Health safety and risk

We embed CDM 2015 considerations into the early design of heat network projects, identifying and reducing health, safety, and buildability risks from the outset. Our reviews focus on construction methods, excavation and utilities interfaces, energy centre layouts, plant installation, and long-term maintenance access. Where possible, risks are designed out rather than managed later on site.

Residual risks and key design assumptions are clearly recorded and communicated to the project team to support safe and coordinated delivery. The result is a more buildable, better-coordinated design that reduces uncertainty during construction and improves overall project safety.

Under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015, Principal Designers have a new and important role in managing and co-ordinating the pre-construction phase of a project and eliminating or reducing risks to health and safety throughout the subsequent phases. Decisions made during the pre-construction phase can have a significant impact on the health and safety of everyone affected by the works and the subsequent long term operation of the installation.

Sustainable Energy can provide suitably qualified and experienced Principal Designers to undertake the duties set out within the Regulations. Our designated duty holders have undertaken APS (Association for Project Safety) accredited training for their specific role and all of our key staff hold Professionally Qualified or Managerial level CSCS cards for site visits and construction phase risk assessments.

Our Principal Designer services include, Complete ‘Principal Designer’ designated duty holder service, Development of Pre-Construction Information Pack and document review, CDM documentation and compliance review, Health and safety risk, issue and opportunity management, Design and Operation risk assessments, HAZAN and HAZOP reviews, Advice on Client and Principal Contractor duties and legal obligations, Development and maintaining of Health and Safety file, Residual Risk identification and advice.

The Building Safety Act 2022 introduces a strengthened regulatory regime for higher-risk buildings, including high-rise residential blocks, with a strong focus on fire and structural safety across design, construction, and occupation. Where energy centres are introduced within or adjacent to occupied high-rise buildings, designs must demonstrate compliance through the Building Safety Regulator, supported by the “golden thread” of safety information and clear duty holder accountability. We support clients through this process as part of our design services, helping to identify, reduce, and manage building safety risks at source, and ensuring coordinated, compliant integration of energy infrastructure within complex occupied environments.

Hazard and Operability (HAZOP) studies are a structured approach to identifying and assessing potential hazards and operability issues within energy centre designs. Conducted at key design stages, HAZOP workshops bring together multidisciplinary teams to review process systems, plant interactions, control strategies, and safety functions to ensure risks are understood and mitigated early. This includes assessing failure scenarios, abnormal operating conditions, and interface risks between mechanical, electrical, and control systems. We carry out and facilitate HAZOP studies as part of our design process, ensuring findings are embedded into the design to improve safety, reliability, and operational resilience.

We undertake site audits to review health and safety arrangements across multiple angles, including CDM Regulations, general H&S compliance, and HAZOP-derived safety measures. These audits are used to verify that agreed procedures, controls, and design assumptions are being correctly implemented on site and that no emerging risks or deviations are present during construction and commissioning activities. We assess both physical site conditions and supporting management processes, including documentation, permit systems, and coordination between contractors. Following each audit, we provide a clear report identifying any non-conformances, improvement opportunities, and practical recommendations to strengthen safety performance and ensure ongoing compliance.