New research from Watco, the industrial paint and repair products specialist, has examined the complexities affecting facilities managers (FM) within the building, construction and refurbishment sector, uncovering several challenges around legislation and maintenance.

The survey found that just 34% of FMs know what the Building Safety Act is and only 26% know how it impacts their role. While less than half (40%) said that they have a good working knowledge of what industry legislations and regulations impact them.

The research follows the introduction of updates to the Building Safety Act which include the requirement of a Golden Thread of information to be developed for each building and kept up to date throughout its lifetime – from design and construction to refurbishment and maintenance. The Golden Thread must consist of accountable, reliable, consistent, secure and accessible information, which FMs may be required to contribute to.

Scott Saunders, technical service manager at Watco, commented: “Health and safety has always been a core element of an FM’s job role. However, the introduction of more robust building safety legislation means compliance now presents itself as a key issue. On top of an ever-increasing workload, FMs now must have a good understanding of how to comply with new legislation. Further to this, during the Labour government’s first budget since coming into power, the chancellor committed more than £5bn of investment over 2025-2026 to deliver the Government’s ambitious plans for housing. This has been followed by an announcement by the Housing Minister who stated existing schemes will receive £3 billion more in government support to help deliver 1.5 million homes.

“Apartment blocks make up many of the new housing schemes, and if they have over seven stories or have over 18 meters in height, they will be deemed higher risk. From their plant rooms to their carparks, FMs will play a critical role in ensuring the smooth and safe running of these buildings.

“With many priorities to balance, seeking support and sourcing training and product information from suppliers or third parties can help lighten the load, as they can advise on how their products meet standards and provide relevant certifications. Ultimately, everyone in the supply chain has a responsibility for ensuring buildings are safe and that the golden data thread is maintained.”

The research also uncovered wider challenges affecting FMs. Aside from having to meet changing standards and legislation, the factors they believe pose the largest risks to the health and safety of their facility are:

• Lack of general maintenance/a backlog of repairs
• Wet and slippery surfaces
• Facility downtime
• Time constraints
• Waterproofing and damp

Further to this, just 28% of respondents said that they undertake a thorough site audit or risk assessment at least once a year, while only 24% are aware of potential hazards and know how to report or control risks.

Scott added: “Third parties can also provide useful tools and resources that can help with wider maintenance and repair challenges affecting the safety and smooth running of the sites that FMs have responsibility for. For example, checklists can be used to ensure site inspections are thorough. This allows damage to be identified and repaired before it worsens and results in greater threats to safety.

“On top of this, implementing clear company processes to identify hazards, such as uneven floor surfaces, and how to repair them can help minimise costs, allowing for a more proactive approach to maintenance so hazards can be rectified before they worsen.

“Educating the wider team on company process and resources available to support can help reduce some of the burden on FMs and ensures the organisation is complying with legislation.”

For more information on the challenges facing the building construction and refurbishment sector and tips from the experts, download Watco’s free one-page report here: https://assets.watco.co.uk/files/LiftingTheLid/Lifting_The_Lid_Construction.pdf