Noobie 'Principal Contractor' - any tips to fulfill role legally?

[readiescards]

So all of a sudden today I became the principal contractor (as well as the client) with my name in both sections of the F10

 

Following on from the advice in BuildHub.org CDM F10 I've so far organized:

 

* to get the Construction Phase plan from the old main contractor

* SelfBuild insurance (from Aviva)

* my partner (a ex-IT Project Manager) to help with the project management

 

I was wondering if anyone had any top tips to share on what to do to full fill the Self Builder Principal Contractor role legally ( to satisfy H&S) without going overboard. 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 21, 2016 by readiescards
Clarified looking for what advice on what to do to fulfill role to meet legal requirements

[Declan52]

It's all about planning. you need to be at least 2-3 steps ahead each stage of the build. So basically you have what ever materials ordered up with a delivery date a day or two before they needed incase they are late plus what trade doing the job booked in. Phone a week before they are arrive to double check all is still ok and then maybe a day or two again.

Have somewhere to unload the deliveries and somewhere to store them. And double check the delivery docket before you sign it.

 

Get yourself a big calendar wall chart and pin it somewhere that you will see it everyday, not the bedroom ceiling!! Fill this in with the dates of deliveries and when you expect to be moving onto the next stage of each build. Write it all in as you will get caught out somewhere along the line and be paying for some trade to stand there while you go and collect whatever you have forgot.

Above all don't get too stressed out over things when they go wrong.

[readiescards]

Thanks @Declan52 all good advice. However I was not clear in my question what I was looking for is tips on how to fullfil the role LEGALLY with out going over board

Edited October 21, 2016 by readiescards
So I've updated the initial posting

[ProDave]

For a start, make sure your self build policy includes employers liability. Mine (from buildstore) does and the builders I contracted to build the shell wanted to see that certificate.
 

[divorcingjack]

From my experience so far, also think about briefing contractors (we have a sheet that they sign) as regards H&S when they come on site, procedures, where the toilets are, hand washing, water, PPE, and first aid, It also has our contact numbers on it and details of what our insurance does and does not cover, as well as parking arrangements - our site is urban and awkward. 

 

I also get all our contractors to sign a detailed contract with us - I don't think this is a principal contractor thing, but is useful legally in case of dispute and makes sure that we all know where we stand. I have spare PPE on site for visitors, including hi-viz, hard hats, ear and eye protection as well as a first aid kit. I believe you are also legally required to provide fresh, clean drinking water, somewhere to rest/shelter and toilet/handwashing facilities. I also keep the full H&S file on site with all the signed briefing sheets in it, the plan and copies of all our insurance. 

 

Also - who is your principal designer? This is a very important role and MUST be designated. 

 

Good luck - it's an admin nightmare! Like building a house isn't hard enough .... 

[Ferdinand]

It sounds as if a one day Boot Camp type course (or a few hours paid mentoring) might be a wise investment.

 

Ferdinand

[divorcingjack]

I'd definitely consider a course, I wake up sweating thinking about an H&S unexpected visit! We are so overlooked and surrounded by neighbours, that it's a definite possibility. 

[Barney12]

On 21/10/2016 at 16:34, Ferdinand said:

It sounds as if a one day Boot Camp type course (or a few hours paid mentoring) might be a wise investment.

 

Ferdinand

 

If you really are serious about taking a course then there are a number of options. The three that spring to mind are:

 

At the most basic level you could take the H&S Awareness course:

http://www.citb.co.uk/training-courses/health-and-safety-courses/health-and-safety-awareness/

 

Or you can "tick the box" by going for the IOSH Managing Safely cert:

http://www.iosh.co.uk/Training/IOSH-training-courses/Managing-safely-course.aspx

 

Finally the "proper" course for site supervision is the catchy titled SSSTS:

http://www.citb.co.uk/training-courses/health-and-safety-courses/site-supervisors-safety-training-scheme/

 

None of them are hugely expensive or contain content that is "challenging". In fact if you can't get through the content then you should probably reconsider self building as you might die along the way

 

I was going to say "its mainly common sense" but that's a phrase that will cause most H&S professionals to spontaneously combust !

Now the word the H&S pro's really love is "practicable" (Note that's NOT practical!)

 

Edited October 28, 2016 by Barney12

[PeterW]

This makes good reading too

 

https://www.aisolutions.co.uk/Community/Knowledge/Topic/11/4/Duties-of-Principal-Contractor

 

This is the whole knowledge base

 

https://www.aisolutions.co.uk/Community/Knowledge/Topic/1001/0/CDM-Knowledge-Base

[divorcingjack]

@Barney12 and @PeterW, many thanks for that info, much appreciated. I've just had a telling off from my architect over the PD role, so this is well timed

[PeterW]

I'm interested to see how a SB can fulfil both roles - not sure the HSE is ready for that one yet ..! 

[divorcingjack]

We're having real issues getting someone to fulfil the PD role - our architect's insurer is not keen on him taking on this role for lots of different projects, but our engineer doesn't do it and there's no one else. Tricky. 

[PeterW]

Welcome to the issue of broad brush implementation of legislation that doesn't get properly assessed ...!!!

[PeterW]

These make interesting reading 

 

https://www.citb.co.uk/documents/cdm regs/industry-guidance-principal-designer.pdf

 

 

http://www.citb.co.uk/documents/cdm regs/2015/cdm-2015-principal-contractors-interactive.pdf

 

I've just downloaded the CDM construction plan risk app and it's brilliant ..!! Generated the risk plan in less than 10 minutes...

[MikeSharp01]

On 20/10/2016 at 22:07, readiescards said:

Following on from the advice in BuildHub.org CDM F10 I've so far organized:

Just checking but did you need the F10 it only applies if the project will have more than 22 people at any one time or exceed 500 people working days if I recall?

 

[PeterW]

@MikeSharp01 that's the way I read it - 500 people working days or less than 30 days with more than 20 contractors on site. 

 

The CDM app is still ideal to create your safety plan - just looking for the PC plan now

[readiescards]

500 working days did not seem many, assuming 200 working days per person per year. So hence notifiable i believe.

 

The ex-main (and ex-principle) contractor submitted the initial F10 so after a change of roles it has been transferred to me.

[readiescards]

On 21/10/2016 at 08:34, divorcingjack said:

Also - who is your principal designer? This is a very important role and MUST be designated. 

[readiescards]

(can't get BuildHub to accept more text after a comment so another posting)

 

Turns out the house designer does not want to be the Principal Designer so that's going to fall on me too now!

[divorcingjack]

I'm not sure you can be a PD actually, as a self-builder. I believe it has to be someone who has a professional interest in the actual nuts and bolts design of the house, a structural engineer or architect. I'd double check that asap. In Scotland, we have to have an SE involved prior to build start, so it's not so much of an issue for us (apart from the fact that our engineer doesn't offer this service!), but I imagine it would be a real problem for someone not using an architect either. 

[ProDave]

46 minutes ago, divorcingjack said:

I'm not sure you can be a PD actually, as a self-builder. I believe it has to be someone who has a professional interest in the actual nuts and bolts design of the house, a structural engineer or architect. I'd double check that asap. In Scotland, we have to have an SE involved prior to build start, so it's not so much of an issue for us (apart from the fact that our engineer doesn't offer this service!), but I imagine it would be a real problem for someone not using an architect either.

We had a SE involved in the design and BC approved their drawings and calculations,.but the SE is not in any way supervising the build.

 

BC have inspected the completed bare shell and agreed they are happy it has been built to the approved design and don't want any further inspections until completion.

 

so it appears you don't "need" an engineer involved to supervise the build.
 

[mvincentd]

I inherited planning approval with my plot but have not gone to the original architect for my detail drawings...i'm using an architectural technologist who is taking the role of PD and applying a fee of £1250+vat to cover the Health & Safety CDM regulations duties that imposes on him.

 

(Also he has not been keen on me taking the principle contractor role, repeatedly suggesting I appoint a builder.)

[PeterW]

1 hour ago, divorcingjack said:

I'm not sure you can be a PD actually, as a self-builder. I believe it has to be someone who has a professional interest in the actual nuts and bolts design of the house, a structural engineer or architect. I'd double check that asap. In Scotland, we have to have an SE involved prior to build start, so it's not so much of an issue for us (apart from the fact that our engineer doesn't offer this service!), but I imagine it would be a real problem for someone not using an architect either. 

 

So this is where the process is broken !!! Someone on here did their own design - and I've done a lot of tweaks to ours too - so I doubt there is any SE or architect that would be involved on either of those builds.

 

My SE has purely done steel calcs - the rest of the "structural" design is standard elements as per the Building Regulations or robust details etc and will be signed off by the BCO. So how do the HSE want to work with that one..??

 

The other query I have is how HSE are going to track these builds with the "estimate vs reality" calculations on labour. For example, according to the QS estimate for my build I have an estimated 22 week duration with 2213.45 hours (!!!!!) effort involved. Based on a 6.5hr working day, that equates to 340 man days effort, or an average of a little over 3 people per day on site. None of those figures will trigger the HSE F10 at the start of the project and its within a good margin before it could (at 500md / 20+ for 30 days)

 

So in completing the paperwork, as it doesn't need filing then no-one is checking to see if there is a PD and the PC is me with subs. In the end we will get a building that is built to someone elses initial design, with SE calcs for bits, and a BCO signing off that it meets stat regs..! Oh, and a warranty by another company just for good measure..!

[readiescards]

On 21/10/2016 at 16:34, Ferdinand said:

It sounds as if a one day Boot Camp type course (or a few hours paid mentoring) might be a wise investment.

 

Ferdinand

 

Have arranged for a H&S consultant to come and review site and procedures and advice what else we need to do (could be the expensive option but am time poor atm)

[readiescards]

On 01/11/2016 at 08:10, divorcingjack said:

I'm not sure you can be a PD actually, as a self-builder. I believe it has to be someone who has a professional interest in the actual nuts and bolts design of the house, a structural engineer or architect. I'd double check that asap.

 

I tried asking the HSE, who simply pointed me back to their website which I struggled to hunt around to find an answer to this questions