Evidence-based best practice guidance on the design and layout of generic clinical and clinical support spaces for use in healthcare settings.

Publish date:  Jan 2010

For those of you looking for guidance as designers with regard to safe access for maintenance and repair, I would recommend the latest CIRIA Document C686 “Safe Access for Maintenance & Repair” downloadable from the IHS information service. Chapter 2 is particularly useful, giving indicative guidance in making decisions in respect of working at height.

You should also be aware of other useful CIRIA guidance ( also available through our information service) as follows:

CIRIA C604 CDM Regulations – Work sector guidance for designers

CIRIA C662 - CDM2007 Construction work sector guidance for designers

CIRIA C663 - CDM2007 Workplace in-use guidance for designers

The Workplace in-use guidance is particularly of interest, and reminds us that as designers we need to ensure that hazards & risks are considered for the workplaces included in our designs, also ensuring compliance with the Workplace (Health, Safety & Welfare) Regulations 1992.

http://www.safetyindesign.org/

Just a reminder of this valuable information site for designers

SiD - Safety in Design Ltd is a not for profit company that exists to support designers in the built environment. It is by industry and for industry.

The following is posted on their web site:

“ FEEDBACK - All the speakers at the recent CIRIA  “Designers Dilemmas” workshop on the 8th October spoke against numerical design risk assessments and HSE confirmation of this was also provided. Want to know more? Sign up for the newsletter now! Want to comment? Do so on the Discussion Forum.”

I have signed up for their newsletter and will pass this round to all.

The CIRIA workshop confirms what we have all suspected for some time. I will be suggesting we review our own procedures in order to try to make them simpler, however, risk does need to be assessed & evaluated for hazards identified in order for appropriate responses to be made.

In the meantime, everybody’s views welcome.

The Site Waste Management Regulations 2008 came into effect 6th April 2008 in England and for those who have not yet been requested to provide designers information yet, don’t worry, you will.

Site Waste Management Plans are required for construction projects valued greater than £300k (excl VAT) with more detailed reporting required to Plans developed for projects over £500k (excl VAT).

The Client is responsible for ensuring a Plan is prepared before construction work begins, and I suggest that an advisory note is forwarded (similar to CDM Regs) advising the Client at the time of our appointment.  Some Clients may not be aware of their obligations.

As designers, we need to provide information for the plan, advising of decisions taken to minimise waste production.

The principle Contractor develops, updates and implements the Site Waste Management Plan and both the Client and the Principal Contractor are responsible for reviewing, refining and revising the plan as necessary.

Note:  Work cannot commence until the Site Waste Management Plan is signed by the Client and Principal Contractor.

Useful Guidance`

Industry Guidance.

http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2008/pdf/uksi_20080314_en.pdf

http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/waste/topics/construction/pdf/swmp-guidance.pdf

http://www.netregs-swmp.co.uk/simple-guide-20080406.pdf

Information Resources

http://www.breeam.org/    (BRE Environmental Assessment Method)

http://www.wrap.org.uk/construction/

http://www.smartwaste.co.uk/

http://www.bre.co.uk  ( Green Guide to Specification)

http://www.ciria.org.uk/   (Design for Deconstruction: Principles of Design to Facilitate Reuse & Recycle )

http://www.dh.gov.uk/  ( NHS Environmental Tool)

P+HS designer gets hands on experience of working at height at training day!

The former Part L robust details have now been replaced by Communities and Local Government’s (CLG) Accreditied Construction Details.

The new version of the Green Guide to Specification is now available online, giving designers and specifiers easy-to-use guidance on how to make the best environmental choices when selecting construction materials and components.

The Guide is available at www.thegreenguide.org.uk

Homes will require an EPC on construction or such conversion from 6 April 2008. Some commercial buildings will require an EPC on construction or such conversion from this date. More information on Energy Performance Certificates for the construction of a home  and the timetable for phasing in EPC measures is available on the Communities and Local Government (CLG) website. 

Had to blog this one, in case anybody was not aware of this product. Until now, it has been extremely difficult, if not impossible, to eliminate the type of cold bridge that occurs when you wish to see the steel structure expressed beyond the insulated envelope. I have never yet found an engineer who was willing to introduce even a simple isolating layer at the bolted connection. Reliance had to be placed on the condensation risk being assessed against the building type being considered (not good if it is a swimming pool).

Shock - These guys have come up with a solution, not sure how expensive, but looks like it could be the answer to those cold bridging problems.

The Merton Rule
 

At a recent meeting with a planner for a small housing site I was asked what renewable we were considering, as this particular authority was proposing to seek 10% on-site renewable. This follows from the London Borough of Merton’s initiative which is being taken up by other authorities and is known as the Merton Rule. I am sure everybody is aware of this but, if not, read on.
The ‘Merton Rule’ is the groundbreaking planning policy, pioneered by the London Borough of Merton, which requires the use of renewable energy onsite to reduce annual carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in the built environment. Hundreds of local authorities look set to follow Merton’s lead, which will impact all new major development projects throughout the UK.
Following the publication of Planning Policy Statement 22 (PPS22), Planning Guidance on Renewable Energy, issued by the Office of Deputy Prime Minister in 2004, the London Borough of Merton was the first to formalise the governments renewable energy targets in its adopted UDP, setting the target for the use of onsite renewable energy to reduce annual CO 2 emissions for all new major developments* in the borough by 10%.
On the 8th of June 2006 Yvette Cooper, the Minister for Housing and Planning, announced that ‘Government expect all planning authorities to include policies in their development plans that require a percentage of the energy in new developments to come from on-site renewables’  Extract from web site www.themertonrule.org
If you follow the link http://www.themertonrule.org/list-of-boroughs you can view an informal list of local authorities adopting, or considering adopting, prescriptive Merton Rule-like policies.

Although I am sure we are all now familiar with the new ACOP and the CDM 2007 Industry Guide for Designers - CITB referred to previously,

I was pleased to see that the HSE have now introduced the following toolbox talks (ppt) which are quite useful:
·  CDM 2007 Training Package - Session 1 - Overview
·  CDM 2007 Training Package - Session 2 - Clients
·  CDM 2007 Training Package - Session 3 - CDM co-ordinator
·  CDM 2007 Training Package - Session 4 - Designers
·  CDM 2007 Training Package - Session 5 - Principal contractors & contractors
·  CDM 2007 Training Package - Session 6 - Site health and safety
·  CDM 2007 Training Package - Session 7 - Competence & Training
·  CDM 2007 Training Package - Session 8 - Worker engagement & communication
·  CDM 2007 Training Package - Session 9 - Summary & Where Next

Web link here

Yet another timber frame goes up during the construction process!

Fire destroys PRP housing scheme

Building Design
13 August, 2007

By Phil Clark

A blaze on Saturday afternoon has destroyed two PRP-designed blocks of flats under construction by contractor Mansell at the Lemsford Road site in the centre of Hatfield.

The fire is likely to renew the debate over the use of timber frames on major housing schemes after a Broadway Malyan-designed development in Colindale, North London, was destroyed by fire last year (News Analysis, September 6 2006).

A spokesperson for Mansell owner Balfour Beatty said the cause of the fire was being investigated and any early reports on the cause of the fire was “pure speculation”.

A spokeswoman for the Hertfordshire Fire Service said that the cause of the fire on the two timber-framed blocks was believed to be accidental but that an investigation had begun. No one was hurt in the blaze.

Colindale fire questions safety of timber-frame sites

Building magazine.
1 December, 2006

By Thomas Lane

London Fire Brigade findings may lead to new procedures for timber-frame projects

A timber-frame housing development under construction in north London burned to the ground in less than nine minutes, a Building investigation has revealed.

The findings of a London Fire Brigade (LFB) inquiry into the fire that ripped through the Beaufort Park development in Colindale on 12 July has raised questions about safety procedures on timber-frame developments.

A meeting in December to discuss the findings could lead the Health and Safety Executive to publish new guidance on how firms should protect construction sites from fire.

[original BD article here]

I heard about this on Newsnight last night and thought it was a good idea. I am buying an acre for my wifes birthday, won’t she be thrilled.If you are likeminded it could be a good way to offset your carbon footprint.  

Visit www.coolearth.org  and www.timesonline.co.uk

“Cool Earth puts the rainforest countries into the driving seat. The world desperately needs their help and they now have every right to expect the world to start paying for the destruction it has wrought to the entire planet’s wellbeing.”

Sorry for the delay, but following on from my earlier blog…

As you will all now be aware, the CDM Regulations 2007 came into force on the 6 April 2007.
The key aims of CDM 2007 are to integrate health and safety into the management of a project and encourage everyone involved to work together to:

• Improve the planning and management of projects from the very start;
• Identify hazards early on, so they can be eliminated or reduced at the design or planning stage and ensure the remaining risks can be properly managed;
• Target effort where it can do the most good in terms of health and safety:
• Discourage unnecessary bureaucracy

The CDM Regulations 2007 apply to all construction work from the 6 April 2007.  There are some exceptions, as defined in the regulations; these include maintenance of fixed plant, erection and taking down of tents and various others, but exclude off-site manufacture of items to be used later in construction work.
There are transitional arrangements for projects which commenced prior to the 6 April 07, but these generally concern arrangements and competence in respect of Clients Agent, Planning Supervisor, CDM Co-ordinator and Principal Contractor.
The CDM Regulations 2007 applies to all construction projects and there will be the following duty holders; client, designers and contractors. It is only when a project is notifiable to the HSE that there will be a CDM Co-ordinator and Principal Contractor required.

Notifiable projects are those where construction work is expected to;

• Last more than 30 working days; or
• Involve more than 500 person days, i.e. 50 people working for over 10 days

Although there is no requirement for a CDM Co-ordinator, Principal Contractor or Construction phase plan for a non-notifiable project, the regulations do require co-operation and co-ordination between all members of the project team.  In notifiable projects the CDM Co-ordinator will ensure this takes place as part of the requirements of their role.
I attach below an extract from the Approved Code of Practice (ACOP) which sets out the duties of the various duty holders below, and have highlighted some of the important points to note as designers. I have left out the CDM Coordinator role, but think in terms of a key project health & safety advisor with a far more pro-active role:

• The Client is an organisation or individual for whom a construction project is carried out.  Clients only have duties when the project is associated with a business or other undertaking (whether for profit or not).  Non-Domestic clients eg. people having work done on their own home have no client duties under CDM 2007.
• The Client has one of the biggest influences over the way a project is run, and this is reflected in the more onerous  requirements on clients in CDM 2007 – See summary of duties below.
  Example – if a client fails to arrange for a CDM Co-ordinator or Principal Contractor on a notifiable project then these roles default to the client.
• Designers need to make sure they are competent and adequately resourced to address health & safety issues likely to be involved in their design.
• Designers to check Client aware of duties (no change here), except that for notifiable projects designers are to:

a) ensure that the client has appointed a CDM Coordinator,
b) ensure thet they do not start design work other than initial design(up to stage C has been suggested) until a CDM Coordinator is appointed,
c) cooperate with CDM Coordinator, principal contractor & other designers & contractors as necessary to enable them to comply with their duties.

• Designers on all projects are required to avoid forseeable risks and to eliminate hazards and reduce risks during design.

It is not always reasonably practical to eliminate hazards and where this is the case, consideration is to be given to design solutions reducing risk to an acceptable level. The amount of effort put into eliminating hazards and reducing risks should depend on the degree of risk. There is little point in spending a lot of time, money and trouble on low risk issues eg those risks that a competent contractor would be expected to manage.

The focus should be on issues that are known to have the potential to cause significant harm, and where there are known solutions that reduce the risks to everyone exposed.

The greater the risk, the greater the weight that must be given to eliminating or reducing that risk.
This was the message from previous HSE guidance, now it is clear.

• Designers on all projects should provide adequate information about any significant risks associated with the design.
• Designers to coordinate their work with others to improve the way risks are managed & controlled.
• Ensure that any design for use as a workplace takes account of the proviaions of the Workplace (Health,Safety & Welfare) Regulations 1992.

What designers don’t have to do:

a) take into account or provide information about unforseeable hazards and risks,
b) design for possible future uses of structures that cannot reasonably be anticipated from the design brief,
c) specify construction methods, except where a design assumes or requires a particular construction/erection sequence.
d) exercise any health & safety management functions
e) worry about trivial risks.

The new ACOP and CDM Policy & Procedures resides in our Quality Assurance folder filed in the shared drive, and should be referred to by all.
Our existing procedures are being reviewed at present awaiting a document from the APS available in June. Please continue to follow our existing arrangements until such time as the new arrangements are in place, but keeping in mind the points made above.

Follow this link for a summary of duties under the CDM regulations under CDM 2007.

Green homes crisis

Two thirds of local authorities admit they are ‘not ready’ to deliver zero-carbon targets
An exclusive BD survey has revealed a planning system in meltdown, with two out of three local authorities not ready to deliver the green homes promised by the government.
Just six weeks before the introduction of key legislation, the findings show huge inconsistencies across the country, alarming gaps in knowledge and skills and a feeling of impotence among planners, many of whom called for stronger guidance from central government.
Some senior planning officers were not even aware that Level 3 of the Code for Sustainable Homes would be mandatory on publicly funded homes from April this year.
Even more worryingly, 16% of authorities surveyed said they were still not meeting the regulations on energy efficiency that are already in place under the new Part L, introduced a year ago. Level 3 of the code is 25% tougher than this.
Other findings show that two out of three local authorities do not impose sustainability standards on planning applications for new housing over and above the statutory minimum, despite strong encouragement from bodies such as the GLA and BRE. And only one in four plans to enforce a level of the code on private residential development from April.
Shadow local government secretary Caroline Spelman said: “What concerns me about the findings of this survey is that local authorities have not had the proper support, guidance and direction they need from the centre. This suggests the government’s commitment to delivering energy efficient homes is merely skin-deep.”
The Department for Communities & Local Government defended its position. A spokesperson said: “The code is a voluntary standard. As such there is no requirement for local authorities to enforce it. We will continue to work closely with them over the coming months to raise awareness of the code, to explain exactly how it affects them, and how they can use it.”
But planners told BD they would be unable to deliver the government’s zero-carbon target without strong legislative backing.
“It will be difficult to achieve because it will require a significant culture change for builders, designers and customers,” said one local authority in north-east England. “Primary legislation may be the only means of achieving zero-carbon development.”
The Town & Country Planning Association’s director of policy Robert Shaw urged planners to take responsibility for implementing sustainability standards. “We all have to take responsibility for this. It’s been in the pipeline for two years,” he said.
“It’s a big job to make sure everybody is geared up for this, but a lot of it is not new, a lot of this is good practice. The urgency of climate change dictates the speed at which we do things, that’s why we need to move so fast.”
Amanda Baillieu Buiding Design February 16^th 2007.

The Code for Sustainable Homes will be mandatory for publicly funded housing from April. Initially voluntary for privately funded developments, it will be mandatory for all new homes from April 2008. The code sets minimum standards for energy and water efficiency, promotes renewable energy, and most importantly, does not allow improvements undertaken in one area to be traded against lower performances in another.

Chancellor Gordon Brown
   

Insurers warn on storms

Herzog & de Meuron buildings hit
The Association of British Insurers has warned that new buildings need to be designed to withstand increasingly severe weather conditions after storms caused £400 million of damage across the country last week.
Buildings — including Herzog & de Meuron’s Tate Modern and Laban dance centre — were prominent casualties of the storm after they were unable to withstand high winds thought to be an early sign of major climate change.
A spokesperson for the ABI, the trade association for insurers, said: “We are encouraging the government to look at how the climate will change in the future and how developers and designers should respond. We need to face the problem now: make sure no new buildings are built near flood plains, and that they are designed to resist the high winds and heavy rain expected.”
Heidi Ancell  Buiding Design 26 January 2007