Building a culture of safety and trust through the Golden Thread

The author participated in a panel discussion on the Golden Thread at the Building Safety Conference hosted by Westminster Insight. The conversation explored practical approaches to building safety, highlighting cultural shifts and technology’s critical role.

Panel Members:

• Peter Caplehorn, Chief Executive, Construction Products Association
• Aman Sharma MBE, Building Regulations Advisory Committee Member
• Jonathan Zokay, Safety Case Manager, Clarion Housing Group
• Ben Mark, Partner, RiskFlag
• Paul Vain, Head of Growth, Findable

What is the Golden Thread of Information in building safety?

The Golden Thread of Information is a complete, accurate, and accessible digital record of a building’s design, construction, and maintenance history, required under the Building Safety Act 2022 for higher-risk buildings. It represents a structured approach to managing building records throughout a facility’s lifecycle. It extends beyond regulatory compliance to create a system demonstrating building safety at any point in time.

Jonathan Zokay emphasized the concept isn’t merely documentation for regulators but rather “a clear, organised system” ensuring safety information flows from design through occupancy. The implementation requires organized, accessible systems rather than checklist compliance.

Why does building safety require a cultural shift, not just compliance?

Aman Sharma stressed that asset owners must “own, manage, and present it clearly to the regulators,” making the case for full compliance. The Building Safety Act 2022 represents a fundamental shift from minimum compliance thinking to systemic risk management.

Dame Judith Hackitt’s 2017 interim report highlighted a “widespread culture of waiting to be told what to do by regulators rather than taking responsibility.” The Golden Thread requirements support this necessary cultural transformation.

Ben Mark drew parallels to military aviation safety culture, where reporting risks and learning collectively matters more than assigning blame—a model residential real estate should adopt.

How does technology support Golden Thread compliance?

Digital tools help automatically track compliance elements, identifying gaps in documentation. Technology reduces personal burden by having systems flag non-compliance automatically rather than relying on individual whistleblowers.

Centralized, digitalized systems storing all files in one location improve accessibility. AI capabilities can instantly summarize documentation, helping teams understand building information better.

Peter Caplehorn noted that managing health and safety well represents sound business practice. Modern inspectors require documentation proving compliance rather than accepting unsupported sign-offs.

What does “safe” actually mean under the Building Safety Act?

Ben Mark observed that “safety is absolutely not absolute!” Nothing achieves 100% safety; instead, safety involves balancing risks and rewards. The Golden Thread enables demonstrating that organizations have mitigated risks appropriately and made decisions based on available data.

How can building safety teams overcome siloed information?

Fragmented safety data across departments creates knowledge gaps and non-compliance. The construction industry must accelerate digitization, adopting fresh approaches from other sectors.

Breaking down silos requires engaging residents, contractors, and all staff levels. As Ben Mark noted, these groups provide valuable property insights. Digital tools centralize information, strengthening regulatory readiness.

Conclusion

The Golden Thread reshapes building safety approaches as the industry embraces its broader impact. Continued progress requires driving cultural change, leveraging technology fully, and embedding safety across all building lifecycle stages. True success means designing genuinely safe buildings rather than merely meeting regulatory requirements.

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For a practical guide to what the Building Safety Act requires from your documentation, see The Building Safety Act is here — are your property documents ready?. PBSA operators can also read how the BTR boom is forcing PBSA to evolve. To see how Findable’s platform supports Golden Thread compliance, book a demo or explore why Findable vs. manual processes.