Building control bodies are being urged to undertake normal, regular site inspections where they can be done safely, under new government coronavirus guidelines.
In an update on the application of Building Regulations during the covid-19 outbreak, the Ministry for Housing and Local Government (MHCLG) said that for all building work being carried out, building control bodies should check regularly with those carrying out the work.
Building control bodies should continue to assess deposited plans on their merits and ensure that “the statutory requirements to consult with fire and rescue authorities and sewage undertakers continue to be met”, it said.
And it added: “Building control bodies should continue to undertake normal, regular on-site inspection activity where this can be done safely, in line with Public Health England guidance. Building control bodies may wish to consider the use of alternative methods of checking compliance to supplement physical inspections, for example using digital photographs and video or other remote means of checking compliance.”
Where remote inspections are used, building control bodies should “satisfy themselves within the limits of their professional skill and care that these remote inspections are used appropriately. Remote inspections should not normally be used as the sole method of assessing compliance,” it said.
The full guidance can be viewed here.
