BESA suspends five members after failed audit checks

The Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) has suspended five member firms for failing to meet standards in its independent audit process.

This move follows the suspension of 14 firms last year and forms part of the association’s campaign to raise technical and professional standards across the building engineering sector.

The five unnamed companies were unable to meet BESA’s Competence Assessment Standard, which includes checks on business practices, financial solvency, insurance, health and safety, and technical proficiency.

Membership of the trade body requires compliance with the standard, which is aligned with the Build UK Common Assessment Standard and supports obligations under the Building Safety Act.

Chief executive officer David Frise said “BESA has never been afraid to robustly defend its remit and constitution,” said chief executive officer David Frise.

“We do not suspend members lightly but take our wider responsibilities to the industry and its ultimate clients – building occupants – extremely seriously.

“It might seem counterintuitive for a membership body to suspend or reject companies, but membership needs to stand for something.

“We would always favour quality over quantity, and we now have more companies waiting to join – so sticking to our principles is working.”

Frise added that while suspension was always a last resort, BESA was “not afraid to suspend members who don’t meet our standards”.

The pass rate for BESA’s audit process currently stands at 62 per cent.

Audits are carried out by BESCA, a UKAS-accredited part of the BESA group, and include on-site technical inspections to assess firms’ compliance with current industry standards.

The association also recently introduced a member pledge initiative, under which some of its largest members have committed to prioritising technical competence and to mandate the same from their supply chains.

Frise said the audit process gave clients assurance when appointing BESA members, as it helps demonstrate their legal and professional duty of care during procurement.

Source: BESA statement