Don’t underestimate your role in new safety act, says AEI Cables

Cables leader AEI Cables is advising its customers not to underestimate the importance of cables as part of the new Building Safety Act legislation requirements.

The Act – introduced from October 2023 – makes new requirements for ‘higher-risk buildings’ which are those deemed to be of at least 18 metres in height or at least seven storeys containing at least two residential units.

Building owners should now have their building safety regime in place and any occupied higher-risk buildings should be registered with the Building Safety Regulator.

The systems in these buildings powered by electrical cables – including smoke and heat extraction systems – assist fire services in firefighting and a safe evacuation in the case of life safety.

Stuart Dover, general manager of AEI Cables, said: “We are emphasising to our customers the important part played by electrical systems and cables that power these systems as part of this new initiative.

“We welcome the move to improve the safety of people and property but we should be aware of our role as a major part of the supply chain. We are happy to provide guidance and support on these issues as demonstrating competence is also a requirement.”

Under the terms of the Act, a Principal Accountable Person who fails to register an occupied higher-risk building ‘without a reasonable excuse’ will be liable to either a fine or imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years.

The Building Safety Regulator will oversee the safety and performance of all buildings, as well as having a special focus on high-rise buildings. It will promote competence and organisational capability within the sector including for building control professionals and tradespeople.

The National Construction Products Regulator will oversee a more effective construction products regulatory regime and lead and co-ordinate market surveillance and enforcement across the UK. The NRCP has already started taking enforcement action under the scope of existing regulations. 

AEI Cables’ Firetec Enhanced cabling has been approved and certified by LPCB to BS8519 (Annex B), Category 3 Control in addition to Category 2 Control.The BS Code of Practice under BS8519 contains six categories of cables, three for power cables and three for control cables each covering survival times of 30, 60 or 120 minutes.

All AEI Cables’ products are supplied with approvals from independent bodies including BASEC and LPCB. It also holds approvals from organisations including Lloyds, the MoD, Network Rail and LUL and works to international standards around the world. For more information see the AEI Cables website, tel 0191 410 3111 or email sales@aeicables.co.uk.