Mobilisation

[edit] Introduction

Mobilisation refers to the activities that should be carried out after the client has selected the contractor, but before the contractor commences work on site. It is a preparatory stage during which the majority of activities are managed by the contractor.

[edit] Contractor

During mobilisation the contractor might:

• Arrange a pre-contract meeting to discuss the procedures that will be adopted during the construction stage.
• Co-ordinate the preparation and issue of a project handbook setting out responsibilities, procedures, and lines of communication for the construction stage.
• Prepare schedules of conditions for adjacent properties or structures that will be retained.
• Publish a master programme for the works.
• Agree the basic principles with the design team to be used for grid lines and setting out of the site.
• Prepare method statements and obtain method statements from sub-contractors such as demolition and groundwork sub-contractors.
• Prepare a site layout plan for construction.
• Place sub-contracts and tender unselected contract work.
• Advertise and select any catering, security and cleaning contracts as well as any direct labour requirements.
• Establish a contract register scheduling; the contracts that have been placed, who signed them and when, what the value of the contract is and where it is stored. This can be crucial information if for example the contractor becomes insolvent.
• Establish an asset register scheduling assets on site and who they belong to. This information may later be incorporated into the building owner's manual.
• Establish all statutory site registers such as; lifting equipment, dangerous and explosive substance storage, scaffolding and accident reports.
• Manage specialist design and drawing approval. The contractor may wish to appoint a design co-ordinator to be responsible for this.
• Comply with any statutory conditions that must be satisfied prior to construction commencing (such as tree protection, submission of contaminated soil disposal plans, approval of work adjacent to an operating rail track and so on).
• Establish inspection regimes and quality assurance procedures for construction.
• Instigate any geotechnical survey work required.
• Obtain statutory utility drawings of all existing and surrounding services.
• Arrange road closures and restrictions, diversions of services and connections necessary for the works to be carried out.
• Obtain legal documentation describing precisely the site boundary and ownership.
• Notify the local authority (or approved inspector) of their intention to begin construction. Construction must not being until at least 2 days after notification has been given, or if an approved inspector is appointed, until the 'initial notice' to appoint an approved inspector has been accepted by the local authority (acceptance may be assumed if no valid rejection has been received 5 days after issuing the initial notice). The contractor should also agree the procedures and programme for inspections by the local authority or approved inspector (such as drains, foundations and damp proof courses).
• Inform the emergency services of the intention to begin construction.
• Commission a survey team to establish semi permanent setting-out theodolite base plates.
• Arrange for the statutory utilities to provide the necessary water, power supplies, and ICT services required for construction activities.

In their role as principal contractor:

• Ensure that workers are provided with suitable site induction, training and information to be able to work without undue risk to their health or safety.
• Prepare an initial construction phase plan.
• Develop the site waste management plan.

[edit] Consultant team

During mobilisation the consultant team might undertake a range of activities:

• The contract administrator may wish to bring key dates on the contractor's master programme to the attention of the client or consultant team (for example dates for decisions or information, or for works outside of the contract). The contract administrator should not approve the master programme as approval might be considered to relieve the contractor of liability for programming the works in such a way as to achieve the completion date.
• The contract administrator should brief site inspectors regarding procedures for inspecting and reporting on work on site as it progresses. This might include specific monitoring and reporting arrangements relating to the implementation of client policies such as environmental policies (on a large project this might involve the appointment of an environmental consultant specifically to perform that role).
• The contractor administrator should arrange for production information to be issued to the contractor.
• The lead consultant ensure that checks have been done on all necessary insurance, permissions, approvals, party wall agreements and other statutory requirements and that all necessary planning conditions have been satisfied.

[edit] Client

During mobilisation the client might:

• Appoint party wall surveyors.
• Appoint an approved inspector. If an approved inspector is appointed, the client and approved inspector must jointly issue an 'initial notice' to the local authority. Unless the local authority reject the initial notice, responsibility for verifying that the project complies with the building regulations will then fall to the approved inspector.
• Appoint site inspectors.
• Appoint an in-house or outsourced engineering team to witness testing and commissioning and to take over the running of the services as soon as practical completion is certified.
• Put procedures in place to move some of its staff and equipment so that it can continue to operate effectively during construction.

[edit] Find out more

[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki

• Approved inspector.
• Construction phase plan.
• Handover to the contractor.
• Master programme.
• Method statements.
• Migration strategy.
• Mobilisation to site: a quality perspective.
• Pre-contract meeting.
• Production information.
• Project handbook.
• Site inspector.
• Site layout plan.
• Site office.
• Site waste management plan.
• Site records and registers.
• What approvals are needed before construction begins.