The BSA will apply to the majority of construction projects at the University of Oxford, necessitating a review of our standards, processes, and protocols to ensure compliance. Its full impact is still under review.
We expect to provide further guidance in Hilary Term 2025, aiming to meet regulatory standards, establish scalable methods for managing building projects and improve building safety.
Until then we are sharing the following initial guidance which outlines key new roles and duties under the BSA that departmental heads and those responsible for building projects should be aware of. Please bear in mind that this is not an exhaustive list of requirements.
Responsibilities
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As the Client
Clients must establish suitable arrangements for planning, managing, and monitoring projects to ensure compliance with building regulations. If more than one contractor is involved, the Client MUST appoint a competent Principal Designer and Principal Contractor in writing before any work begins.
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As the Principal Designer (PD)
A Principal Designer should be appointed in writing as early as possible, ideally before the design work begins. The appointed PD must demonstrate competence with respect to the principal designer framework (PAS 8671:2022), ensuring effective design phase management.
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As the Principal Contractor (PC)
Like the Principal Designer, the Principal Contractor must be appointed in writing before any construction work commences. The appointed PC must show competence against the principal designer framework (PAS 8671:2022) to effectively plan, manage, and monitor the construction phase, ensuring on-site safety.
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Default responsibilities
If the Client fails to appoint a Principal Designer in writing, the Client becomes the Principal Designer by default and assumes these duties.
How does this impact current building projects?
Any building projects being managed locally need to be reviewed by the Estates Services by email at projects@admin.ox.ac.uk to ensure additional measures are in place for protection.
For further assistance or if you have any questions, please contact projects@admin.ox.ac.uk.
