Planned preventive maintenance
Every plant item carries a maintenance frequency, from weekly plant room checks to annual servicing, and each task is planned and signed off when done.
For facilities managers
Statutory inspection calendar for one building or estate
A facilities manager answers for one building's statutory calendar, where gas, water, fire, lifts and fixed wiring each carry their own inspection interval.
No account needed to see the proposed desk.
The recurring work
What facilities managers have to keep on top of
Every one of these has a date attached, a document behind it, and somebody who notices when it slips. This is what goes on the desk.
Gas and electrical certification
Gas appliances are serviced and certified annually, and the fixed wiring installation is inspected and tested on a five-year cycle with the report retained.
Water hygiene and legionella
The legionella risk assessment is reviewed on schedule, with monthly temperature checks, tank inspections and outlet flushing logged for every system on site.
Fire safety checks
Fire alarm call points are tested weekly, extinguishers and emergency lighting are checked on their own cycles, and the fire risk assessment is reviewed at least annually.
Lift and pressure vessel examinations
Lifts need a thorough examination every six months and pressure vessels their own statutory intervals, with each report acted on before the next is due.
Asbestos register review
The asbestos register is re-inspected annually where materials remain in place, and the findings are shared with anyone who might disturb them.
Permit to work records
Hot works, confined space and working at height permits are issued, logged and closed out, with the paperwork retained for contractors and audits.
Contract renewals
Cleaning, grounds, security and waste contracts run to fixed end dates, and renewal or tender decisions have to be made before the notice period closes.
Energy and waste reporting
Energy consumption, carbon reporting and waste transfer notes are gathered on their reporting cycle, with the data ready for audits and disclosure requirements.
Asset and space registers
The asset register is updated as equipment is installed or replaced, and condition surveys feed the maintenance and replacement plan for the coming years.
What it costs to carry it
The statutory calendar does not pause because the boiler failed or a contractor did not turn up, and several of these deadlines are absolute rather than negotiable. Records are the usual weak point: a test that was carried out but never written down is, for inspection purposes, a test that did not happen. When something is missed, the enforcing authority asks for the file, and the answer has to be there on the day.
What the desk takes over
The desk works this list to its own schedule and reports what it did.
Compliance calendar
Every statutory inspection, test and review date for the site is held on one calendar, scheduled with the responsible contractor and closed off when the certificate arrives.
Contractor records
Accreditation, competency certificates and liability cover for each contractor are held on file and requested again before they lapse.
Permit and log keeping
Permits, plant readings and test logs are collected from the site team and filed where an inspection can find them.
Contract date tracking
Service contract end dates and notice periods are tracked, and the papers for renewal or tender are prepared before the window closes.
Asset and energy records
Asset registers, meter readings and waste documentation are kept current so reporting and condition surveys start from complete data.
What stays with the facilities manager
The facilities manager still walks the building, judges whether a repair can wait and decides which contractor gets the work. Anything that depends on seeing the plant, hearing a complaint or weighing a risk stays with the person on site.
Questions
How often should fire alarm call points be tested?
A different call point is usually tested each week on a rotating basis, with the results logged, and the full system serviced by a competent contractor.
What records does a statutory inspection file need?
The certificate or report, the date and frequency of the next inspection, and evidence that any defects it raised were repaired and closed out.
Who is responsible for statutory compliance in a leased building?
Responsibility is usually divided by the lease, with the occupier or managing agent holding duties for the parts they control, so the split should be recorded in writing.
Put the facilities manager's recurring work on the desk
Start with a name, a website and one sentence about what the business does. The desk proposes the list; the facilities manager corrects it.