PURPOSE AND SCOPE

Temporary Works are an integral part of most construction and building projects, however they often comprise unique technical, legal and safety issues in respect of their planning, design, implementation and use.

This document details procedural requirements for the management of Temporary Works on National Grid Electricity Transmission construction projects. These requirements shall be developed by each Principal Contractor (PC) into an internal procedure or procedures forming an integral part of the PC’s Quality Management system with a view to demonstrating that they have in place effective arrangements for controlling all risks arising from the use of Temporary Works.

The procedural requirements have been developed and mandated to ensure National Grid discharges its duties under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM2015) specifically those of ‘Client’ and to a lesser extent ‘Designer’. In these roles National Grid typically has no direct influence over Temporary Works activities – appointment of designers, scoping of schemes, erection, use and dismantling of systems etc. – however they nonetheless have legal duties to ensure these are implemented competently and safely.

Regulation 4 of CDM2015 identifies that “…a client must make suitable arrangements for managing a project…” such that “…the construction work can be carried out, so far as is reasonably practicable, without risks to the health or safety of any person affected by the project…” and Regulation 8 states that designers and contractors appointed by the Client “…must have the skills, knowledge and experience, and, if they are an organisation, the organisational capability, necessary to fulfil the role that they are appointed to undertake, in a manner that secures the health and safety of any person affected by the project…”. The application of this document contributes, in part, to ensuring those ‘suitable arrangements’ are in place and also, given that National Grid’s contractual position in relation to the management of Temporary Works means that the evaluation of individuals engaged in such activities is not considered appropriate or viable, that the ‘organisational capability’ of PCs engaged by National Grid is suitable with respect to the safe management of Temporary Works.

It shall be noted that this document focuses on those procedural requirements deemed necessary to ensure National Grid discharges its duties under CDM2015 as defined above. It shall be the responsibility of each PC to ensure the Temporary Works Procedure incorporates those additional tasks and responsibilities necessary to meet its own legal responsibilities (for example as CDM2015 duty holders) and any business or other objectives.