Building safety case report template
A free Word outline of the eleven sections the Building Safety Regulator expects in a safety case report for a higher-risk building, with a plain English note under each heading on what to cover. Written from the Higher-Risk Buildings (Management of Safety Risks etc) Regulations 2023 and BSR's published criteria.
What a safety case report is
What it is
The document the Principal Accountable Person must prepare under section 85 of the Building Safety Act 2022. It summarises the building safety risks of fire spread and structural failure, what is done to prevent and control them, and how the building is managed.
Who needs one
Every occupied higher-risk building in England: at least 18 metres or seven storeys, with at least two residential units. The duty has applied since April 2024 and is enforced by the Building Safety Regulator.
When it goes to BSR
When BSR directs the Principal Accountable Person to apply for a building assessment certificate, or whenever it asks. Buildings are called in on a risk basis, so the report needs to be ready before the direction arrives.
Is there a set format
No. The regulations say what the report must contain and BSR publishes assessment criteria, but the layout is up to you. This outline follows both, section by section.
The eleven sections, and what goes in each
These are the headings in the download. Under each one the outline sets out what BSR is looking for, so the person writing it can get on with the content rather than guessing the structure.
The building and its environment
Registration number, address, height and storeys, residential units, construction, external wall system, uses, surroundings, fire service access and refurbishment history.
People responsible for the building
Principal Accountable Person, every other Accountable Person and their part of the building, the Responsible Person under the Fire Safety Order, managing agents, and how they share information.
Building safety risk assessment
The fire spread and structural failure scenarios, their likelihood and consequences, the methods used (FRA, PAS 9980 appraisal, structural appraisal) and the significant findings.
How risks are prevented and controlled
Compartmentation, fire doors, detection, smoke control, suppression, means of escape, structural protection and external wall measures, and why they are proportionate.
Safety management system
Policies, roles and competence, the maintenance and testing regime for each measure, how records are kept, how performance is reviewed and how actions are closed.
Managing works and change
Competence of designers and contractors, materials, permits to work, managing risk during works and change control for anything that affects the safety case.
Emergency planning and evacuation
The evacuation strategy, arrangements for residents needing assistance, the secure information box, fire service liaison and how residents are told what to do.
Resident engagement
How residents are informed, consulted, able to request information and raise concerns, and how their feedback changes what you do.
Mandatory occurrence reporting
Who can report, how reports are assessed, how occurrences are notified to BSR in time and how lessons feed back into the safety case.
Known issues, remediation and residual risk
Known defects, remediation completed or in progress with dates, interim measures and how residual risk is accepted.
Review, assurance and continuous improvement
Review triggers, how revisions are recorded and BSR notified, independent assurance and planned improvements.
Plus four appendices: golden thread index, open actions, mandatory occurrence log and revision history.
Get the safety case report outline
Enter your email and the Word document and a printable web version are sent straight to you. One email.
The outline follows the Higher-Risk Buildings (Management of Safety Risks etc) Regulations 2023 and the Building Safety Regulator's assessment criteria, section by section, with a note under each heading on what to cover.
For Principal Accountable Persons, housing providers, managing agents and the consultants who write safety cases for them.
A Word template writes issue one
Most safety case reports that fall down do so after they are written: controls change, works happen, an occurrence is reported, and the report no longer matches the building. BSR expects a living document with a record of every revision, backed by a golden thread that can be produced on request.
Lytom Comply carries the same eleven sections per building with guidance beside each and a status on every section, a golden thread register across the statutory information categories, numbered issues with a revision log, a mandatory occurrence log, dutyholder records and branded PDF export with the appendices filled in automatically. Fire door checks, fire logs, maintenance and documents sit in the same portal, so the evidence behind the report is maintained as a by-product of day to day work.
Building safety in Lytom ComplyWriting the safety case report for a client
If you are a health and safety or fire consultant asked to produce a safety case report, the hard part is not the headings. It is writing eleven sections of defensible narrative, in the right order, against the right regulation and BSR criteria. Lytom Assess includes a building safety case report type built for this: the eleven sections above, each with its legal basis, guidance on what to cover and standard wordings to drop in and edit, issued as a branded PDF to the client's portal.
Guide: what goes in a building safety case reportFrequently asked questions
What is a building safety case report?
The document the Principal Accountable Person for an occupied higher-risk building must prepare under section 85 of the Building Safety Act 2022. It summarises the building safety risks of fire spread and structural failure, the steps taken to prevent and control them, and how the building is managed, and it must be kept up to date.
Who has to produce a safety case report?
The Principal Accountable Person for each occupied higher-risk building in England: a building at least 18 metres or seven storeys tall with at least two residential units. Other Accountable Persons contribute their part. The duty has applied since April 2024.
When does the safety case report have to be sent to the Building Safety Regulator?
The report must be prepared and kept up to date, and sent to BSR when it directs the Principal Accountable Person to apply for a building assessment certificate or whenever it asks. BSR prioritises buildings on a risk basis, so the report should be ready in advance.
Is there a prescribed format for a safety case report?
No. The Higher-Risk Buildings (Management of Safety Risks etc) Regulations 2023 set out what the report must contain and BSR publishes assessment criteria, but the format is up to you. The free outline follows the regulations and the criteria section by section.
Is a Word template enough for a safety case report?
It is enough to write the first issue. The difficulty is keeping it current: the report must be revised when risks, controls, works or incidents change, with a record of each revision, and it is only as good as the golden thread evidence behind it. Lytom Comply is built for that ongoing work.
Keep the safety case current after issue one
Start a 14 day free trial of Lytom Comply. The eleven sections, golden thread register, revision log and occurrence log are included.
Related pages
Safety case report guide · Lytom Comply · Fire safety management · Fire risk assessment guide