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In the wake of the Grenfell Tower tragedy, the UK government initiated sweeping reforms to tackle systemic failings in building safety. The most significant outcome is the Building Safety Act 2022 – the legislation designed to deliver a new culture of accountability, information transparency, and proactive risk management.
For you, this legislation introduces more than just regulatory change. It alters the very fabric of operational responsibility, placing facility managers at the core of a building’s safety governance system.
This is especially relevant for those managing higher-risk buildings – defined as residential buildings over 18 metres or seven storeys high with at least two residential units. These buildings now fall under tighter scrutiny, requiring enhanced monitoring, digital recordkeeping, and full lifecycle safety oversight.
The result? A shift from routine maintenance to strategic safety assurance. Facilities managers are no longer support roles – they’re essential partners in regulatory compliance.
→ Discover Karsons’ Compliance Services – Expert support to help you manage the requirements of high-risk environments.
The Building Safety Act 2022 received Royal Assent in April 2022 and is being implemented in stages through 2024 and beyond. It represents a foundational transformation in how building safety is managed across the UK.
Prevent major incidents through early intervention and proper oversight
Assign clear legal responsibility for safety at each stage of a building’s lifecycle
Strengthen regulatory enforcement via the new Building Safety Regulator (BSR)
Mandate digital records (the “Golden Thread”) for key safety data
Improve resident engagement, trust, and recourse
Embed competence frameworks for all parties managing safety in higher-risk buildings
This reform shifts safety from a siloed responsibility to an integrated, multi-party obligation – where you play a direct role in enabling dutyholders to meet their legal responsibilities.
Understanding the new dutyholder roles is essential to effective FM strategy under the Act.
The Principal Accountable Person is the individual or entity responsible for the safety of the entire structure, typically the freeholder or landlord.
The Accountable Person is responsible for common parts of the building, which could include housing associations, managing agents, or maintenance contractors.
While not legally defined as dutyholders, FMs serve as the operational glue between legislation and execution. You provide:
Continuous system monitoring and reporting
Physical safety inspections and testing
Management of the Golden Thread and audit trails
Collaboration with contractors and consultants
Real-time incident response and communication
You’re not just maintaining a building. You’re helping prove it’s safe, compliant, and accountable.
The Act’s most stringent requirements apply to higher-risk buildings – and FM teams are central to ensuring these are met daily.
A secure, digital, accurate, and up-to-date record of building safety data – designed to support informed decision-making and regulatory scrutiny.
FMs are responsible for maintaining:
Fire strategies, evacuation plans, compartmentation details
Service records for HVAC, lifts, fire systems, and more
Material specifications and remediation works documentation
Historical inspection reports, test certificates, and photographs
Resident communication logs and incident reports
This comprehensive risk assessment document must show how safety risks are being identified, mitigated, and managed.
FMs help compile:
Records of past interventions, upgrades, and inspections
Evidence of risk assessments and incident follow-ups
New requirements mean certain incidents must be reported to the BSR – for example, fire doors not closing, lift failures, fire alarm malfunctions.
FM teams must be trained in:
Identifying “reportable” occurrences
Escalation protocols
Recording and submitting incidents quickly and accurately
The Act mandates transparency and dialogue with residents. FMs support this by:
Distributing fire and safety information
Logging resident concerns and action taken
Attending meetings and walkarounds
The Act enshrines professional competence as a legal expectation, especially in higher-risk buildings.
PAS 8673:2022 defines five competence levels:
Awareness – Understand the core concepts and risks.
Basic – Follow procedures with supervision.
Standard – Operate independently within a defined scope.
Advanced – Take full responsibility for specific safety systems.
Expert – Advise others, develop policy, and lead strategic safety decisions.
Facilities managers must map staff roles to this framework and build CPD and certification plans accordingly.
For resources, it is worth checking IWFM. IWFM has been actively involved in supporting the government's building safety reforms by providing CPD-approved courses and short guidance documents. An example of this is the short course “Building Safety Act: what FMs need to know and do.”
The days of signing off on refurbishments without deep operational input are over.
Every alteration in a higher-risk building – from energy upgrades to passive fire protection works – has regulatory implications. Facilities managers are now expected to play a pre-emptive role during all stages of a project.
Design phase – Ensuring plans preserve compartmentation, fire integrity, and access for maintenance
Contractor selection – Verifying credentials and competence for safety-critical systems
Work execution – Monitoring for material substitutions, shortcuts, or safety breaches
Completion and certification – Recording all work in the Golden Thread and capturing compliance evidence
You also have a duty to challenge unsafe works, halt processes that compromise fire or structural safety, and report issues to the dutyholder or regulator.
Example: Replacing cladding or upgrading a fire alarm system may trigger a full review of the building's fire strategy. FMs must flag these downstream effects and coordinate accordingly.
→ Karsons Project Compliance Services – Supporting safe, compliant refurbishment across building portfolios.
No named Accountable Person or unclear roles
Safety Case Report hasn’t been updated or compiled
No formal record of mandatory occurrences
Resident complaints about safety are unresolved or undocumented
Incomplete building records (floorplans, fire doors, cladding)
Lack of competence evidence for contractors and staff
Golden Thread is paper-based or stored across multiple systems
Refurbishments occur without a regulatory sign-off trail
Spotted more than one? It’s time for a compliance health check.
Our Safety Compliance Checklist is a clear, expert-designed guide that helps you evaluate risk, identify legal gaps, and prepare for regulatory audits.
As a facilities manager, missing one compliance step could put your building and your dutyholders at serious legal risk. This guide shows you where you stand and what to fix fast.
Download the Checklist now and take the first step toward airtight, evidence-backed building safety management:
Karsons Consulting are members of the Chartered Institute of Building Services Engineers, The Association of Consultancy and Engineering, British Institute of Facilities Managers and the Building Services Research and Information Association.
