From 2025 onward, the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) has moved decisively from policy formation into active enforcement. For site supervisors working on higher-risk buildings and increasingly on all regulated projects, structural compliance is no longer just a design responsibility. It is a live site obligation.
In 2026, the regulator’s focus is clear: If you build it, you must be able to prove how you built it.
Structural evidence is now part of the legal record of a building. It forms part of the Golden Thread and must demonstrate that what was designed was actually constructed, tested and verified.
This places site supervisors at the centre of compliance.
Why Structural Evidence Now Matters More Than Ever
Under the Building Safety Act, dutyholders are legally responsible for ensuring that buildings are safe throughout their lifecycle. The BSR is empowered to:
A project can be delayed or stopped not because the structure is unsafe, but because the evidence is missing. In practical terms, the absence of records is treated as a safety risk.
The Core Structural Evidence Supervisors Must Retain
Every site delivering regulated works should now maintain a live structural compliance file. This is not a paperwork exercise, it is the construction history of the building.
At minimum, supervisors should retain the following:
1. Approved Structural Design Information
This is the baseline against which the BSR will assess compliance.
You must hold on site:
Any discrepancy between design and construction must be traceable and approved. If it is not documented, it is assumed to be non-compliant.
2. Material Certification and Traceability
The regulator is placing increasing emphasis on material provenance.
Supervisors must retain:
Material substitution without documented approval is now a direct compliance breach.
3. Site Testing Records
Testing is no longer optional evidence. It is mandatory proof.
Depending on scope, this may include:
The BSR can request these at any time, even years after completion.
4. Inspection and Hold Point Records
Critical structural stages must now be formally signed off.
These include:
5. Design Change and Substitution Logs
Uncontrolled change is now one of the regulator’s primary enforcement triggers.
Supervisors must maintain:
Any material, fixing, structural system or load path change must be documented.
6. As-Built Structural Records
At completion, the structural record becomes part of the building’s legal identity.
This must include:
This data is handed into the Accountable Person and becomes part of the building’s Golden Thread.
The Supervisor’s Legal Position
Under the new regime, supervisors are not just managing delivery, they are protecting the project’s legal integrity. If something fails, investigators will examine:
Poor record keeping is now a personal professional risk.
What a BSR-Ready Site Looks Like
A compliant site in 2026/27 will have:
The days of scattered paperwork and undocumented decisions are over.
Final Word for Supervisors
The Building Safety Regulator is not interested in excuses, they are interested in evidence. If you cannot prove how the structure was built, tested and verified, the building is treated as unsafe by default. In 2026, compliance is no longer theoretical, it is operational and site supervisors are now on the front line of building safety enforcement.
In 2026, the regulator’s focus is clear: If you build it, you must be able to prove how you built it.
Structural evidence is now part of the legal record of a building. It forms part of the Golden Thread and must demonstrate that what was designed was actually constructed, tested and verified.
This places site supervisors at the centre of compliance.
Why Structural Evidence Now Matters More Than Ever
Under the Building Safety Act, dutyholders are legally responsible for ensuring that buildings are safe throughout their lifecycle. The BSR is empowered to:
- Inspect sites during construction
- Demand records and test results
- Issue stop notices
- Block Gateway approvals
- Prevent occupation
A project can be delayed or stopped not because the structure is unsafe, but because the evidence is missing. In practical terms, the absence of records is treated as a safety risk.
The Core Structural Evidence Supervisors Must Retain
Every site delivering regulated works should now maintain a live structural compliance file. This is not a paperwork exercise, it is the construction history of the building.
At minimum, supervisors should retain the following:
1. Approved Structural Design Information
This is the baseline against which the BSR will assess compliance.
You must hold on site:
- Latest approved structural drawings
- Structural design calculations
- Temporary works designs
- Construction sequencing assumptions
- Approved design change records
Any discrepancy between design and construction must be traceable and approved. If it is not documented, it is assumed to be non-compliant.
2. Material Certification and Traceability
The regulator is placing increasing emphasis on material provenance.
Supervisors must retain:
- CE / UKCA certificates
- Factory production control certificates
- Mill test certificates (steel)
- Concrete delivery tickets
- Concrete cube test results
- Grout and resin batch numbers
- Fixing and anchor certification
Material substitution without documented approval is now a direct compliance breach.
3. Site Testing Records
Testing is no longer optional evidence. It is mandatory proof.
Depending on scope, this may include:
- Concrete cube and core tests
- Pull-out testing for anchors and fixings
- Pile integrity tests
- Plate bearing tests
- Ground investigation verification
- Waterproofing integrity tests
- Fire stopping inspection records
The BSR can request these at any time, even years after completion.
4. Inspection and Hold Point Records
Critical structural stages must now be formally signed off.
These include:
- Formation inspection
- Piling sign-off
- Reinforcement inspections
- Concrete pour permits
- Structural frame inspections
- Temporary works installation checks
- Removal of temporary works
- Each stage should have:
- Date
- Responsible person
- Engineer sign-off
- Photographic evidence
5. Design Change and Substitution Logs
Uncontrolled change is now one of the regulator’s primary enforcement triggers.
Supervisors must maintain:
- Design change requests
- Engineer approvals
- Client approvals
- Regulator notifications where required
- Updated drawings
- Revised calculations
Any material, fixing, structural system or load path change must be documented.
6. As-Built Structural Records
At completion, the structural record becomes part of the building’s legal identity.
This must include:
- As-built drawings
- Structural inspection certificates
- Final test results
- Construction methodology records
- Commissioning documentation
- Residual risk register
This data is handed into the Accountable Person and becomes part of the building’s Golden Thread.
The Supervisor’s Legal Position
Under the new regime, supervisors are not just managing delivery, they are protecting the project’s legal integrity. If something fails, investigators will examine:
- Who built it
- Who signed it off
- Who accepted the change
- Who failed to record it
Poor record keeping is now a personal professional risk.
What a BSR-Ready Site Looks Like
A compliant site in 2026/27 will have:
- A digital evidence system
- Live document control
- Daily inspection records
- Structured photo logs
- Clear approval workflows
- Secure data retention
The days of scattered paperwork and undocumented decisions are over.
Final Word for Supervisors
The Building Safety Regulator is not interested in excuses, they are interested in evidence. If you cannot prove how the structure was built, tested and verified, the building is treated as unsafe by default. In 2026, compliance is no longer theoretical, it is operational and site supervisors are now on the front line of building safety enforcement.
Image © London Construction Magazine Limited
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Expert Verification & Authorship: Mihai Chelmus
Founder, London Construction Magazine | Construction Testing & Investigation Specialist |
