Second phase of Built Environment Competence Programme underway at BSI

The standard – named BSI Flex 8670 v3.0 Built Environment: Overarching Framework for Competence of Individuals – Specification – will provide a set of core competence principles including managing, communicating and delivering safety. It also covers ethics, processes, building systems, regulations, risk management and fire and life safety.

The development of three new standards that meet the urgent need for competent individuals to ensure the safety of residents had begun. The new standards, outlined in the overarching framework, are entitled: 

PAS 8671 Framework for Competence of Principal Designer

PAS 8672 Framework for Competence of Principal Contractor

PAS 8673 Framework for Competence of Building Safety Manager

The new key roles will have overarching responsibility for the main activities affecting building and life safety at each stage of a building’s life cycle, specifically design, construction and operation. They require enhanced competences in addition to any discipline-related competences relating to their overarching role to ensure that the design intent of the building is maintained and that workers employed and used in design, construction, refurbishment, maintenance and operation are suitably competent.

The Built Environment Competence Programme aims to tackle the competence shortcomings identified in the Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety conducted by Dame Judith Hackitt. It’s one element of the package of measures recommended by the Steering Group on Competence for Building a Safer Future as set out in the ‘Raising the Bar’ document.

The Government-funded programme is designed to support the delivery of regulatory policy and the new regulated roles responsible for building safety set out in the Building Safety Bill, while also enabling the large-scale, industry-led programme to raise competency across the sector.

*Further detail on the Built Environment Competence Programme is available online at: https://www.bsigroup.com/built-environment-competence-standards-uk