When we talk about Building Safety Act compliance, email is rarely the first thing that comes to mind. But it should be.
Every day, critical safety decisions, approval chains, fire strategies and design changes are made and buried in email threads. In the context of the Building Safety Act 2022 (BSA), this is more than just poor practice. It’s a compliance risk.
Email: The hidden risk in the golden thread
The golden thread of information demands that building safety data is accurate, up-to-date and accessible throughout a building’s lifecycle. But what happens when the only record of a fire door spec change or an HSE consultation lives in someone’s inbox?
That email becomes a single point of failure.
And when the Building Safety Regulator or a resident panel asks for evidence, “I’ll check my inbox” won’t cut it.
Why your email management strategy is a compliance strategy
The Building Safety Act isn’t just about physical structure, it’s about information structure. To stay compliant, project teams need:
-
Clear, traceable communication records
-
Proper document versioning
-
Centralised access to decisions, approvals, and actions
-
Systems that integrate email with wider information management practices
Without this, the risk of missing, misplaced or manipulated information grows and with it, the chance of non-compliance.
The impact: When email fails, so does compliance
Projects have been stalled. Liability disputes have dragged on for years. Building safety cases have collapsed all due to missing or unverifiable communication trails.
In a post-Grenfell industry landscape, the cost of getting this wrong is measured not only in fines or delays, but in lives.
Building a BSA-compliant digital trail starts with your inbox
Want to meet the golden thread construction requirements and stay on the right side of the regulator?
Start here:
-
Implement email management tools that archive by project, not person
-
Ensure emails are automatically stored, searchable and secure
-
Map your communication workflows to your building safety act obligations
-
Connect your email platform with your document control and CDE systems
Learn more: From inbox to archive, your golden thread starts now
Golden thread construction guide: How to secure your compliance trail, offers step-by-step guidance on how to secure your compliance trail, starting with your inbox. If you're serious about building safety act compliance, this is your blueprint.
Download the guide here.
