Following the golden thread: How providers can support clients navigating the legislative landscape

The Grenfell Tower tragedy brought to light the urgent need for improved building regulations and fire safety, resulting in the government commissioning Dame Judith Hackitt’s report, ‘Building a Safer Future’. On the back of this report, the government enforced an update to the 1984 Building Safety Act, which included the implementation of the ‘golden thread’, a critical concept recommended by Dame Hackitt, in which robust documentation of key safety information about a building is made ‘easily available to the right people at the right time’. This joined-up digital paper trail of documentation includes fire risk assessments, evacuation plans, and maintenance records throughout the building’s life cycle, from design and construction to occupation and beyond. The documentation is passed on upon sale of the building, ensuring all owners and occupants have access to up-to-date and relevant fire safety information. Legislation states that it is to be accessible not only to owners and residents, but also to relevant authorities and fire safety officers. It is critical that the information is easy to access to protect the safety of building inhabitants and prevent further tragedies. Golden thread protocol not only ensures safety but also accountability. It implements the need for a record of who makes changes and decisions and when they make them, with all information stored digitally for ease of access. These measures are crucial for safety, but the legislative landscape is complex and can be difficult for building owners and duty holders to navigate. This is where fire safety and security solutions providers, such as Chubb, come in: our vast knowledge and expertise can help owners and clients mitigate fire risks whilst ensuring they remain compliant with the legislation and the framework of golden thread requirements.

Documentation

Chubb plays a significant role in golden thread compliance, easing some of the pressures facing building owners and duty holders. The legislation specifies that all documentation is to be stored as ‘structured digital information’, with the government outlining the digital standards required. With a focus on adherence to fire safety laws, we supply documentation that complies with legal parameters, further assisting clients by advising on what is needed to comply with the golden thread, such as the inclusion of relevant installation instructions, maintenance schedules and test results in the correct digital format. This not only serves as crucial reference material for the golden thread, but also enables building owners and duty holders to keep internal documentation of the products and services in which they are investing.

Inspection

Inspections such as fire alarm and emergency lighting tests, sprinkler system checks, and fire door inspections ensure that a building’s fire safety systems are functioning correctly and that the building meets relevant fire safety standards. We provide the results of inspections, along with recommendations and roadmaps for improvements, advising clients as to the inclusion of these on golden thread records. This makes certain that the building’s fire safety history is easily accessible, providing valuable information to building owners, occupants, and inspectors, enhancing safety and outlining how we have mitigated risks that may lead to fire. Records are also accessible to fire safety officers, meaning that in the event of fire they can establish a robust plan of action.

Preventing failure to comply

As defined by the Department of Levelling up, Housing and Communities and Local Government, the golden thread is the ‘information that allows you to understand a building and the steps needed to keep both the building and people safe, now and in the future’. Golden thread legislation is there not only to protect safety but also to ensure building owners and duty holders are fully aware of their duty of responsibility. Chubb will help building owners feel confident that they are rigidly complying to protocol, as failing to do so can result in significant penalties. At Chubb, we understand that building owners can feel overwhelmed at the implementation of legislation that affects existing maintenance protocols. We work to help our clients understand how new frameworks affect their businesses, and how best to change working practices to facilitate compliance. We provide accurate and up-to-date information on the fire safety of a building, essential for enabling preventative measures to be taken, ensuring the safety of everyone in the building, while adhering to golden thread legislation.