Safety embedded from day one, not added at the end
October is National Work Safe Month, a timely reminder of the importance of embedding health, safety and compliance into every stage of a construction project.
Health, safety, and CDM compliance have always been essential to good construction practice. Today, however, clients face greater responsibilities than ever before. The Building Safety Act 2022 has raised those expectations across the industry, placing greater accountability on clients, designers, and contractors throughout the project lifecycle, while introducing the Building Safety Regulator as the competent authority for higher-risk buildings.
For clients and developers, the message is clear: getting the right professional support in place early is not optional. It is the difference between a project that is safe, compliant and deliverable, and one that carries significant legal, financial, and reputational risk.
At Potter Raper, our Building Safety team provides independent Health, Safety & CDM expertise, supporting clients from the earliest stages of design through to final handover. We bring a practical, experienced approach to CDM compliance, Building Regulations Principal Designer duties, Building Regulations client advisory, fire safety, and building safety, working as part of your project team to identify and manage risk, maintain programme, and give you confidence at every stage.
What we deliver
CDM Principal Designer: Fulfilling the legal duties of the Principal Designer role under CDM 2015, coordinating health and safety during the pre-construction phase, reviewing design risk assessments, and managing the pre-construction information pack through to handover of the Health and Safety File.
CDM Client Advisor: Supporting clients in understanding and fulfilling their CDM duties, appointing the right duty holders, and maintain compliance throughout the project lifecycle.
Building Safety Cases: Preparing and submitting comprehensive Building Safety Cases to the Building Safety Regulator for higher-risk buildings, demonstrating compliance and ongoing safety management requirements under the Building Safety Act.
Building Regulations Principal Designer (BRPD): Fulfilling the statutory Building Regulations Principal Designer role introduced under the Building Safety Act, ensuring designs comply with Building Regulations and that duty holders meet their obligations throughout the design and construction process.
Building Regulations Client Advisor: Supporting clients in managing their statutory responsibilities across both Higher-Risk Buildings (HRBs) and non-HRB projects. We provide independent guidance through design, construction and handover, including support with Building Safety Regulator (BSR) Gateway applications, reviews of appointed project team members’ competence, and oversight of Building Regulations compliance.
Fire Safety Services: Providing independent fire safety advice, fire door inspections, compartmentation surveys and fire risk assessment support across residential, education, and commercial projects.
Health and Safety Advisory: Delivering practical, site-level health and safety advice and monitoring across construction programmes, including CDM site audits and Construction Phase Plan review.
Recent Projects
Building Safety Cases – Royal Borough of Greenwich
We prepared and submitted comprehensive Building Safety Cases for 67 high-rise residential buildings across the Royal Borough of Greenwich estate. The cases demonstrated robust safety management practices, adherence to fire safety standards, and a clear risk management strategy, produced under significant time pressure and requiring close coordination across a large and complex portfolio.
Astor College – University College London
An eight-storey occupied student hall of residence on Charlotte Street, London, where emergency remedial works were required to 638 fire doors, with a focus on fire stopping to door frames. We provided CDM Principal Designer, CDM Client Advisor, Building Surveyor, Fire Safety Services, Building Regulations Principal Designer (BRPD), and Clerk of Works services across a time-critical live programme.
Thanet Tower Blocks – Thanet District Council
CDM Principal Designer services across a major retrofit and fire remediation programme covering five occupied high-rise residential blocks. Delivered in compliance with the Building Safety Regulator requirements, the programme included fire safety upgrades alongside extensive retrofit and energy-efficiency improvements, all managed while residents remained in occupation.
King’s Crescent Phase 1 and 2 – LB Hackney
A large-scale residential regeneration delivering over 500 new homes, where we provided CDM Principal Designer services across the full programme alongside Quantity Surveying, Employer’s Agent, Project Management, and Clerk of Works. The project received both regional and national RIBA Awards, recognising the quality of the scheme and its delivery.
Where we work
Our Building Safety team supports residential, education, commercial, leisure, heritage and infrastructure projects, working with local authorities, housing associations, universities, NHS trusts, and private developers. From single-site new builds to complex multi-phase regeneration programmes, our team has the experience to support projects of all scales.
Safety is not a box to tick. It is how good projects are built.
Whether you need support as a CDM Principal Designer, Building Regulations Principal Designer (BRPD), Building Regulations Client Advisor or specialist building safety advisor, our team can help you navigate regulatory requirements with confidence.
Find out more about our Building Safety services – https://potterraper.co.uk/services/health-safety/
We are Potter Raper. We Listen. Solve. Deliver.
