Building Safety Act 2022: The Impact on Healthcare Facilities

 Following the tragic events at Grenfell, the construction sector has come under increased scrutiny. One of the various legal ramifications of the Grenfell disaster has been the introduction of the Building Safety Act 2O22 (BSA), which sets out a regime overseen by a new regulator, the Building Safety Regulator, with a particular emphasis on “high-risk buildings” during their design, construction, and occupation.

Under the BSA a “high-risk building” is defined as a building which is 18 metres tall or higher, or at least 7 storeys, with two or more residential units. Although the primary focus of the BSA is on residential buildings, certain provisions of the BSA do apply to healthcare facilities by virtue of secondary legislation which is now in force, this being The Higher-Risk Buildings (Descriptions and Supplementary Provisions) Regulations 2023. These regulations confirm that healthcare facilities which are at least 18 metres high or 7 storeys will need to comply with the new stringent higher-risk buildings regime during the design and construction phase of the project.

However, healthcare facilities do not need to comply with the occupational phase duties imposed by the BSA. 

This course provides an in-depth exploration of the BSA and its implications, particularly focusing on the new regulatory framework for high-risk buildings, including healthcare facilities.

By the end of this course, you should be able to:

1. Understand the introduction and purpose of the Building Safety Act 2022 (BSA) following the Grenfell disaster
2. Identify what defines a "high-risk building" under the BSA, including height and residential unit criteria
3. Identify the application of the BSA to healthcare facilities through secondary legislation