Building Compliance Checklist for Facilities Managers

A building compliance checklist gives facilities managers a single, structured view of the inspections, tests, and records a building needs to stay legally compliant and safe. Because compliance spans many areas — fire, electrical, gas, water, lifting equipment, asbestos, and more — each on its own interval, a consolidated checklist is the practical tool for making sure nothing is missed.

Use this as a framework; specific requirements and intervals vary by jurisdiction and building, and many tasks must be done by competent or accredited people. Always confirm what applies to your premises.

Fire safety

Fire risk assessment in place and reviewed.
Fire alarm and detection — tested and maintained, with records.
Emergency lighting — tested.
Fire extinguishers — serviced and in date.
Fire doors — inspected.
Fire dampers — tested.
Evacuation plan, drills, and PEEPs.

Electrical

Fixed wiring (periodic inspection) — current certificate.
Portable appliances (PAT) — risk-based testing records.
Emergency lighting (cross-reference fire).

Gas (where applicable)

Gas safety checks and servicing by registered engineers — current certificates.

Water hygiene

Legionella risk assessment in place and reviewed.
Monitoring records (temperatures, flushing, tank inspections) up to date.

Lifting equipment

Lifts, hoists, lifting accessories — thorough examination current.
Servicing records.

Asbestos (where applicable)

Asbestos survey and register in place.
Management plan and re-inspection records.

Other plant and systems

Pressure systems — examination current.
Local exhaust ventilation (LEV) — examination where used.
Air conditioning inspections, energy assessments where required.
HVAC and other plant — planned maintenance records.

Building fabric and general

Building condition / planned maintenance up to date.
Roof, drainage, external fabric checks.
Working at height equipment (where used) — inspected.

Documentation and management

Certificates and reports for all the above held and current.
Remedial actions from inspections tracked to completion.
Responsibilities clearly assigned.
Records accessible to those who need them.

The real challenge: the schedule

The hardest part of building compliance isn't any single item — it's tracking them all, each on its own interval, and ensuring none lapses. A compliance checklist is really a schedule: what's due, when, who does it, and is the certificate current. Missed items are both a safety and a legal exposure, so the schedule is the heart of the system.

Records are the proof

For each item, the question is not just "was it done?" but "can you show a current, valid record?" Holding the certificates and reports, current and accessible, is what demonstrates compliance. An undocumented inspection is, for compliance purposes, almost as weak as one that didn't happen.

Capturing it digitally

Building compliance across a property or portfolio is a scheduling and records challenge ideally suited to software: scheduling every required inspection, flagging what's due, storing certificates, tracking remedial actions, and giving a clear, demonstrable compliance dashboard. This turns a sprawling checklist into a managed, auditable system.

Key takeaways

A building compliance checklist for facilities managers consolidates the required inspections and records across fire, electrical, gas, water, lifting equipment, asbestos, and other plant — plus the documentation that proves them. The core challenge is the schedule (ensuring nothing lapses) and the proof is current, accessible records. Assign responsibilities, track remedial actions to closure, and manage it as a live schedule.

Requirements vary by jurisdiction and building, and many tasks require competent or accredited people. This is general information; confirm your specific obligations.