The Building Control Alliance (BCA) has been working with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to develop a new protocol for building control bodies to work more closely with HSE inspectors. This work stems from the HSE's Local Authority Construction Engagement (LACE) project and is now extended to Approved Inspectors also.

ACAI members can see copies of the HSE's recent presentation on this work and read its Guidance Notes on safe working in construction in the Library of the Members' Area (login required).

The Association of Consultant Approved Inspectors (ACAI) would like to see this work go further - ultimately to the harminisation of Building Control and CDM Planning Supervisor roles.

Many Approved Inspectors are already able to offer a combined service for both building control and health and safety CDM Regulations advice.

The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations - or CDM Regulations as they're usually known - were updated in 2007. The CDM Regulations apply to all construction projects and exist to make buildings safe for people who build them, use them, maintain them and demolish them.

To comply with the CDM Regulations, you must apppint a CDM Co-ordinator before any significant design is undertaken on your building.

For more information on the CDM Regulations themselves, click here.

For an update on the ACAI's discussions with the HSE and its longer term agenda to integrate more closely with building control, please contact us.