The tragic event at Grenfell Tower has prompted the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) and Home & Communities Agency (HCA) to contact all Councils and social housing providers to remind them of their statutory health and safety obligations. The HCA has also prompted Boards to ensure that they have proper oversight and that assurance can be evidenced.
System of assurance
Being able to both manage and fully evidence compliance across the required areas of statutory legislation is complex and difficult. How do you know “what you need to know”, “what you’re being told is the truth” and is “one version of the truth”?
Compliance self assessment
Whilst you may have an internal audit programme for your compliance activity, our compliance self assessment questionnaire may help you to identify your potential and actual risks. Whilst it cannot be used as a comprehensive compliance tool, it can help get you started. The assessment will allow you to identify compliance gaps and may highlight that a more in-depth review along with a change in policy and methodology is required. For further information, please click here.
Compliance health check
One further way in which to provide your Boards with independent and robust assurance that you are clear on your statutory health and safety obligations and that you can evidence compliance, is to undertake a third party compliance review.
We undertake ‘Compliance Health Checks’ nationally across the sector, working with social housing providers big and small.
The Compliance Health Check provides a structured assessment to determine the extent of compliance risks and any actual, or potential, gaps in compliance. We check against statutory health and safety requirements and best practice in relation to the “big five areas” (gas, electric, fire, asbestos and water hygiene) and draw on HSE guidance, codes of practice and industry guidelines to provide you with a framework in which to address and action non-compliance.
Unique position and experience – technical capability with practitioner perspective
We have demonstrable experience of delivering compliance services from both a client and contractor perspective. We have in-house technical advisors from a fire, gas, electrical, water and asbestos background, and our team of Health Check consultants have held responsibility for housing compliance at an executive and operational level within housing associations, local authorities, ALMOS and contractor businesses. We know firsthand what the pitfalls are and how to avoid them.
For more information about how our compliance services can help you, please contact Jenny Neville, Director of Consultancy, at jenny.neville@pennington.org.uk
