Building Safety Regulator confirms review of Approved Documents guidance

Approved Documents provide guidance on how to meet the functional requirements of the building regulations. 

In its statement this week, the BSR said “concerns have been raised” that the documents are “overly complex and difficult to use”. 

It said the review is a “vital step towards simplifying guidance, making compliance easier, and improving safety and quality in construction”.

In her 2018 review, Dame Judith Hackitt called the Approved Documents “complex, ambiguous and not user-friendly”, and called for them to be simplified.

The second Grenfell Tower Inquiry report called for regular updates to Approved Document B, the government’s official guidance on how to comply with building regulations on fire safety.

The review will focus on making the guidance easier to understand and use, as well as ensure it is regularly updated to keep up with new technologies and practices.

It will also look at how to make the guidance more accessible, especially for small and medium-sized businesses.

“The goal is to ensure that everyone who uses the guidance can rely on it to be clear, accurate and practical,” the BSR said. 

The BSR is leading the review and will be supported by individuals with expertise in architecture, building control, housebuilding, and digital and technical issues.   

It will also gather feedback from residents, industry professionals and government departments. 

During early 2025, the BSR will establish a review panel. 

The process will involve agreeing on the panel’s terms of reference, appointing a chair to lead its activities and selecting panel members.

News of this review comes after a revised British fire safety standard was published at the end of last month, following a consultation.

The updated guidance to BS 9991:2024 Fire safety in the design, management and use of residential buildings was published on 27 November and provides the most up-to-date recommendations for fire safety in residential buildings.

Updates to this standard include the expansion of its scope to include residential care homes, as well as the expansion of guidance relating to evacuation lifts, and revised height limits for sprinkler installation and single-staircase buildings.