As Chair of Certass Trade Association, I have the privilege of engaging with professionals throughout the built environment. Our industry is vital in creating safe, energy-efficient, and aesthetically pleasing buildings. However, as we navigate the evolving landscape of building regulations and safety standards, one theme stands out above all: competence.
The Grenfell Phase 2 Inquiry report is going to hit the construction industry hard, with demands around improvements to ensure another tragedy is not part of the future. The lack of competence shown in many stages of Grenfell’s design, development, and management casts a shadow over the whole industry. Calls are therefore coming from various resident groups for increased competence, greater vigilance, and more assurance.
Competence has always been a critical component of our work at Certass, but it is now taking centre stage with the introduction of tighter oversight from regulators. The BSR mandate is clear: to ensure that all stakeholders in the building process, including those in glazing, meet the standards of competence to guarantee the safety and integrity of our buildings. This focus on competence is not just a regulatory requirement, it is an opportunity to elevate industry and develop the trust placed in us by the public and our clients.
Too often, social media channels show the negative side of construction, with poor installations, shoddy products delivered to site, and appalling customer care from sales through to handover. Industry awards focus on the good, but the base level needs to be raised if glazing is to become a profession to be proud of.
Competence encompasses a broad range of skills, knowledge, and behaviours. It involves understanding the latest building regulations, mastering installation techniques, ensuring product quality, and maintaining safety at every stage of the supply chain. The Building Safety Act emphasises that everyone involved in the building must prove they have the right competencies for the work they undertake.
This is not a call for going back to school or to waste money on courses of little value, but to utilise structures already available, such as Certass MTC, to prove through third-party assessment, a level of attainment. Where deficiencies are found, improve skills to the right standard and see these moments as a positive challenge.
For installers, competence means fitting products correctly and safely, ensuring they meet all relevant standards and perform as intended. Fabricators must be adept at producing high-quality units that comply with strict specifications. Product suppliers and manufacturers are responsible for providing materials that are compliant, reliable and durable. At every level, competence ensures that the final product – whether a residential window or a complex façade system – meets the highest standards of safety and performance.
For those working on higher-risk buildings, there is a significant process in the Gateways System to ensure compliance and competence.
Mention the need for greater oversight and many from our glazing industry will groan. However, this drive for competence presents a significant opportunity. By embracing improved standards, we can enhance our reputation, reduce risks, and improve the quality of work. This commitment to competence should be seen as a competitive advantage. Clients are increasingly looking for assurance that their projects will be completed to the highest standards, and demonstrating competence can set you apart in a crowded market. Certass believes in its product and has been careful to ensure that our members will be positioned correctly and informed on what they need to do.
Certass Trade Association provides access to training programs, certification schemes, information resources, communication, and continuous professional development opportunities. Our Competent Person Scheme is designed to help installers and other professionals demonstrate their competence and stay up to date with the latest industry standards and regulations.
To all branches of glazing – installers, fabricators, product suppliers, and manufacturers – I urge the prioritisation of competence in your organisation’s operations. Take advantage of the resources and support available through Certass. Invest in training and development for your teams and embrace new regulations as a pathway to improving safety and quality in our industry. What a unique selling point that is in today’s market.
The focus on competence is not just a regulatory requirement; it is a moral imperative. By ensuring that glazing is synonymous with safety, quality, and trust, we contribute to the creation of safer buildings and a more reliable and respected industry. Let us seize this opportunity to elevate our standards, enhance our skills, and reaffirm our commitment to excellence.
