At BSRM, we wear many hats, often in the same week.
One day we’re looking at a project through a design compliance lens, the next we’re deep in CDM construction compliance, and other days we’re working alongside facilities teams, helping them upskill (to PAS 8673) or supporting the registration of Higher-Risk Buildings (HRBs) and the safety management systems that go with them.
Last week we spent a day upskilling in the management of building safety risks and refreshing our Safety Management System knowledge. This week we’ve been liaising with the Building Safety Regulator on the required information for HRB registrations.
And today? I’m sat in a central London site office – a hive of activity and design coordination.
- At one desk, decisions are being made on design development at the sharp edge.
- Two days behind schedule, a contractor is struggling in an area where no coordination exists.
- Across the room, two new faces stare blankly as they’re told they must coordinate over 200 builders’ work holes per floor, each needing to be formed or drilled through the existing structure.
Through my newly formed “BSA lens,” I can see exactly why the old system didn’t work. It’s fascinating to walk around site and spot design approaches and construction methods that simply won’t exist in the future.
This viewpoint has clarified where BSRM’s expertise fits in: we’re the mess that binds it all together — design, construction, and in-occupation.
Start with the End in Mind
One thing has stuck with me over recent months: we all need to be crystal clear on the required output.
- What does the client want?
- What does the building need to do?
- How does it need to function?
If we start with the end product and track backwards as a team, we can find the right design solution. But this takes a huge cultural shift – we have to think differently, try new approaches, and be brave enough to change.
As Steve Jobs said, “You cannot connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking back.”
So I’ll leave you with the most powerful question anyone has ever asked me:
“What is it you want?”
If our clients don’t know the answer, we should start there – because I’ve seen first-hand how our industry too often chases that answer after the design is already done.
Contact Us
If you’re navigating the Building Safety Act – whether you’re at the design stage, mid-construction, or managing an occupied building – BSRM can help.
We work with clients, contractors, and facilities teams to:
- Build and implement Safety Management Systems
- Support HRB registrations and documentation
- Coordinate design and compliance at every stage
Let’s ensure your project not only complies with the BSA — but embraces the cultural shift it demands.