Advanced Supports ‘Be Ready Campaign’ for Building Safety

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01 August 2023 | Updated 03 August 2023

Fire protection solutions manufacturer Advanced is supporting the new Building Safety Regulator’s "Be Ready" campaign, which calls on the industry to prepare for the new building safety regime.

The campaign reminds those responsible for high-rise residential buildings in the UK that they are required to register with The Building Safety Regulator (BSR)

The BSR was established to protect residents in high-rise buildings from unsafe building practices in England in response to the Grenfell Tower fire tragedy. Aimed at owners and managers of high-rise residential buildings. the “Be Ready” campaign highlights their new legal duties and calls on those responsible for the safety management of higher-risk buildings to prepare for a new wave of regulatory change.

Under the Building Safety Act, high-rise residential buildings which are 18m or taller are defined as “higher risk”. Those responsible for high-rise residential buildings in the UK must take note that registering buildings with the new Building Safety Regulator is a legal requirement and owners and managers who have not complied by October 2023 will be investigated and may be prosecuted.

These measures build on the government introducing a package of improvements last year to further strengthen and clarify building regulations and fire safety guidance as part of wider reforms to building safety. In June 2022 updated Part B of the Building Regulations made it mandatory for all new-build residential buildings over 18m in England and Wales to have an evacuation alert system.

Amended Part B is designed to meet recommendations from Phase One of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry. Currently, the Part B requirement for an evacuation alert system only covers new-build, high-rise residential buildings. However, since the Grenfell Tower Inquiry also recommends evacuation alert systems for high-rise residential buildings “already in existence”, further regulation may follow so building owners and managers should familiarise themselves with evacuation alert systems in preparation.

Shaun Scott, Applications Engineer for evacuation alert systems at Advanced, said: “We fully support the ‘Be Ready’ campaign and encourage owners and managers of high-rise residential buildings to register with the Regulator. These buildings are deemed as ‘higher risk’, so it is vital to take all the necessary measures to protect their residents. Given the recommendations of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry owners and managers of high-rise residential buildings – whether existing or new-build – should be installing evacuation alert systems in their properties to protect their residents in preparation for a new wave of regulatory change on the horizon.”

Picture: a graphic showing a high-rise building with a person next to it looking at a tablet. Image Credit: Building Safety Regulator

Article written by Ella Tansley | Published 01 August 2023

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