8. Safety case report: all reasonable steps
Your safety case report will need to show you have taken all reasonable steps to manage building safety risks on an ongoing basis. This is sometimes referred to as "making a demonstration" or presenting "claim, argument, evidence".
Each building is different, but the demonstration may include:
- a description of how the measures taken manage the risks of that building
- how certain specific risks have been managed. Possible examples include:
- having different standards in different parts of the building due to later modification or refurbishment
- challenges with the building's location or emergency services access
- resident profile
- why potentially obvious measures such as the removal of combustible materials are not reasonable in a particular case, where relevant
Example:
Building safety risk: external spread of fire
A less effective demonstration might just list the construction method without explaining how this controls the risk:
"Reinforced concrete frame with reinforced concrete support columns and flat slabs to all floor levels. External walls are brick and concrete block cavity infill, no cladding"
A demonstration is written more effectively as:
"Building construction is concrete and brick with non-combustible mineral wool cavity insulation (confirmed). There is no cladding or rain screen on the outside. Therefore, there is no realistic likelihood of external fire spread."
Alternatively, it could be presented as:
"Claim – there is no realistic likelihood of external fire spread.
Argument – there are no combustible materials used in the building's construction or on the outside of the building.
Evidence – the building is constructed from concrete and brick with non-combustible mineral wool cavity insulation (confirmed). There is no cladding or rain screen on the outside."
Ongoing work and continuous improvement
Research and evidence gathered for writing the safety case report might identify challenges. These might include:
- problems with existing control measures that require remedial action
- identifying additional reasonable steps that could be taken to manage building safety risks
Depending on when the safety case report is submitted to BSR, action may or may not have been completed or may be in progress. Ongoing or incomplete works will not necessarily prevent a safety case report from being considered acceptable.
The report should however describe:
- the works planned (or any ongoing works)
- the timescale for completion
- any interim measures that have been put in place
The level of detail required will vary but the information should provide BSR with confidence that the risks are being addressed appropriately, in a timely manner and are being mitigated in the meantime.
Review
The report should provide a brief description of how and when it will be reviewed.