
Design management
Our design consultancy focuses on design assurance – providing an independent technical authority that interrogates designs for their compliance and suitability. This interrogation considers all relevant influencing factors e.g. client specifications, industry standards, engineering best practice and compliance with the UK regulations applicable to that project. By addressing these, and identifying key deliverables required, we create logical steps to manage construction project design – on time, on budget and to standard.
Using our design management service allows you to:
- Identify and map out the key project aims and milestones.
- Understand and digest all relevant specifications and design requirements.
- Identify key risks relating to design, construction and maintenance from a health, safety and environmental perspective with a "safety by design" approach.
- Verify the design risks (HAZID, HAZOP, HAZCON, HAZDEM) through our tried and tested integrated approach to Formal Process Safety Assessments (FPSA) procedures in line with client requirements and using our approved QEM chairman.
- Ensure the design and the design process is compliant in accordance with the Construction, Design and Management Regulations 2015, including providing principal designer duties and CDM advisors.
- Have a clear and effective approach to managing design contractors from tendering, tender analysis and recommendation, design checks, approvals, auditing and verification of compliance and - where necessary - validation of integrated approach to design.
- Develop clear and concise project design plans.
Design management services
Working with our clients we assess project viability by evaluating technical requirements, cost estimates and potential risks as well as site-specific restrictions or requirements. This often leads to us develop options that can be presented in a cost benefit analysis to help stakeholders make informed decisions and ensure that the project is practical, cost-effective and sustainable.
High quality design management prevents skill shortages at critical points during your project. By managing and implementing our design management, we can ensure efficient mobilisation of skills and expertise and support interface with stakeholders.
We identify all relevant and current influencing factors e.g. client specifications, industry standards, best practice and regulation compliance before creating logical steps to address these effectively as part of the design objectives.
Our engineers are qualified to provide third-party approval and appraisal services to your project – ensuring that checks are rigorously applied to all relevant elements throughout the project lifespan.
We can provide risk based security assessments and recommendations for physical and electronic security requirements in line with Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) requirements.
We have a team of skilled and experienced engineers who can help you deliver designs for potentially explosive atmospheres. We can work closely with you to produce hazardous area drawings and calculations. We also support our clients in selecting compliant equipment and development of Explosion Protection Documents to ensure the requirements of DSEAR are met.
Our in-house TUV registered engineers can assist with the development of SIF and provide independent verification. We can also work with you to develop and improve proof test procedures.
QEM can help you to ensure that you have effective electrical safety management procedures and processes in place and assist with competency management of staff and contractors.
Why QEM?

Confidence
Proven design expertise instils confidence that the project's design and construction will be right first time.

Compliance
Ensuring that both the design and the design process are compliant with all relevant and required regulations and international standards.

Risk mitigation
Development of risk mitigation by design ensures safe buildability, operability and maintenance.

Flexible resource
Our skilled resource is mobilised and administered from in-house, making our provision scalable, timely and cost-effective. We can provide skilled people on ad-hoc, part-time and full-time availability as required.

Full stakeholder vision
We use practical, site-experienced design managers and engineers with technical understanding of client management systems, so that they can develop an integrated design process that will also assist the contractors.
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Here to achieve, validate and demonstrate compliance
Our expert consultants are available to ensure compliant and effective processes for asset design, build, maintenance, and operation.
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