BESA backs Regulator's supply chain warning

The Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) has backed a warning from the Building Safety Regulator that principal contractors must strengthen oversight of subcontractors working on higher-risk buildings as scrutiny of construction quality intensifies.

The intervention comes as the regulator prepares to increase its focus on how contractors manage supply chains during the construction phase of higher-risk projects, particularly as schemes progress from Gateway 2 approval towards Gateway 3 completion under the Building Safety Act.

Building Safety Regulator Chair Andy Roe said improved building designs alone would not guarantee safer buildings unless they were delivered correctly on site. He called for stronger evidence of accountability, quality management and competence throughout subcontracted works, warning that inadequate oversight continued to present unacceptable risks despite progress across the sector.

The regulator's comments reflect the next stage in the implementation of the Building Safety Act, with increasing attention turning from regulatory approvals and design compliance to the practical delivery of construction projects.

BESA said the warning reinforced the need for clients and principal contractors to demonstrate that companies throughout the supply chain possess the necessary skills, knowledge, experience and organisational capability to undertake work on higher-risk buildings.

Rachel Davidson, BESA's Director of Specialist Knowledge, said demonstrating competence across the supply chain was now a legal requirement rather than a matter of best practice.

The association said its Competence Assessment Standard had been updated to align with the Building Safety Act and the Build UK Common Assessment Standard, with member companies subject to independent technical audits designed to assess their ability to carry out specialist building engineering work.

Unlike broader business accreditation schemes, BESA said its assessment focuses specifically on technical competence and requires companies to undergo repeat audits every three years, or more frequently where necessary.

The association also pointed to its recently published guidance for clients on their responsibilities under the Building Safety Act, including the legal duties attached to higher-risk buildings and the responsibilities placed on contractors where client decisions could compromise building safety.

The regulator's warning is likely to resonate across the construction industry as developers and contractors continue to adapt to the new building safety regime introduced following the Grenfell Tower Inquiry. While much of the industry's attention over the past two years has focused on the Gateway approval process, increasing regulatory emphasis is now being placed on how projects are managed during construction and whether robust evidence exists to demonstrate compliance throughout the supply chain.

For principal contractors, that is likely to mean greater scrutiny of procurement processes, competency assessments and quality assurance procedures, particularly where specialist subcontractors are delivering safety-critical elements of higher-risk buildings.

The latest intervention also reinforces a broader shift in the regulator's approach. Rather than viewing building safety as a series of regulatory gateways, the focus is increasingly on demonstrating competence and accountability throughout the lifecycle of a project. As the first generation of schemes delivered under the Building Safety Act moves towards completion, the ability to evidence effective supply chain management is set to become an increasingly important measure of compliance.