The Building Safety Act 2022 is redefining how competence is enforced across all construction projects, with a particular focus on Higher-Risk Buildings (HRBs). Under the new framework:
- Individuals performing design or construction work must demonstrate:
- Skills – Can they consistently perform the required tasks?
- Knowledge – Do they understand best practices, regulations, and materials?
- Experience – Have they actively participated in relevant work?
- Behaviours – Do they demonstrate a commitment to quality and compliance?
- Companies (like Premcrete) must show Organisational Capability, proving they have the right people, processes, and governance in place to manage risk and compliance.
The BSR will audit these competencies, particularly for HRBs, ensuring that all involved parties are fit for their roles. This means that firms like Premcrete must not only maintain high standards but also demonstrate them with clear, auditable records.
Competency at the Core of Premcrete
At Premcrete, we have always understood that competency isn’t just a tick-box exercise—it’s a prerequisite for delivering safe, durable, and compliant solutions. This is especially critical in our structural waterproofing, gas protection, and infrastructure repair work, where failure can lead to significant safety risks.
How Premcrete Ensures Competency & Organisational Capability
We take a structured, proactive approach to competency in line with the latest regulatory and industry standards:
- Our Commitment to Qualified Personnel
- We have a team of 8-9 CSSW-accredited professionals
- Our team has direct construction experience, not just theoretical knowledge.
- We don’t just supply products—we take full design liability for waterproofing and gas protection.
- Our experts engage with architects, engineers, and building control authorities to ensure all designs align with Gateway 2 and Building Safety Regulator approvals.
- Organisational Capability: Premcrete’s Approach
As regulations evolve, we continuously adapt our internal systems to maintain compliance:
- Quality Control Through Premtrac
We developed Premtrac, our quality management system, to ensure full traceability of site installations, training records, competency tracking, and compliance reports. - Competency Records & Training
- We keep detailed records of workforce training to ensure compliance with the latest safety and competency frameworks.
- Site training and CPDs are provided for groundworkers, RC frame contractors, and installers.
- Our training records are updated on Premtrac, ensuring easy auditability.
- Engagement With Regulatory & Warranty Bodies
- We liaise with Premier Guarantee, LABC, NHBC, and private building control to align our designs with their requirements.
- This ensures that our projects are not flagged as high-risk due to competency gaps.
- Why Competency Matters in Waterproofing & Gas Protection
Unlike some manufacturers who simply supply materials, Premcrete provides full design liability—a critical distinction that many overlook. Our independent designs, produced in line with BS 8102:2022, require deep technical expertise and a robust competency framework.
Poor waterproofing designs or non-compliant installations can have disastrous consequences, including:
- Structural failures due to water ingress.
- Legal risks for developers and contractors.
- Regulatory pushbacks at Gateway 2, delaying projects.
Our organisational capability framework ensures that every decision, from design to installation, meets the highest industry standards.
Challenges in Competency & How Premcrete Overcomes Them
A recent GIRI presentation highlighted some of the industry’s key challenges in defining and enforcing competency. Here’s how Premcrete is leading the way in addressing them:
- Competency Gaps in Trade Specialisms
GIRI noted ongoing efforts to define baseline competency for key construction trades. At Premcrete, we ensure:
- All installers and contractors are vetted and trained before working on our projects.
- Third-party inspections (via Premier Guarantee & NHBC) confirm correct installation.
- We review competency gaps in the supply chain and ensure our partners meet the required standards.
- Standardised Compliance & Avoiding Duplication
The Common Assessment Standard (CAS) aims to streamline competency verification. However, we take this a step further by:
- Providing manufacturer-backed warranties—a level of commitment many firms avoid.
- Using Premtrac to centralise competency records rather than relying on scattered certifications.
- Working with UKAS-accredited auditors and warranty providers to prevent compliance duplication.
- Risk-Based Scrutiny & Proportionality
The industry is moving towards proportional competency audits, meaning higher-risk projects face greater scrutiny. This aligns with our risk-based approach, ensuring:
- Our high-rise residential projects undergo stringent internal quality control before submission.
- For lower-risk projects, we focus on ensuring that competency records are proportionate to risk.
Why Competency Validation is Essential for the Future of Construction
The Building Safety Act is a game-changer, and many in the industry are still catching up. Premcrete has already embraced this shift, recognising that competency is the foundation of compliance, risk mitigation, and customer confidence.
By ensuring competency at both individual and organisational levels, we can: ✔ Avoid delays in Gateway 2 approvals.
✔ Minimise project risks related to poor installations.
✔ Provide legal protection—if an issue arises, our designs stand up in court.
✔ Ensure compliance with regulatory & warranty providers.
✔ Deliver long-term, durable solutions that prevent costly failures.
Conclusion: Competency is Not Optional—It’s Business-Critical
The GIRI event reinforced a truth that Premcrete has long recognised: competency is not an optional extra—it is an absolute necessity for compliance, quality, and safety.
Our investment in qualified personnel, structured processes, and cutting-edge quality management systems (Premtrac) ensures that we don’t just meet competency requirements—we set the standard for others to follow.
As the construction industry continues to navigate higher regulatory scrutiny, only firms that take competency seriously will remain ahead. Premcrete is proud to be one of them.
Find out more about how we can help you: sales@premcrete.com
