clients and prove competence using a standard and recognisable method.

Another key benefit for end users of the Guidance Framework is being able to identify what relevant evidence they already have as it provides practical examples of evidence that can be used from CVs and training records through to witness statements, inspection logs and test reports, etc.

Understanding expectations

Rachel Davidson observed: “The Guidance Framework helps individuals to understand what’s expected of them, identify any skills gaps and collect documentation that supports their professional profile. Demonstrating competence in this format strengthens an individual’s position in tendering and compliance reviews and ensures that legal obligations are fulfilled not just in principle, but also in practice.

In conclusion, Davidson said: “By providing evidence of their competence in line with national standards, individuals strengthen both their employability and their company’s compliance credentials.”

*Copies of the Guidance Framework for Principal Contractor Competence are available to download from the BESA’s website