Public Consultation Opens for PAS 8672 Competence for Contractors Standard

THE PUBLIC CONSULTATION for PAS 8672, a new framework for competence of Individual Principal Contractors and Designated Individuals working under Organisational Principal Contractors, is now open until 4 November.

BSI, in its role as the UK National Standards Body, is seeking comments from people in the housing, construction, fire, and safety industries and resident groups. Comments can be registered online here.

Building Safety Bill

The standard is a part of the Built Environment Competence Programme, which supports the Building Safety Bill to raise competence requirements for three newly regulated roles which are those of Principal Designer, Principal Contractor and Building Safety Manager. It is sponsored by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.

A Principal Contractor is the contractor with control over the construction phase of a project involving more than one contractor. They are appointed in writing by the client (commercial or domestic) to plan, manage, monitor and coordinate health and safety during this phase.

Competence

PAS 8672: Built environment – Framework for competence of Individual Principal Contractors and Designated Individuals working under Organisational Principal Contractors – Specification, defines the proposed competence and commitment of Individual Principal Contractors working on all buildings to:

• Achieve relevant building regulations compliance
• Manage building safety
• Identify, plan, monitor and manage building safety risks and the consequences of human behaviour
• Promote building work practices necessary to maintain safe buildings for occupiers and visitors
• Manage the production/assembly of building structures, systems and services
• Maintain competence and commitment of managing record keeping and change control

Following consultation, the standard is due to be published in mid-2022.

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