High risk buildings - verification during construction: industry guidance

8. Change from current requirements and further work

Currently a CCNP is created in line with national guidance and issued by the verifier along with the approved building warrant. The CCNP identifies the stages of construction that the verifier requires to be notified of to provide them the opportunity to make inspections and checks of the work being carried out. The verifier can also agree to the submission of alternative compliance evidence in line with national Verification During Construction guidance^[22] .

The CPA will change this process; a new role comprising of a Compliance Plan Manager (CPM) will be introduced. The CPM will work with the design team and contractor and is responsible for developing a CP, in line with the CP Handbook which will be published for the introduction of the revised legislation. The CP will detail the measures that the relevant person (RP) will have in place to control the work on site, identify the necessary compliance evidence to be collated and detail the notification stages and evidence required by the verifier.

The CPM role will not be in place under this guidance, as the role is expected to have specific duties and corresponding offences which could be committed through amendments to primary legislation. In addition, a register of competent CPM’s and a competency scheme is under development, to be delivered in time to compliment primary legislative change.

The role of the ‘duly authorised agent’ is a recognised term in the current building standards system. In terms of moving towards legislative change, where the CPM will become this agent of the RP, projects following this guidance should confirm to the verifier a nominated ‘duly authorised agent’ to act as the point of contact for the compliance plan approach.

It is appreciated that until legislative change requires a CPM role, that existing practice may mean that this role of duly authorised agent may not provide the continuity from prewarrant to completion which is desired. It is important that industry is encouraged to work towards this empowered and impartial role, which will become a requirement after legislative change.

Overall, the CP looks to expand the content of the CCNP and include procedural compliance requirements and information checkpoints (such as building warrant stages, design and construction certification and contractor design portions) as well as required inspection and check notifications.

For in scope projects, a prewarrant stage is introduced. This stage should be initiated by the project and should follow the process below.

• Duly authorised agent contacts the verifier to initiate a prewarrant stage.
• Verifier provides a prewarrant form for the duly authorised agent to complete and bring to a prewarrant meeting, or preferably provide in advance.
• A prewarrant meeting is arranged by the verifier.
• The form is completed as much as is practically possible, by the verifier at the prewarrant meeting through discussion.
• Verifier provides a copy of the completed prewarrant form to the duly authorised agent.

The provisionally agreed CP is then submitted with the first building warrant application and can have amendments proposed if the design or other compliance arrangements have changed. Once satisfied, the verifier will issue the CP with the approved building warrant.

After legislative change, the CP will be shared in a managed and controlled way with the CPM, expecting both CPM and verifier to update it as work progresses.

At the completion of the project, the CP requires to be fully completed, with all planned actions having a corresponding and effective actual action undertaken. The CP now being fully discharged or fulfilled will allow the verifier to consider acceptance of a completion certificate.