Building Safety Cases
What is a Building Safety Case?
A Building Safety Case is a comprehensive document (or set of documents) that shows how risks to life safety in a building have been assessed and what measures are in place to manage those risks.
In the UK, under the Building Safety Act 2022, the Safety Case is required for higher-risk buildings (e.g. residential buildings over 18m or 7 storeys with at least 2 residential units).
The importance of Building Safety Cases
Building safety case reports are essential documents that systematically demonstrate how safety is managed and assured throughout the lifecycle of a building. These reports provide a structured argument, supported by evidence, to show that all significant safety risks have been identified, assessed, and appropriately mitigated. They serve as a critical communication tool between designers, engineers, regulators, and stakeholders, ensuring transparency and accountability in safety practices. By clearly outlining safety strategies, controls, and contingency plans, safety case reports help prevent accidents, support compliance with regulatory requirements, and promote a culture of safety. Ultimately, they play a key role in protecting lives, property, and the environment.
The Law
Under UK law, particularly the Building Safety Act 2022, building safety case reports are a legal requirement for all higher-risk residential buildings in England—defined as buildings that are at least 18 metres in height or have seven or more storeys, and contain two or more residential units. The law mandates that the Accountable Person, typically the building owner or managing organisation, must prepare a safety case report outlining how the building’s fire and structural safety risks are identified, assessed, and managed. This report must be submitted to the Building Safety Regulator as part of the registration and ongoing safety oversight process.
CWB Fire Safety can assist in providing expert building safety case reports for domestic and commercial premises to give you confidence in your workplace safety. Please get in touch to find out how CWB Fire Safety can assist you and your requirements.