Everyone working on building projects must perform tasks to lower risks to health and safety during the project’s duration, according to the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations, also known as CDM. Under these regulations, clients, principal contractors, designers, and contractors are all “duty holders,” and each duty holder has a responsibility to do their part to guarantee that high health and safety standards are planned for and implemented at every step of the project.
The phrase “construction phase plan” is likely to be used if you work in the construction industry or take on your first construction project. But what is the plan for the Construction Phase? Who writes it, and when is it necessary? Let’s discuss everything about the plan in detail.
An Overview – Construction Phase Plan
The project’s health and safety concerns connected with the construction phase are described in detail in a construction phase plan, together with the control measures that will be implemented to reduce or, if possible, eliminate such risks.
Once created, the paper will help inform other construction-phase participants of key dangers, site regulations, and measures for health and safety.
Yes, a building phase plan is essential for every construction project. It explains the strategy for completing the work safely. In addition, it will contain information on the project, the kind of work, the crew, and emergency plans.
What Does a Plan Contain
The plan’s contents must be customized to the project since each construction project is unique—different locations for various teams. Various works How you will handle health and safety concerns on your site should be covered in full in your construction phase plan.
Referencing your standard operating procedures is a good idea, but don’t include all of them in your construction phase plan because that would obscure the site-specific details that your staff has to be aware of.
A list of risk analyses and method statements for various project tasks and activities is not what the construction phase plan is. All project contractors are required to provide these separate documents.
Here is the important list that must be included in the plan with complete details. Such as
- The description of the project.
- Project management.
- Arrangements for controlling safety risks.
- Arrangements for managing health risks.
- The Health and Safety File.
When Will It be Required
It is required for every project, residential and commercial combined. And any length, from projects lasting just a few hours to longer than a year. In addition, a construction phase plan is required if the work is construction-related.
Therefore, regardless of the size of the project you are working on, if it qualifies as construction work, you must ensure that a construction phase plan is in place. Before you begin work on-site, you must establish your building phase plan. Without one, you cannot start your work.
When Should A Construction Phase Plan Be Modified
The plan for the construction phase will definitely need to be updated at some time. Construction projects can take a while to finish, and things can occasionally alter. Or circumstances arise that you did not (or could not) plan for before you began.
That is completely typical in the building industry. But keep in mind that new dangers or hazards may be introduced when things change. Or your management arrangements would need to be updated.
As work advances and things change throughout the project, such as when plans or arrangements change, the construction phase plan should be modified as needed. Additionally, it would help if you informed your team of the changes.
The Bottom Line
The creation of a construction phase plan is important for attaining compliance with CDM laws as well as for assisting the project team in understanding health and safety concerns and cooperating to establish a secure work environment. Therefore, you must ensure that your strategy is comprehensive, educational, applicable, and helpful to all contractors.
To help you achieve compliance and successfully manage project risks, BUON Construction may offer support with preparing and submitting your construction phase plans.