There needs to be a radical change in the area of construction product competence, according to a white paper which sets out proposals for a single agreed standard.
The Competence Steering Group (CSG) Working Group 12, led by the Construction Products Association (CPA), has produced the white paper, called ‘Built environment – proposed construction product competence standard – white paper’.
It sets out how the built environment sector can unite behind a single, agreed standard to “determine, demonstrate and recognise construction product competence (CPC)”.
The proposals come after the CSG was tasked with responding to competence issues raised by Dame Judith Hackitt’s Building a Safer Future report.
Core levels of competence
There is currently no universal way to show that an individual has the correct competence for the tasks they are accountable and responsible for.
The white paper says that individuals who supply, use, or otherwise work with construction products need to be properly assessed and deemed competent to do so.
The proposed new standard comprises five core levels of competence. It also sets out a methodology to define how these competence levels can be mapped consistently by the different industries to their competence frameworks.
The levels outline fundamental knowledge bases that apply to all tasks with construction products. The CPA says they also give a clear path of progression through the necessary competencies required for different levels of responsibility and accountability. The aim is for industries to be able to map against their existing training and qualifications and create any additional training infrastructure required.
BSI 8670 series
The white paper also proposes the standard be added to the BSI 8670 series, which specifies requirements for competence frameworks for individuals working in the built environment.
Peter Caplehorn, CPA chief executive, said: “Dame Judith Hackitt rightly pointed out that our industry needs to take responsibility for competence and work in a non-siloed manner. Now the Building Safety Act is making clear that regulators will no longer tolerate an industry that does not evidence its competence.
“The CPC levels have been designed to provide a single framework for everyone to work to, and I would urge the industry to read this white paper and get involved in testing it together.”
The white paper is available to download here.
