New guidance, Managing Competence in the Built Environment: An industry guide on how to meet the ICC principles has been published by the Industry Task and Finish Group (ITFG). It aims to provide practical, proportionate and risk-based support for organisations operating across the built environment.

The guidance sets out what effective organisational competence management looks like in practice, enabling organisations of all sizes and risk profiles to demonstrate that people working for them, or on their behalf, are competent for the work they undertake.

It can be used alongside existing management systems, or as a foundation where no formal approach is yet in place. Although it was developed to meet competence management requirements set by building safety reforms, it can be used more widely across the built environment. It is fully aligned with the Industry Competence Committee (ICC) publication Setting Expectations on Competence Management. Used together, the ICC advice sets out what good looks like at a high level, while the ITFG guidance explains how organisations can put those principles into practice.

ITFG is an industry led group formed in response to the new Building Safety Regime’s requirement to manage competence in organisations. It brings together more than 50 professional bodies, industry organisations, regulators and assurance bodies, with the shared aim of translating high level principles for managing competence in the built environment into a practical day to day application that is recognised across the sector and helps drive up competence and building safety outcomes.

The Engineering Council welcomed the opportunity to join the ITFG and contribute to development of this guidance. As the UK regulatory body for the engineering profession, we register competent engineers and technicians who are committed to professional, ethical practice and public safety in the built environment sector through our principal and Higher-Risk Buildings Registers.

For more information and to read the guidance, visit:

https://www.engc.org.uk/resources-and-guidance/guidance-for-the-profession/building-safety/managing-competence-in-the-built-environment

The ITFG and ICC documents are both also available from the BSI Competence hub.