Under the new building safety regime, contractors are no longer simply expected to deliver work to a high standard. They must also be able to clearly evidence their competency levels in line with Part 2A of the Building Regulations to enable a successful Gateway 3 Completion Certificate application. The Building Safety Regulator (BSR) has made it clear that it will be closely examining how main contractors manage subcontractors on higher-risk building projects, with a particular focus on competency, installation quality, supervision, and evidence that completed works align with approved designs.  This shift is especially key for life-safety-critical components such as cavity barriers and firestops, which are reliant on accurate installation to work effectively.  

Competency is, of course, not a new concept for construction: designing and constructing buildings has always been reliant on skilled professionals at all stages of the process. However, Dame Judith Hackitt’s 2018 ‘Building a Safer Future: Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety’ found the existing system to be “fragmented” across the industry with no clear indication of how actions in one discipline may affect another, and a “lack of a coherent approach to competence levels and experience required.”  

To address this, Section 11F of the Building Safety Act 2020’s secondary legislation requires all contractors to have the skills, knowledge, experience and behaviours necessary to complete the building work in accordance with all relevant requirements. For organisations, this extends beyond individuals to include overall organisational capability and capacity. In addition to this, principal contractors must meet the specific competency requirements which are expected for their role as defined in PAS 8672: 2022 - Framework for Competence of Individual Principal Contractors .

Training packages offered by passive fire protection manufacturers can provide installers with invaluable insight into the specifics of their products and systems, as well as potential build challenges— allowing them to be addressed before the installation programme has progressed.  

This typically includes: 

• Pre-installation training, such as toolbox talks or structured sessions that include classroom learning, to support installation teams in fully understanding system requirements alongside the basic principles of passive fire protection measures. 

• Practical, hands-on training, including benchmark installations that set the quality standard for the project. 

• Ongoing site support, helping teams respond to evolving site conditions or design changes. 

For example, Siderise’s Product Installation Training (PIT) supports installers with both technical understanding and practical application, enabling systems to be installed in line with tested configurations. This type of training can be embedded into the project’s quality assurance processes from the outset. Of course, those delivering the training should themselves, be competent to do so. Delivering training should not be an ‘add on’ to other duties as is often the case. Instead, trainers should be appropriately trained and  dedicated to this vital task.

Organising this training early in the construction process is important, especially for complex designs and tricky detailing that need a tailored installation approach, or where there are deviations from the original drawings due to unforeseen challenges or changes in conditions onsite. The training should also be backed with ongoing support from the manufacturer’s site services team, who can give good advice, deliver refresher sessions as the project progresses and train new crew members should there be changes to the project team. 

The Principal Contractor is responsible for ensuring competency across the teams working on the construction phase. This includes verifying that subcontractors delivering safety-critical elements are appropriately qualified, trained, and supervised.  

Manufacturers can support this through ongoing engagement and, increasingly, through digital systems that track training and project involvement. For example, Siderise’s CRM platform provides a centralised record of all interactions on a project—from technical support through to training and inspections. Because training is logged against individuals, contractors can gain visibility of subcontractor competency across the project lifecycle, thus supporting the Golden Thread. This is especially valuable on large or fast-paced construction projects where installation teams can change, and project conditions can evolve. 

Competency is now a cornerstone of Gateway 3 compliance. For contractors, this means going beyond qualifications and accreditations to build a clear, structured, and evidenced approach to how work is delivered on site. By combining accredited training, manufacturer support, inspection regimes, and digital tools, contractors can not only reduce the risk of defects but also create a robust body of evidence that supports a successful Completion Certificate application and ultimately, better building safety. 

The next blog in this Insights series on Gateway 3 looks at how this competence can be evidenced through manufacturer inspection services.  

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