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14 engineering firms suspended from trade body for failing to meet standards
A major trade body has suspended 14 members for failing to meet its standards, and for non-compliance with its independent audit process.
Trade body the Building Engineering Services Association has suspended 14 members for failing to meet its standards, and for non-compliance with its independent audit process #UKhousingThe Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) said the firms were all found to have failed to reach the standard required to meet its competence assessment standard (CAS).
The CAS covers business practices, financial solvency, insurance, health and safety, and technical proficiency.
The association’s council, whose members are responsible for BESA’s governance and ensuring that it continues to meet the vision and values of its founders, stated that it was taking “robust action” in the interests of the whole building engineering sector and its clients.
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BESA said the decision was fully aligned with the industry benchmark provided by the Build UK Common Assessment Standard. Firms applying to join BESA or remain in membership must meet the standard.
David Frise, chief executive of BESA, said the trade body “has never been afraid to robustly defend its remit and constitution”.
He said: “We do not suspend members lightly, but take our wider responsibilities to the industry and its ultimate clients – building occupants – extremely seriously.
“[The] Grenfell: Uncovered documentary on Netflix was a timely reminder of why we must do everything we can to maintain the highest possible standards. It should remind us that every decision we make has a consequence, whether in the short term or much further down the road, for the people who inhabit buildings.
“The country should be able to depend on its building services industry to deliver work to the highest possible standards.”
The BESA audit, which is carried out by an independent part of the BESA group accredited by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service, asks prospective and existing members if they have all the skills necessary to deliver quality, safe work.
It includes an on-site technical audit based on check lists linked to the latest technical standards, so clients, main contractors and the public can have confidence when appointing a BESA member.
Mr Frise added. “[Suspension] is always a last resort, as we would much rather work with companies to help them improve, but when it is clear that is not possible, we have demonstrated that we will take the ultimate sanction.”
BESA is considered the UK’s leading trade organisation for building engineering services contractors. It represents the interests of firms in the design, installation, commissioning, maintenance, control and management of engineering systems and services in buildings.
Inside Housing has asked the trade body if it can name the 14 firms.
It appears to be the latest trade body to suspend its members since the Institution of Fire Engineers (IFE) expelled a fire engineer earlier this year for “non-compliance of sanction”. Adam Kiziak, the director of Tri Fire, was expelled from the IFE with immediate effect. Mr Kiziak’s company was suspended from the IFE in August 2024 for failing to work within professional competence and breaching the organisation’s principle of ‘accuracy and vigour’.
Tri Fire had carried out risk assessments, external wall system 1 (EWS1) surveys and fire engineering on dozens of buildings.
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