Construction Phase Plans
Under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM 2015) a construction phase plan is required for every construction project.
The definition of ‘construction’ under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 is very broad. Essentially, if a job involves any form of preparation, construction, alteration, conversion, ‘fitting out’, commissioning, renovation, repair, upkeep, redecoration, maintenance, de-commissioning, demolition or dismantling of a structure is classed as construction work.
We often find that contractors can feel overwhelmed to meet the requirements for a suitable CPP. We can help with any size projects, we are trained with good experience in health and safety and produce comprehensive plans.
O&M Manuals
An operation and maintenance (O&M) manual defines the requirements and procedures for the effective operation, maintenance and decommissioning of the building or works undertaken. It includes details of the building's construction, history and maintenance, instructions for its operation and maintenance, and guarantees and warranties.
O&M manuals are often heavy on paperwork and can be time consuming and daunting for contractors of all sizes. We can provide services to meet your needs and your clients.
We provide 4 levels of service:
1.
This level involves us taking on as much of the work as possible and only requires the supply of basic information from the client.
2.
This option requires a little more input from you and any subcontractors but is often quicker and easier than the top level. We issue a request for information to our client and to any subcontractors. We then chase all parties for this information. When these are completed and returned, we complete the manuals.
This is the preferred choice for most jobs and usually provides the best value for money.
3.
This option follows the same process as Level 2 except that we issue the RFIs to our client and they issue them to their subcontractors (meaning we only have one point of contact). The client is responsible for gathering the completed templates, doing basic checking and passing the info onto us for compilation. It means that you are responsible for chasing the subcontractors which often takes up most of the time.
4.
Compilation Only: We issue our client an O&M Manual template, customised to meet the requirements of the job. They then complete it and send it back to us for final alterations, hyperlinking, branding and conversion to the finished printed and electronic versions.
Health and Safety Files
The CDM Regs 2015 say that the Principal Designer / CDMC should compile and issue the Health and Safety File at the end of a job. However it also states:
“For the duration of the principal designer’s appointment, the principal contractor plays a secondary role in ensuring the health and safety file is fit for purpose. They must provide the principal designer with any relevant information that needs to be included in the health and safety file and where the principal designer’s appointment finishes before the end of the project, the principal contractor must take on responsibility for ensuring that the file is reviewed, updated and revised for the remainder of the project."
We often provide this service alongside the collation of the O&M Manuals.
We do provide the principal designer role also, please see in detail our other services.
Health and Safety Audits
A health and safety audit on site is an expert assessment of an construction sites health and safety policies, systems and procedures. Primarily, audits enable you to protect employees from harm, but ultimately a correctly conducted audit can also safeguard the very existence of the company.