Ensuring compliance in construction: Modern techniques and technologies
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Turn compliance from a chore into a competitive edge
It may not seem like it on the surface, but construction companies are bound by a considerable number of compliance regulations and standards. Compliance isn’t the most thrilling topic in the world, but it’s essential for ensuring construction firms can fulfil their obligations to safeguard workers, the environment and the general public.
Construction businesses, particularly post-pandemic, have recently begun to embrace digitisation at an unprecedented scale. Companies now have a tremendous opportunity to not only streamline many of their administrative and time-consuming processes (including compliance checks) but also improve efficiency, reduce health and safety risks, and maintain profitability.
Let’s explore how building and construction business owners can use accessible and user-friendly tools to ensure their compliance procedures remain accurate and hassle-free.
Compliance challenges for construction companies
Construction businesses, regardless of their size and scale, are bound by a complex and far-reaching array of regulations and standards. Several encompass defined practices and processes they must abide by pertaining to specific aspects of their work, which include (but are not limited to) the following:
- Building and environmental standards: Planning permission laws, UK Building Regulations (the Building Safety Act 2022), environmental assessments, waste management
- Health and safety requirements: Site safety inspections, equipment and machinery PPM (planned preventative maintenance), training certifications, accident and incident reporting, mandatory PPE (personal protective equipment)
- Financial responsibilities: Tax payments, accounting and bookkeeping, payroll and National Insurance contributions, VAT registrations, self-assessment tax returns
- Legal duties: Employment regulations, contract management, dispute resolution and conflict management procedures, intellectual property, registrations, trademarks, copyrights
- Employee-related regulations: Right to work and ID checks, DBS certificates (if working with vulnerable groups), visa restrictions
Construction companies in the UK have been dealt a difficult hand post-COVID-19 and post-Grenfell, with rising material prices, decreased demand for some projects, and “increased scrutiny” as far as compliance is concerned.
Why compliance matters more than ever
Considering the tightening regulatory red tape felt by smaller construction companies, achieving compliance must not take a back seat. However, even for the most budget-constrained firms, achieving compliance doesn’t have to be difficult.
However, it would be naive to ignore the repercussions for non-compliance, which encompass more than fines and penalties. Regulators, stakeholders, clients and the public all value compliance highly, and as construction firms regularly rely on referrals and word of mouth for business, one bad slip-up can cost them dearly. Word travels fast, after all.
“Nowadays, if you fail to tick all the compliance boxes, you could see your reputation change overnight,” explains Alan Woods, Director at CDC Garage Doors. “We take compliance very seriously which is why we’ve implemented digital systems across our business, alerting us to submission deadlines and ensuring we fulfil our obligations. We’re pleased that this has improved our workflows and not affected our service quality.”
For smaller construction companies, compliance failures can be devastating. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) issued a £40,000 fine to one firm in January alone for breaching both the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 and the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. This stemmed from non-compliance and failures to take practical steps to prevent danger during excavation works.
How compliance is easier with digitisation
Luckily for construction companies, technology and software exist which can make their lives much easier. Leveraging the correct ones will give them the boost they need to turn compliance from an administrative tick-box exercise into a business advantage.
Consider the following ideas:
1. Cloud-based document management
Modern construction operations lead to a wealth of documents, including balance sheets, inventories, supplier agreements, planning permission approvals and material handling certificates, to name a few.
Digital document management systems enable firms to store all of their required documentation centrally, with role-based access granted for approved users. Real-time updates and automated version control ensure that current and the most up-to-date paperwork is used. In turn, this reduces manual paper waste and eliminates the need for physical storage.
2. eSignatures
Electronic signatures represent a huge advancement in compliance and process automation. Construction companies can adopt eSignature solutions like Signable to securely obtain signatures on important documents wherever a user is. They could be off-site and only have access to their mobile phone, but eSignatures would alleviate the need to return to the office.
As a result, this further streamlines the goal of centralised document management, where audit trails showing dates, times, and signatories can be accessed remotely. Digitising document signing processes saves time and paperwork, reducing the barrier between creation and authorisation, while minimising the risk of missing signatures or incomplete documents.
In a sector where workers are constantly dispersed between sites, and where managers are regularly on the move, paper-based signature collection can prove disruptive, resource-intensive and cumbersome. eSignatures solve this challenge, ensuring that nothing important is overlooked.
3. Compliance applications and monitoring
As more workforces become increasingly mobile and digitally enabled, there is no reason why compliance solutions shouldn’t follow suit. Open-source mobile applications exist that allow construction site managers to:
- Complete inspection checklists on mobile and while on-site
- Download and submit incident reports instantly
- Provide relevant authorisations and certificates to keep projects moving along
- Access relevant regulatory advice, procedures or guidelines when needed
Artificial intelligence (AI) is proving exceptionally valuable at monitoring compliance and adherence in real time. Systems can automatically flag issues and trigger alerts to pre-set rules. For example, if environmental conditions are too hot, systems can dispense a notification to managers to consider halting work until temperatures cool. This can also apply to compliance procedures.
For instance, systems can alert construction firms of possible problems before they escalate, which can range from certificate expiration dates and required compliance forms to pattern detection and monitoring of genuine regulatory changes that might affect operations.
Checklist for implementing construction compliance
Consider these strategies if you’re in the construction sector and are considering giving your compliance processes an upgrade:
- Identify your biggest compliance challenges and how you can simplify them without disrupting your operations.
- Select the most appropriate platforms that work with your existing processes, rather than creating separate workflows or channels.
- Teach your team how to use your solution(s) and software properly and efficiently for their (as well as your) benefit.
- Ensure that your chosen system can adapt and remain flexible to changing workplace conditions, situations and regulations.
- Maintain sufficient control and oversight over operations, remembering that technology should enhance – rather than replace – informed human judgement.
Build a compliant and efficient business today
It’s clear that technology provides a powerful boost for compliance management challenges and obstacles for businesses of all sizes.
The main goal should be to combine innovative digital products and solutions with a strong and aligned culture that recognises compliance as necessary, but not obstructive. This is cultivated from the top down, with leaders and decision-makers firmly committed to compliance objectives, neglecting short-cuts and, most importantly, championing and empowering their teams.
For construction companies looking to strengthen their compliance processes, eSignature and digital document management represent the most achievable and scalable solutions. Sign up for a 14-day free trial with Signable today and see how our user-friendly automation solutions can improve and speed up your processes with unmatched accuracy and efficiency.
Dakota Murphey
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