Building standards: professional competency framework for verifiers

1. Introduction and background

Introduction

The Building Standards Professional Competency Framework for Verifiers (the PCF) provides an overarching framework that sets out standardised job role profiles for the building standards profession and the associated level of competence required for each role. This provides a consistent national approach to the assessment of competency for individuals working in the profession across all 32 local authority verifiers in Scotland.

Competence frameworks for building safety, BS 8670-1:2024, provides recommendations and guidance for the development of competence frameworks and sets out core criteria that should be considered when designing sector-specific competence frameworks for individuals working in the built environment. The PCF has been developed with reference to BS 8670-1:2024 to achieve a consistency in approach with the rest of the UK and to avoid conflicting competence requirements. The intention is to move to an independent competency assessment model in 2027 with further strengthening of the approach to competency management. An interim assessment model, which includes an impartial peer review element, is being introduced as a first step towards this goal.

Background

The building standards profession in local authorities is responsible for delivering the verification service in Scotland. Verifiers provide an independent check of applications for building warrants to construct or demolish buildings, to provide services, fittings or equipment in buildings, or building conversions.

Following high-profile building failures at Edinburgh schools and in response to the tragic fire at Grenfell Tower in London, the Compliance and Enforcement Review Panel, chaired by Professor John Cole, identified the need to strengthen skills, training and competence of local authority verifiers.

In response, Scottish Government published the Workforce Strategy for the Building Standards Verification Service, delivered over three years (1 October 2020 to 2023). The strategy’s aim was to strengthen the operational resilience of the building standards service by developing a workforce that has the competency and capability, skills and experience to carry out the verification role.

Scope

The PCF is for individuals working in the building standards profession. It is relevant for individuals who have an operational role within the building standards service who advise on any type of building work as defined in The Building (Scotland) Act 2003 or The Building (Scotland) Regulations 2004. Staff with an operational responsibility for determining building warrant applications and acceptance of completion certificate submissions must be assessed. Individuals who are in a purely managerial or administrative role with no direct involvement in technical decision-making are not in scope of the assessment process.

Chapter 5 of this framework sets out the five job roles that make up the building standards profession and to whom the PCF applies.