Industry Competence Committee invites feedback on guidance document

The Industry Competence Committee was formed under the Building Safety Act 2022 to provide strategic leadership, assistance and encouragement to facilitate the improvement of competence in the built environment industry. It advises both the Building Safety Regulator and industry on matters of competence.

The primary objective is to set clear expectations for industry on competence and what good looks like for individuals and organisations alike.

The guidance document is aimed at those organisations who carry out any design or building work (in all buildings) and those who manage buildings (and particularly so those managing higher-risk buildings).

It sets out what organisations should do to meet the competence management aspects of requirements in Part 2A of the Building Regulations 2010 and the Higher-Risk Buildings (Management of Safety Risks, etc) (England) Regulations 2023.

Purpose of consultation

This guidance builds on feedback received from industry consultation conducted back in May. It’s intended to give the Industry Competence Committee’s broad expectations for how organisations should manage competence by setting out the common elements and principles.

The Industry Competence Committee wants to ensure that these principles will assist industry in the development of competence management processes and also that they’re understandable.

Feedback is being sought on these points. Following publication, the Industry Competence Committee will build on this guidance by developing Case Studies and examples in order to assist industry at a more practical level.

There’s also a desire to seek feedback on how Case Studies and examples could assist industry going forward.

Submitting responses

As stated, this consultation will last for six weeks, running from 25 September until 6 November. Responses must be received before midnight on 6 November.

Responses can be delivered in three ways:

*Complete the online survey by visiting the Health and Safety Executive’s Citizen Space 

*Download the Word document version of this consultation and then e-mail all responses to [email protected]

*Download the Word document version of this consultation and send it by post to Consultation on ICC’s Setting Expectations for Competence Management, Health and Safety Executive, Building 2.1, Redgrave Court, Merton Road, Bootle, Merseyside L20 7HS.

When the consultation has closed, the Health and Safety Executive will consider the views expressed and may further refine the guidance document and develop Case Studies and examples to assist industry at a practical level.