Public project: mobilisation

Mobilisation refers to the activities that should be carried out after the client has committed funds for construction, but before work commences on site. It is a preparatory stage during which the majority of activities are managed by the integrated supply team.

Depending on how experienced the client is, they may appoint external consultants such as independent client advisers or a project manager to assist them. This means that some of the tasks attributed to the client below might actually be carried out by independent client advisers, a project manager or a contract administrator (employer's agent on design and build projects) and vice versa.

[edit] Preparing for the construction stage.

The integrated supply team co-ordinates a start-up meeting to discuss procedures that will be adopted during the construction stage (see pre-contract meeting).

There are a range of tasks necessary to prepare for the construction stage:

• The client and integrated supply team prepare and agree schedules of conditions for adjacent property or structures to be retained.
  
• The client and integrated supply team check that all necessary insurance, permissions, approvals, party wall agreements and other statutory requirements are in place and that all necessary planning conditions have been satisfied.
  
• If necessary and if it has not already been done, party wall surveyors are appointed.
  
• If the client will be operating the development once completed, an in-house or outsourced engineering team should be appointed to witness testing and commissioning and to take over the running of the services as soon as practical completion is certified.
  
• The client may identify a requirement to appoint additional independent client advisers such as site inspectors or a contract administrator (employer's agent for design and build projects).
  
• If appointed, the client briefs site inspectors regarding procedures for inspecting and reporting on work on site as it progresses.
  
• If required by the contract, the integrated supply team prepares and publishes a master programme for the works and issues this to the client. The integrated supply team may in any event wish to bring key dates to the attention of the client (for example, dates for works outside the contract). The client should not approve any programmes as approval might be considered to relieve the integrated supply team of liability for programming the works in such a way as to achieve the completion date.
  
• The principal designer ensures that co-ordination procedures are in place for any further design carried out by the integrated supply team.
  
• The client may need to put procedures in place to move some of its staff and equipment so that it can continue to operate effectively during construction.
  
• The integrated supply team agrees the basic principles to be used for grid lines and setting out of the site.
  

[edit] Mobilising

Mobilising may involve the integrated supply team carrying out the following tasks:

• Arranging for production information to be issued for construction.
  
• Co-ordinating the preparation and issue of a project handbook setting out responsibilities, procedures, and lines of communication for the construction stage.
  
• Preparing method statements and obtaining method statements from sub-contractors, such as demolition and groundwork sub-contractors.
  
• Preparing a site layout plan for construction.
  
• Placing sub-contracts.
  
• Advertising and selecting catering, security and cleaning contracts as well as any direct labour requirements.
  
• Establishing a contract register scheduling the contracts which have been placed. This register records details of contract signatories, the date of execution, contract value and the location of the original contracts.
  
• Establishing an asset register scheduling the assets on site and who they belong to. This information may later be incorporated into the building owner's manual.
  
• Establishing all statutory site registers such as; lifting equipment, dangerous and explosive substance storage, scaffolding and accident reports.
  
• Managing specialist design and drawing approval. It may be appropriate to appoint a design co-ordinator to be responsible for this if this has not already been done.
  
• Complying with any statutory conditions that must be satisfied prior to construction (such as tree protection, submission of contaminated soil disposal plans, approval of work adjacent to an operating rail track and so on).
  
• Ensuring that workers are provided with a suitable site induction, training and information to be able to work without undue risk to their health or safety.
  
• Establishing inspection regimes and quality assurance procedures for construction.
  
• Commissioning any further geotechnical survey work required.
  
• If it has not already been done, obtaining statutory utility drawings of all existing and surrounding services, including details of any telecoms, wells and hydraulic mains.
  
• Arranging road closures and restrictions, diversions of services and connections necessary for the works to be carried out.
  
• If it has not already been done, obtaining legal documentation describing precisely the site boundary and ownership.
  
• Preparing (as principal contractor) a construction phase plan if this has not already been done.
  
• Developing the site waste management plan (if required).
  
• Commissioning a survey team to establish semi-permanent setting out base plates.
  
• Arranging for the statutory utilities to provide the necessary water, power supplies, and ICT services required for construction activities.
  
• Notifying the local authority (or approved inspector) of their intention to begin construction.
• Informing the emergency services of their intention to begin construction.
• Notifying the HSE if this has not already been done.

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Comments

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