Facilities Management Compliance: A Guide to Statutory Compliance

Facilities management compliance is the process of ensuring buildings, equipment and facilities operations meet relevant legal requirements, regulations and industry standards.

For facilities teams, this can involve everything from fire safety and electrical systems to statutory inspections, risk assessments, water hygiene and lifting equipment. Managing these requirements effectively is crucial for protecting employees, contractors and visitors while keeping buildings operating safely.

With numerous inspections, maintenance schedules and documents to manage, maintaining compliance across multiple facilities can quickly become complex. Digital facilities management software can help organisations manage these activities from one system, providing greater visibility of inspections, assets, issues and compliance records.

What is facilities management compliance?

Facilities management compliance involves adhering to the laws, regulations and recognised industry standards that apply to the management and operation of buildings and facilities.

It is not simply a case of completing a statutory inspection and filing the resulting certificate.

Effective facilities compliance requires organisations to understand their duties, establish appropriate controls, complete inspections and maintenance at the required intervals, and retain evidence that these activities have taken place.

The exact compliance requirements will vary depending on the properties, equipment, activities and risks involved. However, common responsibilities include:

• Fire safety
• Health and safety
• Electrical safety
• Water hygiene and Legionella
• Lifts and lifting equipment
• Gas systems
• Asbestos management
• Hazardous substances
• Environmental and waste management
• Planned and statutory maintenance

Facilities management teams may also need to demonstrate compliance with internal policies, client requirements and relevant industry standards.

For organisations managing several properties, a consistent facilities management process is particularly important. It helps ensure the same standards and controls are implemented across different sites.

Why is compliance important in facilities management?

Buildings contain numerous systems and pieces of equipment that require ongoing inspection, maintenance and testing.

If these processes are not managed effectively, faults or missed statutory inspections can create safety risks and operational problems.

Facilities management compliance helps organisations:

• Protect employees, visitors and contractors
• Identify and control risks
• Meet relevant legal duties
• Keep critical equipment and systems maintained
• Reduce the chance of unexpected equipment failures
• Maintain accurate inspection and maintenance records
• Identify issues requiring corrective actions
• Demonstrate compliance during audits
• Support business continuity

There can also be serious consequences when organisations fail to comply with relevant regulations.

Depending on the circumstances and applicable legislation, these can include enforcement action, fines, civil claims and, in serious cases, criminal prosecution.

Good compliance management should therefore be embedded into everyday facilities operations rather than treated as an activity that only becomes important when an audit takes place.

What is statutory compliance in facilities management?

Statutory compliance means meeting requirements imposed by legislation.

Within facilities management, this can include statutory testing, inspections, risk assessments, maintenance and record keeping relating to buildings and their equipment.

UK Government facilities management standards state that organisations should have a robust estate compliance plan that identifies responsibilities, inspection frequencies and specifications. High-risk compliance areas can include fire risk, fixed wiring, gas installations, asbestos and water hygiene.

However, there is no single list of statutory inspections that applies identically to every building.

The requirements for a particular facility depend on factors including its use, equipment, occupants and associated risks. Facilities teams therefore need to understand which regulations apply to each site and establish suitable controls.

Key areas of facilities management compliance

Facilities compliance can cover a wide range of responsibilities. Some of the most important areas include the following.

Fire safety

Fire safety is a major responsibility within facilities management.

In England and Wales, the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 places duties on responsible persons for most non-domestic premises. Depending on the circumstances, responsible persons can include employers, owners, landlords, occupiers and people with control of premises.

Responsibilities include carrying out and regularly reviewing fire risk assessments, implementing appropriate fire precautions and maintaining fire safety measures.

Facilities teams may also be responsible for coordinating the inspection, testing and maintenance of systems such as:

• Fire alarms
• Emergency lighting
• Fire doors
• Fire extinguishers
• Other installed fire safety equipment

Any issues identified through inspections should be recorded, assigned and addressed appropriately.

Electrical systems and fixed wire testing

Electrical systems require suitable inspection and maintenance to help ensure they remain safe.

For facilities teams, this can include maintaining records relating to electrical installations, fixed wire testing and other electrical equipment across their buildings.

Inspection and testing requirements should form part of the wider maintenance schedule, with findings recorded and any necessary remedial work managed through to completion.

Accurate records are particularly important for organisations responsible for multiple buildings, where different electrical systems may have different inspection and maintenance requirements.

Water hygiene and Legionella

Employers and people in control of premises have duties relating to risks from Legionella bacteria.

Managing these risks can involve identifying and assessing potential sources of exposure, implementing appropriate controls, monitoring those controls and maintaining records.

Organisations should also clearly identify who is responsible for managing Legionella risks and ensure those people have the appropriate knowledge, skills and authority.

A Legionella risk assessment can consider factors such as the water systems present, potential sources of risk, existing controls, monitoring arrangements and inspection and maintenance procedures.

Lifts and lifting equipment

The Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998, commonly known as LOLER, place duties on people and organisations that own, operate or control lifting equipment used at work.

Relevant equipment must be safe for use and, where required, undergo periodic thorough examination by a competent person.

For facilities managers responsible for lifts, this means ensuring relevant LOLER inspections are completed and appropriate records are maintained.

Reports from thorough examinations should identify defects and when the next examination is required. Where a serious defect creates a risk to people, appropriate action must be taken to control that risk.

Gas and mechanical systems

Gas installations and other mechanical systems can also form part of statutory compliance responsibilities.

Facilities teams need to identify which systems require inspection, servicing or statutory testing and ensure this work is carried out by appropriately competent people.

Maintenance schedules should clearly establish what work is required, when it needs to take place and who is responsible for completing it.

Health and safety

Health and safety extends across almost every aspect of facilities management.

Facilities teams need suitable processes for identifying hazards, completing risk assessments, implementing controls and recording safety issues.

Effective health and safety compliance software can help organisations move these processes away from disconnected paper forms and spreadsheets and into a more consistent digital system.

Risk assessments should also be reviewed when circumstances change or when there is reason to believe existing controls are no longer sufficient.

COSHH and hazardous substances

Facilities operations can involve substances such as cleaning chemicals, maintenance products and other materials that may present health risks.

The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations require employers to assess and control risks associated with hazardous substances.

Using COSHH assessment software can provide a structured way of completing assessments and maintaining the associated compliance records.

Facilities teams should ensure relevant substances are identified, risks are assessed and appropriate controls are implemented.

Environmental and waste compliance

Facilities management compliance is not limited to immediate workplace safety.

Depending on an organisation’s activities, facilities teams may also have duties relating to waste, environmental management and sustainability.

This can involve processes for storing and disposing of waste correctly, maintaining appropriate records and ensuring contractors meet relevant standards.

Environmental requirements should therefore be considered alongside health, safety and building compliance when creating an overall facilities compliance plan.

Who is responsible for facilities management compliance?

Accountability for compliance should be clearly defined within facilities management operations.

The people responsible will depend on the organisation, building and particular regulation involved. Duties may sit with employers, property owners, facilities managers, landlords, contractors or other designated duty holders.

Facilities managers often coordinate many of the practical activities required to maintain compliance. This can include arranging inspections, managing maintenance schedules, monitoring findings and maintaining access to supporting documents.

Specialist contractors and competent persons may then carry out specific inspections or testing.

However, outsourcing a particular service does not mean an organisation should stop monitoring compliance.

Responsibilities should be documented so stakeholders understand:

• What activities need to be completed
• Who is responsible for each activity
• How often inspections or testing are required
• What evidence needs to be retained
• Who reviews findings
• How issues are escalated
• Who is responsible for corrective actions

Clear accountability reduces the chance of important duties being overlooked.

How to manage facilities management compliance

Effective compliance management requires a consistent process rather than a collection of disconnected inspections and documents.

1. Maintain an accurate asset register

An up-to-date asset register provides facilities teams with a clear understanding of the equipment and systems they are responsible for.

Depending on the organisation, this could cover electrical systems, lifts, fire safety equipment, water systems and other assets requiring maintenance or inspection.

Asset information can then be used to determine maintenance schedules, statutory inspections and testing requirements.

Poor asset data makes compliance more difficult because teams may not have complete visibility of what equipment exists, where it is located or when it requires attention.

2. Identify statutory requirements

Facilities teams should identify the regulations and statutory duties applicable to each building and asset.

Requirements can vary significantly between properties.

The organisation should therefore establish what inspections, testing, maintenance, risk assessments and records are required rather than applying the same plan to every site without considering its individual circumstances.

3. Create inspection and maintenance schedules

Once requirements have been identified, they should be incorporated into structured maintenance schedules.

Schedules can include:

• Statutory inspections
• Planned preventative maintenance
• Fixed wire testing
• LOLER inspections
• Fire safety checks
• Water hygiene monitoring
• Equipment servicing
• Other statutory testing

Each activity should have an appropriate frequency, responsible person and process for recording completion.

This makes compliance an ongoing operational process rather than something that is reviewed only before an audit.

4. Carry out risk assessments

Risk assessments are a crucial part of facilities management compliance.

They help organisations identify hazards, understand who could be affected and determine the controls required to manage those risks.

Using EHS risk assessment software can help teams standardise the assessment process and maintain consistent digital records.

Risk assessments should also be reviewed when there are changes to equipment, buildings, activities or other circumstances that could affect existing controls.

5. Maintain compliance records

Completing an inspection is only one part of the process.

Organisations also need appropriate evidence showing what has been completed and when.

Compliance records can include:

• Inspection reports
• Maintenance records
• Test certificates
• Risk assessments
• Audit reports
• Training records
• Corrective actions
• Supporting documents

Centralising this data makes it easier for teams to access the information they need and demonstrate compliance during an audit.

6. Carry out regular audits

Audits provide an opportunity to assess whether compliance controls are working as intended.

A facilities compliance audit may examine both physical conditions and the management systems used to control risks.

This can involve reviewing documents, inspecting buildings, speaking with relevant employees and contractors and checking whether scheduled activities have been completed.

Audits can identify gaps that may not be obvious through routine inspections alone.

7. Record and prioritise corrective actions

When inspections or audits identify an issue, the finding should lead to an appropriate response.

Corrective actions should be prioritised according to the level of risk and monitored until the issue has been addressed.

A structured corrective actions process helps organisations move from simply recording problems to managing them through to completion.

Repeated findings can also provide useful information about weaknesses in existing controls or processes.

8. Provide appropriate training

Employees and contractors need the knowledge and expertise required to carry out their duties safely and consistently.

Training programmes may cover specific compliance responsibilities, equipment, internal processes, or broader health and safety requirements.

E-learning and other digital training methods can make it easier to provide consistent training across multiple teams or facilities.

Training records should also be maintained where necessary so organisations can demonstrate that appropriate instruction has been provided.

The role of facilities management compliance audits

Compliance audits provide a structured way to assess whether facilities are meeting relevant regulations, standards and internal requirements.

Rather than focusing solely on physical building conditions, an audit can examine the wider management controls behind them.

A typical process may involve:

1. Defining the scope and objectives of the audit
2. Identifying relevant regulations and standards
3. Reviewing documents and previous findings
4. Carrying out site inspections or walkthroughs
5. Speaking with relevant stakeholders
6. Recording findings and supporting evidence
7. Assessing the risks associated with identified issues
8. Creating recommendations and corrective actions
9. Monitoring actions through to completion

Audits may cover health and safety, environmental controls, maintenance, statutory inspections and other operational requirements.

Regular audits can also highlight inconsistencies between different sites. An organisation may have strong compliance practices at one property while another uses different processes or incomplete records.

A consistent auditing approach gives facilities teams greater visibility of these differences.

Common facilities compliance challenges

Managing compliance across buildings and estates can become increasingly complex as an organisation grows.

Some common challenges include:

Multiple sites

Different properties can have different assets, maintenance requirements and risks.

Without a consistent process, teams may manage compliance differently from one site to another.

Disconnected records

Documents stored across spreadsheets, paper files, emails and separate systems make it harder to establish a clear picture of compliance.

Employees may also struggle to access the latest information when they need it.

Missed inspections

Statutory inspections and recurring maintenance need to take place at appropriate intervals.

Poor scheduling or unclear responsibility increases the chance of activities becoming overdue.

Unclear accountability

If duties are not clearly assigned, employees may assume another person or team is responsible for completing an activity.

Compliance plans should clearly define ownership.

Managing contractors

Facilities teams often depend on external contractors for specialist maintenance, testing and inspections.

Organisations still need suitable processes for monitoring this work and retaining the resulting reports and documents.

Incomplete asset data

If an asset register is inaccurate, equipment can be missed from maintenance schedules and inspection programmes.

Keeping asset data current is therefore crucial for effective compliance management.

Delayed corrective actions

Finding an issue does not resolve it.

Teams need a process for assigning, prioritising and monitoring corrective actions so high-risk findings receive appropriate attention.

Using technology to manage facilities compliance

Managing facilities compliance manually becomes increasingly difficult as the number of buildings, assets, inspections and maintenance requirements grows.

Digital management systems can bring compliance activities and maintenance records into one place, helping teams improve consistency and access to important data.

Organisations can use these systems to manage:

• Asset registers
• Statutory inspections
• Maintenance schedules
• Risk assessments
• Compliance documents
• Audit findings
• Corrective actions
• Reporting across multiple sites

Cloud-based systems can also give authorised teams centralised access to compliance information, reducing reliance on disconnected documents and spreadsheets.

Digital reporting can make it easier to identify outstanding findings, review completed inspections and prepare evidence for audits.

The right platform will depend on the organisation, its facilities and the processes it needs to manage. Our guide to the best facilities management software compares different software options and the features organisations should consider when choosing a platform.

For businesses looking to digitise their own processes, Velappity’s facilities management platform can support inspections, asset compliance monitoring, recurring jobs and reporting across multiple sites.

How Velappity supports facilities management compliance

Velappity provides a digital platform for organisations looking to improve how facilities inspections, compliance activities and recurring work are managed.

Teams can use Velappity to manage scheduled and recurring jobs, complete inspections using mobile devices and maintain records associated with facilities and assets.

The platform also supports offline working, allowing employees to complete work where an internet connection may not be available and synchronise the information later.

Facilities teams can use Velappity to support:

• Facilities inspections
• Asset compliance monitoring
• Recurring jobs and test frequencies
• Issue reporting
• Digital records
• Automated reports
• Multi-site operations
• Access to inspection results

Moving these activities into a central digital system can make it easier for teams to maintain consistent processes and access compliance information when required.

Build a more consistent facilities compliance process

Facilities management compliance involves much more than completing individual statutory inspections.

Organisations need to understand their duties, maintain accurate asset information, schedule inspections and maintenance, complete risk assessments, retain documents and act on findings.

The challenge becomes greater when facilities teams are responsible for multiple buildings, contractors and hundreds or thousands of individual compliance activities.

Velappity helps organisations digitise these processes and bring facilities information into one system.

Explore our facilities management software to see how Velappity can support inspections, asset monitoring, reporting and compliance activities across your facilities.