LABC Chief Exec Lorna Stimpson's challenges for 2020

As we get used to the new year with its challenges and resolutions, it's clear the construction industry needs to change – and that’s why I’m asking for your help and support.

For years we all recognised the system was broken. Sadly, despite all the warnings it took the tragedy at Grenfell to make government and industry see it had to do things differently. The commoditisation of building regulation, safety and fire risk had to stop. The race to the bottom had to end.

It looks like, at last, we have a clear way forward with the announcement of a new Building Safety Regulator. But we also need more rigorous enforcement and tougher sanctions for those in the industry who continue to attempt to break the rules.

It’s not just a new regulatory regime we need. As Dame Judith Hackitt made clear in her report, the industry – including building control – must do more on skills and competency. We must have suitably competent people carrying out high quality work at all levels and in all disciplines.

What we've been doing

At LABC we welcomed this focus on quality and competence. For the last three years we've been investing in our 3,700 strong network.

• We established a standards committee in January 2017 and adopted an ISO-backed quality management system for our teams – and now our HQ. We have launched a virtual learning environment where all our in-house training (over 100 courses) can be accessed.
• We've worked with the CIOB and education providers to introduce qualifications a level 3 certificate, level 4 and 5 diploma and apprentice levy funded, level 6 public service building control degree.
• And soon this year we'll add ISO17024 to our credentials – one of just 25 organisations in the UK to be so accredited. The ISO (independently audited by UKAS) has been developed as a global benchmark for organisations operating certification of people. It acts as a safeguard of objectivity and means LABC can have confidence in the impartiality of the operation of our certification schemes.

But it is no longer good enough to say you’re competent based on a degree awarded 10, 15 or 25 years ago.

Prove yourself!

You have to prove it and keep on proving it – that’s why we’ve assessed all our members to find out. And when more than 1,000 told us they operate at level 6 for fire safety we set up level 6 fire safety verifications with the Institution of Fire Engineers.  

So far, in just the last year, over 500 have taken the test – but we need every person in our network who wants to work at this level to prove they can do it.  And we’re currently creating tests for our level 4 and level 5 surveyors so that they too can prove their competence.

So those are my challenges for 2020.

Verify your competency, explore our VLE to extend your knowledge and make sure you and your team meet the ISO standards in everything you do.

If we all do that, 2020 can be the year where public service building control demonstrates that it’s a strong, continuously improving public protection service with an important role in progressive and safe industry regulation.

Members - enrol on the VLE (virtual learning environment) to explore and receive news on dates for Fire Safety Competence Validations