Cables leader AEI Cables has won support from electrical safety experts to highlight the importance of cabling under the new Building Safety Act.

The Act – introduced from October 2023 – makes new requirements for ‘higher-risk buildings’ which are those deemed to be of at least 18 metres in height or at least seven storeys containing at least two residential units.

The systems in these buildings powered by electrical cables – including smoke and heat extraction systems – assist fire services in firefighting and a safe evacuation in the case of life safety.

Luke Osborne, Deputy Technical Director, Electrical Safety First, said: “The safety of people is the priority in this new legislation which ultimately makes all of our buildings a safer place particularly those where large numbers of people move about. We support this initiative at raising the importance of electrical cables and wiring.”

Stuart Dover, general manager of AEI Cables, said: “We want to help our supply chain understand the significance of this important new legislation and how they can meet the requirements in the interests of safety.

“We are happy to provide guidance and support on these issues as demonstrating competence is also a requirement.”

Under the terms of the Act, a Principal Accountable Person who fails to register an occupied higher-risk building ‘without a reasonable excuse’ will be liable to either a fine or imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years.

The Building Safety Regulator will oversee the safety and performance of all buildings, as well as having a special focus on high-rise buildings. It will promote competence and organisational capability within the sector including for building control professionals and tradespeople.

Building owners should now have their building safety regime in place and any occupied higher-risk buildings should be registered with the Building Safety Regulator.

The National Construction Products Regulator will oversee a more effective construction products regulatory regime and lead and co-ordinate market surveillance and enforcement across the UK. The NRCP has already started taking enforcement action under the scope of existing regulations.