Posted By Wazza General question on control of principal contractor. As a development of £24M under the design & build scope, would you recommend the issue of a daily permit to work for the principal contractor? From this, the principal contractor would also deliver his own ssow & permits to own and sub contractors. Please offer some general guidance, as I am keen to at least issue a main 'Client Permit 2 Work', which will be referenced from 'Principal Contractor Permit 2 Work'. What is the general consensus, as I would be keen to ensure audits and inspections are completed? Regards Wazza

Posted By Stuart Nagle Wazza.... I take it what you are saying is that the 24M works are to be undertaken in stages and that you want to ensure control of each stage of the works..... If so this is slightly different to the process involving Permits to Work, which are permits to undertake specific individual high risk works, for example: Confined space entry Hot works Work at height Boilers and pressure systems, mechanical works electrical works.... and so on..... If you are intending to control the stages of the work, the works need to be clearly defined for each stage (under CDM) and detailed health and safety plans should identify the processes and control measures to be implemented. There may even be sub-plans for specific areas of the works involving external contractors (specialists) coming onto site to carry out works (e.g. fit lifts etc)... The pricipal contractor has responsibility for undertaking the works in accordance with the health and safety plan(s) and is responsible for implementing the control measures to ensure safe working. If you are the principle contractors H&S chappie, it will be your job to oversee this process and that all goes acording to the plan(s) and correct matters if it does not. If you represent the client or a party in a joint venture, then you will have an interest in seeing that it is done correctly, and this is normally the job of a project manager or some other such titled person who's task will normally be to ensure the priciple contractor actually meets his obligations and raise any problems so they can be corrected etc... and on a job of this value will involve ots of liaison and require lots of experience... The whole task on jobs of high value such as this are normally undertaken by teams from each of the representative parties, working together and having regular inspections and meetings as progress is made and iron out problems. If you are intending to work outside of such a system, or have such different systems so as to depart from thos normally employed please let me know and I will attempt to offer some more constructive advice... Stuart