The Health & Safety Executive (HSE), in its role as the Building Safety Regulator (BSR), has appointed CROSS-UK (Collaborative Reporting for Safer Structures) as the official voluntary reporting system for structural and fire safety until at least 2028.
CROSS was set up in 2005 by the Institution of Structural Engineers and the Institution of Civil Engineers as a confidential reporting system for engineers to report on fire and structural safety issues. These are then published anonymously to share lessons learned to promote safety. It has been supported by the Institution of Fire Engineers (IFE) since 2021.
As part of the government鈥檚 response to the Grenfell Tower fire, the 2022 Building Safety Act introduced strengthened legislation covering building safety and construction products. This includes a requirement for an official voluntary occurrence reporting system (VORS), operated independently of both the HSE and the government.
CROSS-UK has been operating the system on an interim basis since April 2023 but, following a competitive tender process, it has now been formally appointed to run the service until at least 2028.
Philip White, director of building safety at the HSE, said: 鈥淓veryone deserves a safe and accountable built environment, and as the official operator of the voluntary occurrence reporting system, CROSS will play a key role in making that happen. This public interest appointment promotes openness, learning, and culture change 鈥� exactly what鈥檚 needed to raise standards, improve building safety, and prevent future tragedies.鈥�
CROSS head of operations Paul Livesey said: 鈥淐ROSS-UK is honoured to be appointed as the official voluntary reporting system for structural and fire safety under the Building Safety Act until 2028. CROSS has always championed the power of sharing knowledge to prevent future failures, and this appointment reinforces the critical role of confidential reporting in driving a safer built environment. We encourage all construction professionals to contribute by reporting concerns and near-misses. Each report can make a difference.鈥�
Institution of Structural Engineers chief executive Yasmin Becker said: 鈥淐ROSS is an important and trusted function of the building safety regime, now confirmed as the voluntary reporting system until 2028. The HSE鈥檚 decision means there will be much needed continuity for the voluntary reporting of building and fire safety issues.鈥�
Institution of Civil Engineers director general Janet Young said: 鈥淥ne of the fundamental principles of the Institution of Civil Engineers is to provide the knowledge and services civil and infrastructure engineers need to build, operate, and maintain infrastructure that is safe and fit for purpose. Supporting CROSS is an important part of this work. Having CROSS selected as the official voluntary occurrence reporting system by the Health & Safety Executive is a testament to the essential role the service plays in public safety.鈥�
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