Building Safety Act · Mandatory · Completion

Safety Case Review Record

A record of periodic reviews of the building safety case.

Last reviewed: 29 March 2026 — This guide reflects UK law as of this date. BSA 2022 remains current with no amendments enacted as of 29 March 2026. Next scheduled review: 29 March 2027.

Legal basis	Building Safety Act 2022 s.85
Status	Mandatory — PAP must keep safety case under review and revise when necessary
Responsibility	Principal Accountable Person (PAP)
Review frequency	At minimum annually (best practice); also after any mandatory occurrence, building alteration, or BSR request
Review vs revision	Review = systematic examination; Revision = updating documents when changes are identified

1. Safety Case Review — The Ongoing Duty to Manage Building Safety

The Safety Case Review Record is the evidence that building safety is genuinely managed as a dynamic, ongoing process — not a compliance exercise completed once and then ignored. The BSA's requirement for the PAP to revise the Safety Case Report 'when they consider it necessary or appropriate' implies a continuous process of awareness, review, and response. The review record captures this process.

When the BSR requests a Safety Case Report — for a Building Assessment Certificate application or for any other purpose — the review record demonstrates the PAP's approach to ongoing safety management. A PAP who can show: regular reviews; prompt response to incidents and concerns; systematic updates to the safety case; and evidence that residents' safety concerns are integrated into the review process — presents a convincing safety management picture.

Programme the Safety Case review as a fixed annual event in the building's management calendar — don't wait for a trigger

An annual safety case review — conducted at the same time each year, involving all relevant parties (fire engineer, structural engineer, building manager, resident representative), and documented in the review record — demonstrates systematic safety management. A PAP who only reviews the safety case reactively (after an incident or when the BSR asks) does not demonstrate proactive safety culture. Programme the review in advance; book the relevant professionals; allocate time; and document the outcome whether or not changes are required.

2. Safety Case Review Record — Content

The following table sets out the content of a Safety Case Review Record. Each review must be documented whether or not changes to the Safety Case are required.

Element	Detail
Review ID	Unique sequential reference.
Review date	Date of review.
Review type	Scheduled annual / triggered (state trigger) / BSR-requested.
Review team	Persons involved: PAP; building manager; fire engineer; structural engineer; residents' representative.
Scope of review	What was reviewed: fire safety; structural safety; SMS; golden thread; resident engagement; MOR records.
Since last review	Changes to the building since the last review. Mandatory occurrences since last review. Resident safety concerns raised and responded to.
Fire safety assessment	Current adequacy of fire safety measures. Any new risks identified. Inspection/survey findings.
Structural assessment	Current adequacy of structural safety measures. Surveys conducted. Any concerns identified.
SMS review	Is the Safety Management System operating effectively? Gaps or improvements identified.
Golden thread review	Is the golden thread current and accurate? Updates made since last review?
Outcome	No revisions required / Revisions required. Summary of changes to be made.
Revision references	References to revised Safety Case documents. Updated Safety Case Report version and date.
BSR notification	If material change: date BSR notified if required.
Signed by	PAP name. Signature. Date.
Next review scheduled	Date of next scheduled review.

3. Common Mistakes

No scheduled programme of Safety Case reviews

A PAP with no annual review programme does not demonstrate proactive safety management. When the BSR requests a Safety Case Report and the PAP has no review record to show, the BSR will question how the building's safety has been managed since the last report.

Review conducted by the building manager alone without professional input

A meaningful Safety Case review of fire and structural risks requires professional competence in those areas. A building manager can coordinate the review, but fire and structural safety assessments should involve qualified fire engineers and structural engineers. An annual review that is essentially a management checklist without professional assessment has limited safety value.

Not recording reviews that concluded ‘no changes required’

Even if a review concludes that the Safety Case remains adequate and no revisions are required, this must be recorded. A review record that only shows reviews that resulted in changes implies that the PAP only reviews when a problem is identified — not systematically.

Not integrating resident concerns into the review

Resident safety concerns raised since the last review should be a standing agenda item in every Safety Case review. The review should consider: were concerns raised? Were they investigated? Were they resolved? Has the safety case been updated to reflect any new risks identified through resident concerns?

Not notifying the BSR of material changes identified in the review

If the Safety Case review identifies material changes to the building's safety — new risks, changed arrangements, significant alterations — the BSR must be informed as appropriate. The review record should include a 'BSR notification required?' assessment.

4. Frequently Asked Questions

Does the PAP have to submit the Safety Case Review Record to the BSR?▾

The Safety Case Review Record is not routinely submitted to the BSR. It is an internal management document that: evidences compliance with the duty to keep the safety case under review; supports the Safety Case Report when the BAC is applied for or reviewed; demonstrates the PAP’s safety management approach if the BSR conducts an inspection or requires information. If the BSR requests information about safety management arrangements, the review record should be made available.

How does the Safety Case Review relate to the FRA (fire risk assessment)?▾

The fire risk assessment (FRA) required under the RRO 2005 should be reviewed and updated regularly — typically annually for most HRBs. The Safety Case review should align with the FRA review — using the FRA’s findings as input to the fire safety element of the Safety Case review. An FRA that identifies new fire risks should trigger a revision to the Safety Case and, if material, the Safety Case Report.

What happens if a review identifies a serious new safety risk?▾

A serious new safety risk identified in the Safety Case review — for example, a structural survey revealing cracks in a primary structural element, or a fire engineer assessment revealing that compartmentation has been breached — may trigger: immediate remedial action (potentially taking the building out of service if the risk is imminent); a mandatory occurrence report to the BSR; urgent revision of the Safety Case and Safety Case Report; resident notification; BSR notification. The PAP’s safety management system should have escalation procedures for urgent safety findings.

Who is responsible for conducting the structural assessment element of the review?▾

A qualified structural engineer — typically the building’s structural engineering consultant — should conduct or oversee the structural safety element of the annual Safety Case review. For most HRBs, this will involve at minimum a desktop review of any structural inspection records and any reported structural concerns, with periodic on-site inspection (perhaps every 3–5 years depending on the building’s age and condition). For buildings with known structural concerns, more frequent assessment is appropriate.

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