Constructing Safely in Occupied Buildings

Many construction companies shy away for carrying out works in occupied buildings, and often for good reason. Who wouldn’t like a project such as a new build care home miles away form care staff, service users and other members of the public?

However, for many Aspire Project Managements clients, this type of work (or the ability of a client to be able to cease all operational activities) is not on the agenda. Indeed, some of our Mental Healthcare clients have service users who cannot be easily decanted due to individual conditions such as chronic agoraphobia or autism where a break from routine would cause severe distress.

Plus, any relocation / decant operation can inevitably result in substantial on-costs and disruption for the client.

So how do we manage construction in an occupied premises. At Aspire Project Management, we have 20 years’ experience of delivering quality construction and refurbishment projects in buildings where most of the day-to-day activities carry on as normal.

No two sites/projects are the same, but generally, the successful delivery of such projects will require the following key elements (most of this happens before the first operative arrives on site):

• Early contractor involvement – there is no such thing as too much planning; everyone’s expectations and priorities must be established at the outset

  
  

• Understanding the client’s business – this is wide ranging but typically includes getting to know daily routines, staff shifts, local challenges, security, access and emergency procedures

  
  

• Programmes and Planning – a detailed programme of work will be issued and agreed, taking into account all aspects of the project and the client’s activities, identifying pinch points and identifying opportunities

  
  

• Communication – Aspire Project Management will appoint a dedicated and experienced project manager such that the client always has a single point of contact

  
  

• Segregation – this can vary from simple tape barriers to fully functioning site hoardings with HEPA filters that fully control and contain all dust
  
  Consideration – at induction, all operatives will be fully briefed as to the details of the site and any particular local requirements:

  
  

• Noise and vibration – these will be subject to separate risk assessments and will be managed by, for example, noise-reduced power tools / compressors

  
  

• Ongoing communication – our project manager and/or site foreman will liaise with the client’s team on a regular (minimum daily) basis

  
  

• Service outages – often, the proposed works will involve the need to isolate power/ water/ data supplies – this will planned weeks in advanced and mitigated as much as possible

  
  

• “Right-first-time” – once handed over, correcting defects can be very troublesome, thus a robust QA procedure from the outset will provide zero-defects at handover