The principal designer’s role is to plan, manage and monitor the pre-construction phase, to co-ordinate health and safety. The pre-construction phase is defined as any period during which design or preparatory work is carried out for a project, which may continue during construction.
The principal designer must:
- assist the client in identifying, obtaining and collating the pre-construction information
- provide pre-construction information to designers, the principal contractor and contractors
- ensure that designers comply with their duties and co-operate with each other
- liaise with the principal contractor for the duration of the appointment
- prepare the health and safety file
At project set up we…
Provide a schedule on appointment
Develop a good relationship with the client
Ensure you understand the brief
Clarify roles
Hold regular (conference) or attend design meetings
Undertake an early site visit
Raise issues/areas of concern early
Pre-construction phase
Review design programme to date – advise if missing
Arrange a pre-design meeting with the client and the designers
Where possible, seek contractor input during the design phase
Participate in design co-ordination meetings across all disciplines
Actively encourage designers to work together as a team
Encourage the designers to involve end users from the early stages of the design
Embed health and safety into everything
Encourage a consistent approach to how information is provided by the designers
Construction phase
Attend site or progress meetings (as requested)
Liaise with PC for ongoing design
Prepare and or review content for the health and safety file
Identify lessons learned