Safety management systems: factsheet
Updated 5 April 2022
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What are we going to do?
The Building Safety Bill introduces new requirements for the management of building safety risks that could lead to a major incident in in-scope high-rise residential buildings. Risks such as the spread of fire or structural failure must be managed to prevent them happening and limit the impact of any occurrence. The bill will introduce measures requiring Accountable Persons to adopt and deliver a systemic approach to risk management.
Accountable Persons will be the individuals or entities responsible for meeting the statutory obligations related to the management of building safety risks in occupied high-rise residential buildings.
How are we going to do it?
As part of the safety case requirements for managing building-safety risks, Accountable Persons must make and implement arrangements which to effectively plan, organise, control, monitor and review all the measures in place to building-safety risks from leading to an incident, and to limit the impact should one occur.
This is set out under Clause 88 of the Bill. The foundation for delivering this approach is to apply a Safety Management System. A safety management system is a systematic approach to managing safety, including organisational structures, accountabilities, policies and procedures.
Safety Management Systems improve performance and deliver better safety outcomes. They promote a systematic approach where potential safety risks are proactively identified and managed on a continuous basis and provide the framework for effectively managing and assuring the continued performance of relevant control and safety measures. They will play a significant role in mitigating risks and helping to ensure residents are, and can feel, safe in their homes.
Safety Management Systems include goal-setting, planning and measuring performance. The Health and Safety Executive guide Managing for health and safety promotes a “Plan, Do, Check, Act” approach for ensuring the effective planning, organisation, control, monitoring and review of safety measures.
There is no one-size-fits-all approach. Each Accountable Person must ensure their Safety Management System is tailored to suit their size and nature, and that it meets the complexity of their operations, with the hazards and associated building-safety risks unique to each individual building in their portfolio directly considered.
At the heart of the Safety Management System are the arrangements that ensure a methodical and structured approach is taken to risk-management activities. A Safety Management System is a vital component from which full and functioning risk management, as described within a safety case report, is developed.
Safety Management Systems will help Accountable Persons to focus on the prevention, reduction and mitigation of incidents involving building safety risks. This ensures appropriate consideration is given to the multiple layers of protective measures required to achieve a proportionate and effective risk management regime in a high-rise residential buildings.
In line with the Plan, Do, Check, Act methodology, the Safety Management System is likely to include processes to identify, select, define, implement, monitor, maintain, review and improve the range of control measure on which safety depends.
The government has worked closely with the sector, including the Early Adopters’ group and the Joint Regulators’ Group, to develop and test the requirements of a safety case approach. We continue to work closely with these groups, and others across the sector, to understand the type and detail of guidance that will be required to support the successful implementation of the new regime.
To support the sector transition into the new regime, the HSE has published a document outlining the early key messages around safety case principles in order to help the sector prepare for the proposed changes. We encourage the sector to fully engage with the process.
Background
Dame Judith Hackitt’s report and recommendations made clear that the current regulatory system during occupation and maintenance is not fit for purpose, not least because there is no requirement for the building to be kept safe throughout its lifecycle.
Dame Judith identified the introduction of a ‘safety case’ approach as fundamental to improving the understanding and management of risks to deliver safer buildings for residents.
A key requirement on dutyholders in many safety case regimes is to establish and follow a safety management system to support the delivery of holistic risk management. Dame Judith set a clear expectation that the safety case framework for higher-risk buildings include clear safety management systems.
Will safety management systems be assessed?
As with many safety case regimes, we will require the production of a Safety Case Report, which will be submitted for regulatory assessment. The Safety Case Report is likely to include a description and overview of the Safety Management System for a building.
Will a British Standards or other guidance be developed detailing the requirements for a suitable safety management system?
British Standards and other guidance covering safety management systems are currently available, including for organisational fire risk management.
The government does not intend to develop such a standard. Any decision to do so is best taken forward by industry and should be industry led.
What support will be given to the sector to comply with these duties and requirements?
Clear guidance will be produced and made available to comply with new duties and requirements. Such guidance is likely to include information on appropriate measures to be taken in a high-rise residential building to manage building safety risks and prevent major incidents.