The Building Safety Act 2022 transforms high-rise residential fire safety management. This guide covers safety cases, mandatory reporting, and the new regime for UK buildings over 18m.. The New Regime The Building Safety Act 2022 has created the most significant change to building safety management in a generation. For higher risk buildings (residential buildings over 18m or 7+ storeys), a comprehensive new management framework is now in force. Key Dates April 2023 : Building Safety Regulator (BSR) operational October 2023 : Registration of existing HRBs April 2024 : Principal Accountable Person duties commence October 2024 : Safety case preparation deadline 2025 2026 : BSR assessment and enforcement commencing Ongoing : Mandatory occurrence reporting from day one The Safety Case Approach What Is a Safety Case? A safety case is a structured argument, supported by evidence, that demonstrates fire and structural safety risks are being managed to a level that is 'as low as reasonably practicable' (ALARP). Safety Case Components 1. Building description : Physical characteristics, construction, materials 2. Hazard identification : Systematic identification of all fire and structural hazards 3. Risk assessment : Evaluation of each hazard (likelihood Γ consequence) 4. Risk control measures : Passive fire protection, active systems, management procedures 5. Maintenance strategy : How risk control measures are maintained 6. Emergency plan : Evacuation strategy, fire service information 7. Competence framework : Who manages fire safety and their qualifications 8. Review and update : Triggers for reassessment and continuous improvement Safety Case Report Purpose The Safety Case Report is a summary document submitted to the BSR demonstrating that: All fire and structural safety risks have been identified Risk control measures are in place and maintained Residents have been consulted and informed The building is managed safely Resident Engagement The BSA requires meaningful resident engagement: Resident engagement strategy document Regular communication about fire safety measures Complaints handling procedure specific to building safety Residents' right to request information about safety measures Annual fire safety report to residents Mandatory Occurrence Reporting (MOR) What Must Be Reported The Principal Accountable Person must report to the BSR: Any fire in a common part or that affects structure Failure or malfunction of a fire safety system Any structural issue that could pose a risk Discovery of any safety related construction defect Any event that could reduce the effectiveness of fire safety measures Reporting Procedure 1. Immediate notification (within 24 hours for safety critical events) 2. Formal report (within 10 working days) 3. Investigation by AP/PAP into root cause 4. Remedial action plan with timescales 5. BSR review and potential enforcement Learning from Occurrences Trend analysis across building portfolio Industry wide learning through anonymised data sharing Continuous improvement of fire safety management Benchmarking against sector performance Golden Thread of Information Digital Record Keeping All building safety information must be stored digitally Accessible to residents, BSR, and fire service Must be accurate, up to date, and complete Includes: design information, construction records, maintenance records, risk assessments Must persist throughout the building's life (not lost on change of management) Information Standards Building Safety Regulator information standard (in development) BIM aligned data structures Interoperable with emergency services systems Secure but accessible to authorised persons Version controlled with audit trail Magnus Opifex SEVEN LTD β UK's Leading Fire Safety & Fire Engineering Consultancy π magnus opifex.co.uk π +44 (0) 20 3488 1926 βοΈ info@magnusopifex.co.uk Founded by Daniel Sheridan, Magnus Opifex SEVEN LTD delivers award winning fire engineering, fire risk assessments, and building safety consultancy across the United Kingdom and internationally.