Building Code out to address safety, set standards in construction sector

Members of the public at a scene where a wall collapsed in Naivasha injuring one person and damaging a Nissan matatu. September 8, 2021. [Antony Gitonga, Standard] The National Construction Authority (NCA) has stepped in to restore order in the construction sector by introducing the country's second Building Code. Under the National Building Code 2024, all contractors and skilled workers will be accredited as one way of addressing safety in the wake of several buildings collapsing. The Code will also introduce new standards where buildings should be able to withstand earthquakes, flooding and strong winds while making sure that they have universal access. This emerged during a consultative meeting at Sawela Lodge in Naivasha between the authority and Deputy Governors where it was agreed that NCA would work with counties in enforcing the code. Public Works Principal Secretary Joel Arumonyang said that the code would bring sanity to the construction sector, which in the past had recorded many challenges, mainly in safety. He noted that though counties faced human capital challenges, the national government would support them in the implementation of the code. "This code will bring transformative changes and will address the issues of safety, innovation, and sustainability while introducing new technology in the construction sector," he said. Addressing the participants, he expressed the government's concerns over the lack of qualified construction experts in counties that were the enforcing authority for infrastructural projects. "So far we have reached out to 27 counties and we shall engage the others as we roll out this code that recognises skilled workers in the construction sector," he said. On his part, NCA Executive Director Moses Aketch, said that the Code would help issues of professionalism and safety, which in the past had seen lives and property lost. Aketch noted that the code would replace the 1968 one, which had been overtaken by time, with new standards and rules introduced. "All contractors and skilled workers will be accredited under the new code, which also seeks to address issues of accessibility and earthquakes," he said. "We are working with counties in enforcing this code, which will help in addressing the issue of quality so that we can resolve the problem around demolition of unfit buildings," he said. The NCA Chairperson, Mercy Okiro, said that going forward, it would be easy to know the contractors behind upcoming buildings as part of addressing safety and credibility. "Counties have had challenges in the past due to a lack of expertise, but the Authority will chip in and assist in capacity as we enforce this code," she said. Laikipia Deputy Governor Reuben Kamore, who is the Chair of the Caucus, admitted that counties had challenges in enforcing some standards in the construction sector. "We welcome the new code mainly on issues of accrediting contractors and skilled workers as this will enhance the quality of work and standards during construction," he said.

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