Building safely – the essential new guide to products critical to safe construction

In an era where building safely is paramount, and clear guidance around construction products is desperately needed, a timely new (and free) guide has been published, with a spotlight on products critical to safe construction.

Produced by the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) in collaboration with Construction Products Association (CPA), Code for Construction Product Information (CCPI), Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE) and Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), this helpful resource aims to signpost best practice, raise awareness of compliance standards, and empower built environment professionals to make informed choices.

The guide, and who it's for

The 48-page Guide to Products Critical to Safe Construction can be downloaded here, and contains advice on how to determine if a product is critical to safe construction, plus examples and case studies demonstrating best practice in relation to these.

The guide states it is primarily intended for designers and contractors that specify and select such products "but will also be of value to clients, project managers, installers, and those responsible for procurement, installation, and oversight and who may also have responsibilities as designers or contractors but are not in a primary role". As such, it benefits a much wider audience.

What are "products critical to safe construction"?

According to the the guide, a product is critical to safe construction when its failure or omission or incorrect installation "carries a risk of causing a serious injury or fatality." The reference to "risk" here seems to be deliberately wide, and is not qualified, for example, by saying that that risk must be likely, or significant in its impact.

The guide also notes that a number of products may need to be used together to form a system, which provides the required safety critical function. The example given here is of glass within a fire door leaf – combined products produce the fully assembled door, which provides the safety critical function. "There are endless examples of this within construction, and hence it is vital that the end-use application is known, and the correct products come together to form the final assembly so that the system performs as intended".

What the guide covers

Important topics covered include:

• Contractor, designer and others' responsibilities(section 7) – setting out a brief summary of the principal designer and principal contractor responsibilities under the Building Safety Act 2022. The responsibilities of the designer and product supplier are also pointed out, including the supplier's duty to make accurate and honest declarations about a product's performance and make sure the manufactured product meets the stated performance declaration. The guide also warns that "a product supplier may become a designer if they advise on the project specific application of the product".
• Identification of products(section 8) – making it clear that the first stage of any evaluation using products critical to safe construction must be to identify the products that serve safety critical functions. The guide then gives guidance on evaluating risks (section 9) and demonstrating compliance (section 10).
• Procurement(section 11) – looking at the important role the procurement process plays, and listing example questions that could be asked at procurement stage, including of manufacturers and suppliers.
• Supply chain (section 12) - emphasising how crucial it is to clearly communicate requirements to the supply chain. The guide also highlights the need for manufacturers to provide installation guidance and confirm competency requirements for installers. And it confirms best practice on what to do where product substitutions are proposed, particularly for higher-risk buildings.
• Installation (section 13) – reminding that the installation of a product is as important as the product's compliance - "the final assembly and installation must be considered as part of the overall evaluation of the product and whether it is suitable for the intended purpose". Sometimes, it may be possible for the products to be installed by certificated installers, and "this should be a preference".
• Records and sign-off (section 14) – highlighting the importance of records and sign-offs and, in particular, mentioning design records, installation evidence, verification sign-offs, inspection and test plan documentation. The guide also points out the importance of fully recording any changes in line with any change management processes.
• Whole life cycle (section 15) – stressing that it is vital to select safety critical products with their whole life cycle in mind. Safety and functionality should not be undermined for savings in the short-term.
• Competence (section 16) – finally, as you would expect, underscoring the legal requirements around competence and providing helpful lists of relevant competence documents here and in Appendix E of the guide.

What's next?

Construction industry stakeholders should review this guide and consider whether they need to update any of their processes or policies. It's likely we will be seeing much more about this guide going forward, as well as the Code for Construction Product Information which it refers to throughout.

Also, continue to keep an eye out for further developments around construction products, which are anticipated following the Government's Construction Products Reform Green Paper consultation earlier this year (more information here).

For further insights, visit our Building Safety Hub.