Seventy per cent of maintenance professionals state that staying compliant is the most significant problem in their business, according to a recent poll by SFG20.

Of those surveyed, just over half report that meeting safety standards is their biggest priority in 2024. However, all poll respondents (100 per cent of those surveyed) remain unsure about how prepared they are to comply with the Building Safety Act and the golden thread requirements for facility managers.

Consistently remaining compliant can often be overlooked when maintenance budgets and strategies face rising costs of materials and labour. As the focus on compliance, highlighted in the Building Safety Act, grows, FMs are required to keep on top of their legal responsibilities whilst also pinpointing potential hazards, including: electrical, structural, and fire safety, to prevent dangerous incidents and to protect people and valuable assets.

Paul Bullard, Product Director at SFG20, said: “Understanding your statutory responsibilities as a facility manager and the consequences of non-compliance is imperative. Not only does non-compliance increase the risk of legal consequences and sanctions, but it will likely lead to avoidable added costs, such as increased insurance premiums, and a damaged reputation.

“Building maintenance is no longer a backseat issue for organisations, but the cornerstone of health and safety, and efficient running costs. A ‘fix on fail’ approach might work for non-statutory maintenance, but the approach can mean statutory tasks are not completed, creating significant risk to both building owners and occupants.

“Codes of practice and industry standards are often generic, requiring expertise to add the important final layer of how this can be achieved. The SFG20 technical authoring team reviews legislation and regulations, then researches supporting documentation to create a list of actionable tasks for those responsible for maintenance and completed efficiently and on-site by maintenance personnel. With the Building Safety Regulator committed to enforcing compliance in the FM space, they will be using industry standards as their benchmark.”

Yesterday, SFG20 held a webinar titled ‘Building Maintenance Compliance: Do you understand your responsibility?’ which provided insights from SFG20 experts on the responsibilities of a building owner, facilities manager or contractor; how to achieve statutory compliance, and the consequences of non-compliance. To view the webinar click here.