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What is PAS 8673 - Competence requirements for the management of safety in residential buildings about?
PAS 8673:2022 establishes core principles and competence requirements for professionals delivering services relating to the management of safety in residential buildings. PAS 8673 was developed to address the competence of persons engaged in the management of buildings in scope of the new building safety regulatory regime in England and Wales, but its use is not based in any specific geographic location.
Who is PAS 8673 - Competence requirements for the management of safety in residential buildings for?
Main users will be individuals and organizations responsible for the management of building safety in the occupational phase of the life cycle of residential buildings. Other users are expected to include:
- Duty holders and those delegating functions to others (for example, a managing agent employing specialist contractors)
- Managing agents and others involved in the management of residential buildings, which may include facilities managers, health and safety experts and social housing bodies
- Organizations that assess the competence and commitment of persons managing safety in residential buildings, including professional bodies, trade bodies and those that facilitate voluntary self-regulation
- National accreditation authorities
- Government agencies
- Employers
- Insurers
What does PAS 8673 - Competence requirements for the management of safety in residential buildings cover?
PAS 8673 specifies competence requirements for managing safety in residential buildings, based on the recommendations and core competence criteria set out in the latest version of BSI Flex 8670 in regard to:
- Building structures and building systems, including building services
- Interaction of systems and components
- Operational practices necessary to maintain buildings safe for occupants
- Risk management
- Managing the golden thread[1] of information, including other digital information
- Managing change, including the consequences of human behaviour
- Leadership, communication and planning skills
- Personal commitment to ethical behaviour and professional standards
PAS 8673 also gives guidance on individual competencies and the assessment of competence. It is applicable to residential buildings and other developments incorporating residential accommodation.
NOTE: This PAS does not cover training requirements.
Why should you use PAS 8673 - Competence requirements for the management of safety in residential buildings?
- It contributes to improving the safety and quality of work, and the behaviours and culture of individuals working in the built environment, particularly where this impacts on users, especially residents, but also workers and the public in general
- It can be used as a benchmark against which to assess the competence of those performing the necessary activities related to the management of safety in residential buildings and those procuring the services of others
- It can be used to assess how well duty holders and those delegating functions to others (for example, a managing agent employing specialist contractors) have carried out due diligence to verify the competence of persons managing safety in residential buildings
- It can be used by persons managing building safety in residential buildings and who might also wish to use the standard to demonstrate their competence to the appointing party
- It may also be used by those who wish to demonstrate their competence as part of membership of a professional body
- It can help professional bodies, trade bodies and those that regulate by statute or facilitate voluntary self-regulation to assess the competence and commitment of persons managing safety in residential buildings
- It can strengthen risk management and increase confidence in the competence of persons managing safety in residential buildings
[1] The term “golden thread” is defined by the Building Regulations Advisory Committee: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/building-regulations-advisory-committee-golden-thread-report/building-regulations-advisory-committee-golden-thread-report
PAS 8673 forms part of the Built Environment Competence Standards programme led by BSI, find out more about the programme here