Cladding Remediation Programme: Single Building Assessment specification

1 Terms, Definitions and Abbreviated Terms

1.1 Terms and Definitions

1.1.1 Additional Work Assessment

An assessment that relates to a building to which an SBA has been carried out and is required as a result of additional information coming to light in the period between:

(i) The SBA report being completed, and

(ii) The date on which the Scottish Ministers were satisfied that any works identified in that report, or in an additional work assessment report, as being needed to eliminate or mitigate risk to human life, had been completed.

This assesses, and culminates in a report on, whether any additional work is needed to eliminate or mitigate such risk, and is carried out:

(i) In accordance with the standards for the time being specified by the Scottish Ministers, and

(ii) By a person authorised by the Scottish Ministers to carry it out.

1.1.2 Assessor

A competent, qualified person who is undertaking either an FRAEW or an FRA that contributes to the overall SBA process.

1.1.3 Competent Person (Based on PAS 9980 Definition)

Person, suitably trained and qualified by knowledge and practical experience, and provided with the necessary instructions, to enable the required task(s) to be carried out correctly.

1.1.4 Cladding Assurance Register

Provided for in section 1 of the Housing (Cladding Remediation) (Scotland) Bill. This requires that the Scottish Ministers maintain a register of buildings known as the cladding assurance register.

An entry for a building is to be created in the register once an SBA has been carried out. The building's entry in the register must, when first created, include

(a) when an SBA was carried out in relation to it, and

(b) what work (if any) an SBA identified as being needed to eliminate or mitigate risks to human life

A building's entry on the register must be amended, as soon as reasonably practicable after any additional work assessment ("AWA") is carried out in relation to it, to include

(a) when the AWA was carried out and

(b) what additional work (if any) the AWA identified as being needed to eliminate or mitigate risks to human life.

The register must be amended, as soon as reasonably practicable after Scottish Ministers are satisfied that any work identified in an SBA or AWA has been completed, to include the date on which the Scottish Ministers were so satisfied. The register may include any other information that the Scottish Ministers consider appropriate.

1.1.5 Compartmentation (Based on PAS 9980 Definition)

Subdivision of a building by fire-resisting walls and/or floors for the purpose of limiting fire spread within the building. The walls and floors between flats are to be constructed as separating walls/floors.

1.1.6 External Wall Cladding System (EWS)

The EWS is the complete build-up of what can be considered the external wall, from the internal finish to the outermost external leaf.

1.1.7 External Wall System (EWS) Specified Attachment

An attachment to the EWS that has a risk of vertical fire spread, including balconies, balcony walkways (including any decking), solar panels, solar shading and green walls.

1.1.8 Fire Risk Appraisal of External Wall (FRAEW)

Process of evaluating the EWS that a building has, using a risk-based approach (PAS 9980:2022 methodology) to gain a holistic understanding of the risk to human life. Property protection is not considered.

1.1.9 Fire Risk Assessment (FRA) (Based on PAS 79-2 Definition)

Process of identifying fire safety hazards in a building and appraising the risk to human life arising from them, taking into account the adequacy of existing fire precautions/measures.

1.1.10 Fire Strategy

Set of fire safety objectives and the measures to be taken to meet those objectives. If existing fire strategy information is not available for a building, then Sections 3.4 and 4.2 discuss what an assessor is to do in these cases.

1.1.11 Flatted Building

Flatted building is referred to in section 25(1)(a)(i) of the Bill.

The term is as defined in section 16(4) of the Land Registration etc. (Scotland) Act 2012, principally meaning a "tenement" (as defined in the Tenements (Scotland) Act 2004) or "any other subdivided building". In general terms, a "flatted building" means a building or part of a building containing at least two flats which are or are designed to be owned separately and the flats are either divided from each other horizontally or vertically.

1.1.12 Housing (Cladding Remediation) (Scotland) Bill

Referred to in the text as ‘the Bill’.

The purpose of the Housing (Cladding Remediation) (Scotland) Bill is to facilitate the delivery of the Cladding Remediation Programme. The Programme aims to safeguard residents and owners by addressing the risk to human life that is (directly or indirectly) created or exacerbated by a building’s external wall cladding system, as well as the consequential negative impacts which can currently exist in relation to the buying, selling, and re-mortgaging of relevant flatted residential properties in Scotland. The Bill applies to "in scope buildings" (see above). The Bill has been agreed by Scottish Parliament.

1.1.13 Intolerable Risk

A risk level that is, deemed by an assessor to be, an unacceptable risk to human life that is (directly or indirectly) created or exacerbated by the building’s EWS. Remediation will be required in this case to bring the level of risk to a tolerable level.

1.1.14 In-scope Building (the Bill’s Definition),

In terms of this specification, is a building that:

• Is a flatted building as defined in section 16(4) of the Land Registration etc. (Scotland) Act 2012 (See 1.1.11);
• Contains at least one flat that is used, or intended to be used, as a dwelling;
• Stands 11 metres or more above the ground;
• Has an External Wall Cladding System;
• Has been constructed, or otherwise undergone development, at any time within the period beginning with 1 June 1992 and ending 1 June 2022.

An in-scope building may or may not have a commercial premises within it.

1.1.15 In-scope Building Height

A building stands 11 metres or more above the ground if, excluding roof-top plant areas and any top storey consisting exclusively of plant rooms, the building has at least one storey the finished floor level of which, measuring vertically, is (or would be if it was directly above the building’s lowest point) 11 metres or more higher than the building’s lowest point.

A building’s lowest point is the point at which the surface of the ground adjacent to the building is lowest.

If there is a residential building that is less than 11m in height to the topmost habitable storey, but it is attached to a building that is greater than 11m in height to the topmost habitable storey, then this is considered an in-scope Building.

1.1.16 Risk to Human Life

The SBA assesses any risk to human life that is (directly or indirectly) created or exacerbated by the building’s external wall cladding system and identifies what work (if any) is needed to eliminate or mitigate any risk of that kind. In accordance with the methodology provided for in this specification document, the aim is to assess the risks to persons in, or in the vicinity of, the building which arise if fire were to break out anywhere in or on the building. Such risks can be created or exacerbated (directly or indirectly) by the design and construction of the external walls, which can enhance the rapid spread of fire. A possible outcome in such circumstances is life-threatening harm, if the risks are not addressed.

1.1.17 Risk Proportionate

The assessment of whether or not mitigating a risk posed is necessary against other factors, typically financial or social. Guidance note on risk proportionality in assessing cladding has been published by the IFE/FIA (Proportionality and risk when carrying out FRAEWs to PAS 9980 Version 1 February 2024).

1.1.18 Simultaneous Evacuation (PAS 9980 Definition)

System of evacuation in which an entire building is evacuated immediately on receiving an evacuation signal (e.g. from a fire detection and fire alarm system) or an evacuation alert signal from an evacuation alert system for use by the fire and rescue service, or an instruction to evacuate (e.g. given verbally to the residents of each dwelling by firefighters).

1.1.19 Single Building Assessment

An assessment by a person authorised by the Scottish Ministers that relates to an ‘in-scope Building’ and assesses and culminates in a report on any Risk to Human Life that is (directly or indirectly) created or exacerbated by the building’s EWS, and what work (if any) is needed to eliminate or mitigate any risk of that kind which is identified, and is carried out in accordance with the standards for the time being specified by the Scottish Ministers an by a person authorised by the Scottish Ministers to carry it out.

1.1.20 Stay Put Strategy

Typical strategy adopted in blocks of flats whereby, when a fire occurs in a flat, the occupants of that flat evacuate while occupants of all other dwellings can safely remain in their dwellings unless directly affected by heat or smoke or otherwise directed to leave by the SFRS.

1.1.21 Tolerable Risk

A risk level that is deemed by an assessor to be an acceptable risk to human life. Remediation would not be required in this case.

1.1.22 Urgent Interim Measure (Based on PAS 9980 Definition)

A temporary measure that is put in place to address an immediate risk to human life, that has been deemed unacceptable by the Assessor.

1.1.23 Waking Watch (Based on PAS 9980 Definition)

System whereby suitably trained persons continually patrol all floors and the exterior perimeter of a building in order to detect a fire, raise the alarm, and carry out the role of evacuation management.

1.2 Abbreviated Terms

For the purposes of this SBA Specification Document, the following abbreviated terms apply.

AWA - Additional Work Assessment

BSI - British Standards Institute

CAN - Consolidated Advice Note

CDM - Construction Design and Management

CRM - Cladding Remediation Scope

EWS - External Wall System

FRAEW - Fire Risk Appraisal of External Wall

FRA - Fire Risk Assessment

PAS - Publicly Available Specification

SAN - Scottish Advice Note

SFRS - Scottish Fire and Rescue Service

SBA - Single Building Assessment

UIM - Urgent Interim Measures