Building Safety Act Compliance - Creating and Maintaining the Golden Thread of Information
The Golden Thread is a legal requirement for all higher-risk buildings and is a foundational principle of the BSA. It mandates the creation and maintenance of a comprehensive, electronic record of all safety-critical information throughout a building's entire lifecycle. The Golden Thread is not a static document but an evolving record that begins at the design stage, incorporating the regulatory gateways, and is handed over to the Accountable Person upon completion for continuous maintenance.
A strategic approach to the Golden Thread must be built on four key pillars:
Mandatory Digital Storage: The information must be stored in a secure, electronic format that is easily transferable to other authorised parties.
Centralised and Accessible: The system must serve as a single source of truth for all building safety information, eliminating inconsistencies and ensuring all authorised stakeholders can access it.
Formal Responsibility and Change Control: Duty holders are legally obligated to create, maintain and share this information. The system must provide a clear audit trail, recording who made changes and when.
Ongoing Maintenance: The Golden Thread is a live document that requires regular updates throughout the building’s lifetime, including any maintenance, repairs or modifications.
The Golden Thread is more than a digital database; it is the physical manifestation of the new culture of accountability. By forcing a continuous, auditable record from design through to occupation, it dismantles the fragmented hand-off model that previously existed. This will require investment in construction management software and other digital platforms that can automate compliance tracking, centralise documentation and provide automated reminders for critical deadlines. This technological integration will improve auditability and clarity of accountability throughout the supply chain.
Golden Thread Key Requirements & Responsibilities
Design & Construction
The Client must appoint competent Principal Designers and Principal Contractors. All Duty Holders must collaborate and share information to build a comprehensive record of how the building meets all relevant requirements. This includes approved drawings, plans, a construction control plan, and a mandatory occurrence reporting plan. The Principal Contractor is responsible for managing the information during the construction phase and keeping it up to date.
Gateway Process
The Golden Thread information must be provided at each gateway to demonstrate compliance. At Gateway 2, documentation must prove the design meets building regulations before work can begin. At Gateway 3, a statement must be given to the BSR that a copy of the Golden Thread has been handed over to the relevant person (PAP or AP) as evidence for the completion certificate application.
Handover
On completion, the Client must hand over the Golden Thread information to the Principal Accountable Person (PAP) or Accountable Person (AP). The information must be a comprehensive, accurate, electronic record of the finished building.
Occupation
The PAP or AP is responsible for maintaining the Golden Thread throughout the building's lifespan. This includes updating records with all safety-critical information from ongoing maintenance, inspections, repairs and modifications to the building or its systems.
Technology
Information must be stored in a secure, electronic system (e.g., BIM, DMS, Cloud Platforms) that tracks changes, who made them, and when. It must be easily accessible to all authorised personnel.
