Compliance & Risk Management

THE MARIS METHODOLOGY:

THE “PRINCIPAL” SHIELD

At Maris, we protect our clients by formally assuming the statutory roles required by UK law. We do not just “manage” the build; we take the legal weight off your shoulders.

Our methodology is built on three pillars of protection:

1. The Principal Designer & Principal Contractor Roles
Under CDM 2015, you must appoint a Principal Designer (to manage pre construction health and safety) and a Principal Contractor (to manage site safety). Maris assumes both roles.

• The Benefit: We become the single point of accountability. We produce the Construction Phase Plan, manage the Risk Assessments and Method Statements (RAMS), and coordinate all sub-contractors. You remain the client, but we become the expert duty holder.

2. The ISO Fortress
We do not mark our own homework; we are audited by external bodies. Maris holds a suite of ISO accreditations that guarantee process rigour:

• ISO 45001 (Occupational Health & Safety): Ensuring every worker goes home safe.
• ISO 9001 (Quality Management): Ensuring the build meets the spec.
• ISO 14001 (Environmental Management): Managing waste and carbon.
• ISO 27001 (Information Security): Protecting your data during the build.

3. The Fire Strategy Firewall
Post-Grenfell, fire strategy is paramount. We engage independent fire engineers early to design escape routes, compartmentation, and fire suppression systems that meet Approved Document B of the Building Regulations. We do not wait for Building Control to find errors at the end; we design compliance in at the start.

DEEP DIVE:

THE “DUTY HOLDER” AND THE LAW

The most common confusion we see in the C-Suite is between Planning Permission, Building Control, and CDM. They are three separate legal frameworks.

1. Planning Permission: Can I change the use of this building?

(Usually not required for internal fit-out unless you are changing external appearance or usage class).

2. Building Control: Is the finished building safe to occupy?

This is about the physical result. Does the ventilation meet Part F? Do the toilets meet Part M?

• The Trap: You cannot move in until you have the Final Certificate from the Building Inspector. If you have booked movers for Monday but the Fire Officer isn’t happy on Friday, you are not moving.

3. CDM 2015: Is the construction process safe?

This is about the method. It requires a “Golden Thread” of information. You must maintain a Health & Safety File that records exactly what was built and how.

• The Client Duty: You must allow “sufficient time and resources” for the project. If you force a contractor to build a 12-week project in 6 weeks, and an accident occurs due to rushing, you are liable for setting an unsafe schedule.

MARIS TOOLS:

THE DIRECTOR’S DUE DILIGENCE CHECKLIST

To discharge your legal duties, you must ask these questions of any potential partner. If they answer “don’t worry about it,” worry about it.

• Competence Check: “Can you provide evidence of your SSiP (Safety Schemes in Procurement) accreditation?”
• The F10 Notification: “Have you notified the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) that this project is starting?” (Required for projects longer than 30 days).
• Asbestos: “Have we commissioned a Refurbishment & Demolition (R&D) Asbestos Survey?” (The standard management survey is not enough for construction work).
• The Fire Officer: “Has the fire strategy been validated by an independent engineer, or are we relying on standard guidance?”
• The O&M Manual: “Will I receive the Operations & Maintenance manual before handover?” (Legally, you need this to operate the building safely).