Delivering the Golden Thread. CLC guidance for dutyholders and accountable persons

[edit] Introducing the guidance

The Construction Leadership Council (CLC) has published a guidance document on the golden thread of information requirements for higher-risk buildings (HRBs) to support dutyholders and accountable persons.

In the initial pages of 'Delivering the Golden Thread. CLC guidance for dutyholders and accountable persons' Dame Judith Hackitt DBE FREng outlines the importance of the document in completing missing details, and better understanding of the thread on information, much needed for the industry.

'The new regulatory system requires those responsible for these buildings to use the “golden thread” to inform the safe operation and occupation of the building and to enable them to identify, mitigate and manage risks to the safety of those who live in the building. The primary mechanism for doing this is the safety case report for the building, but that report can only be developed if the golden thread information is intact, accurate, up to date and readily available as a working system to those who operate the building.'

'There has been much debate about the content and level of detail required in the golden thread as the legislation has been developed, but at its core it is the information that those responsible need to assure themselves and reassure residents and the regulator that they understand and are effectively managing the building so that it is safe for those who live in it and visit it.'

'This guidance sets out in much more detail what the golden thread is and how it may be developed during design, through construction, handover and completion of the building and into occupation. It seeks to set out the clear purpose of the golden thread, which is first and foremost intended to rebuild and then retain trust in the safety of our higher-risk building stock. I would encourage everyone involved to remember that purpose. It is not intended to be a list of things to do for no real purpose, nor is it intended to be a repository for every detail of a building. It is intended to provide a means to demonstrate to the hundreds of thousands of people who live in higher- risk buildings that their home is safe and is being kept safe by those responsible for their safety.'

'The guidance has been developed by an industry working group with broad experience of the development and
delivery of information and the delivery and management of higher-risk buildings. As the new regime develops and the first safety case reports are assessed, the guidance will almost certainly need to develop with it. The authors of this guidance have been open that this is work in progress, and mechanisms to provide constructive feedback are provided. As we seek to rebuild trust in the safety of our higher-risk building stock, I would encourage you to use the guidance intelligently and to provide feedback so that those buildings become progressively safer for all who live in, work in and visit them.' Dame Judith Hackitt DBE FREng

[edit] Scope of the guidance

The guidance covers the content of the golden thread throughout the lifecycle of a HRB – i.e. what golden thread information dutyholders and accountable persons need to create, obtain, update, maintain and share. The document aims to covers:

• design;
• construction;
• handover and completion; and
• occupation.

It is applicable for:

• any HRB once it is occupied;
• any building work to create a new HRB (either by building new or changing the use of an existing building); and
• any building work to an existing HRB.

And is relevant for:

• clients;
• principal designers (PD);
• principal contractors (PC);
• designers;
• contractors;
• principal accountable persons (PAPs); and
• accountable persons (APs).

It will also be useful for those people responsible for HRBs which were under construction before 1st October 2023 or covered by the transitional arrangements in building control.

[edit] How is the guidance divided ?

This guidance is divided into 4 sections:

1.0 Introduction - The golden thread of information for higher-risk buildings (HRBs)

2.0 The legal basis

• - Understanding the fundamentals
• - Outline of the regulatory regime
• - New building safety regime for HRBs
• - Managing and storing the golden thread
• - Existing guidance and advice

3.0 The golden thread for the design, construction and building work on HRBs

• - Scope
• - Background
• - The golden thread of information for the HRB building control regime
• - Golden thread information - Further detail

4.0 The golden thread for 38 occupied HRBs

• - Scope
• - Background
• - Accountable persons
• - The golden thread of information for the HRB in occupation regime
• - Golden thread information
• - Adopting a whole building approach
• - Safety case reports
• - Information for residents and third parties
• - Large HRB portfolios

5.0 Conclusion

[edit] Throughout the guidance

• • the principal accountable person and accountable person are referred to as accountable persons. However, where there are specific duties which only the principal accountable person must carry out, the guidance will specifically refer to the ‘principal accountable person’ as necessary: and
• • the information and documents that
• are held as golden thread information, are referred to as the ‘golden thread information’. However, if there are specific requirements that relate to just the ‘information’ or the ‘documents’ the guidance will specifically refer to the ‘information’ or ‘documents’ as necessary.
• • Further terms and definitions are specified in the glossary in Annex A.

There is great variability in the scale and complexity of building work in scope of this guidance. Therefore, it is not possible to provide specific technical guidance for every scenario or project.

It is also not possible to provide specific technical guidance for every individual occupied building. Occupied HRBs are all different as each building will have been built and maintained in different ways. The accountable persons responsible for
the occupied HRB include investment and development companies, housing providers who develop and then manage the

finished building and resident management companies or right to manage bodies. The accountable persons will have to define the content of their golden thread information for their individual building and to meet their individual needs.

Building work relating to occupied HRBs can range from small refurbishment work in a single flat, to a refurbishment or redevelopment of the whole building. The golden thread information requirements therefore will vary between different projects.

This technical guidance aims to bring all information about the golden thread into one place, about the content needed throughout the lifecycle of a HRB. It also reinforces the principles of the golden thread.

The new building safety regulatory regime is at an early stage and as such understanding and experience will evolve on the golden thread of information. This guidance or any supporting documents will be revised if necessary. This may include development of case studies and practical examples. As part of this process, the drafting group would welcome any comments and feedback on the guidance and sharing of knowledge and case studies

[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings

• Accountability.
• Building Safety Regulator.
• CDM
• Duty holder.
• Fire.
• Government response to the Building a Safer Future consultation.
• Grenfell articles.
• Grenfell Tower Fire.
• Hackitt review of the building regulations and fire safety, final report.
• Health and safety file.
• Principal accountable person.
• Principal contractor.

Accountable person.