Temporary Works in Irish Construction: Coordination, Design, and Inspection Requirements

What are the legal requirements for temporary works in Irish construction? A practical guide to temporary works coordination, design, and inspection under...

Temporary works are one of the most significant causes of structural collapse on Irish construction sites. Falsework failures, scaffold collapses, and excavation cave-ins are all temporary works failures, and they can be catastrophic. Yet temporary works management is an area where I consistently see gaps in the safety management systems of even experienced contractors.

The term "temporary works" covers a wide range of structures and systems that are used during construction but are not part of the permanent structure. Scaffolding, falsework, formwork, shoring, cofferdams, temporary bridges, and temporary propping systems are all temporary works. What they have in common is that they are load-bearing structures that must be designed, installed, and inspected by competent persons, and that failure can have catastrophic consequences.

This post covers the legal requirements for temporary works in Ireland, the roles and responsibilities of the key parties, and the practical steps that contractors need to take to manage temporary works safely.

The Legal Framework for Temporary Works in Ireland

The primary legislation governing temporary works on Irish construction sites is the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Construction) Regulations 2013 (S.I. No. 291 of 2013). Schedule 8 of the Construction Regulations sets out specific requirements for excavations, shafts, earthworks, underground works, and tunnels. Schedule 9 covers cofferdams and caissons. The General Application Regulations 2007 cover the use of work equipment, including scaffolding and access equipment.

Regulation 16 of the Construction Regulations 2013 places a general duty on the PSCS to ensure that the construction site is managed and organised in a manner that ensures the safety, health, and welfare of persons at work. This includes ensuring that temporary works are properly designed, installed, and inspected.

The HSA's Code of Practice for Access and Working Scaffolds (2008) provides detailed guidance on the design, erection, inspection, and dismantling of scaffolding. While a Code of Practice does not have the same legal force as a Regulation, compliance with it is strong evidence of compliance with the underlying legal requirements.

The Temporary Works Coordinator

On larger or more complex projects, it is good practice to appoint a Temporary Works Coordinator (TWC). The TWC is responsible for overseeing all aspects of temporary works management on the project, including:

Ensuring that all temporary works are designed by a competent person before installation begins. For simple, standard temporary works such as basic tube-and-fitting scaffolding, a design may not be required if the structure is erected in accordance with a recognised standard. However, for any temporary works that are non-standard, complex, or subject to unusual loads, a formal structural design is required.

Maintaining a register of all temporary works on the project, including the date of installation, the date of the most recent inspection, and the date of removal.

Ensuring that temporary works are inspected at the required intervals by a competent person, and that inspection records are maintained.

Ensuring that temporary works are not altered, overloaded, or removed without authorisation.

Coordinating the activities of different contractors to ensure that temporary works are not inadvertently damaged or overloaded by other site activities.

Scaffolding: Design, Erection, and Inspection

Scaffolding is the most common form of temporary works on Irish construction sites. The legal requirements for scaffolding are set out in the General Application Regulations 2007 and the HSA's Code of Practice for Access and Working Scaffolds.

Design: All scaffolding must be designed by a competent person. For standard tube-and-fitting scaffolding erected in accordance with BS EN 12811, a formal structural design may not be required, but the erector must be competent to assess whether the standard design is appropriate for the specific conditions of the site. For non-standard scaffolding, including any scaffolding subject to unusual loads or in unusual configurations, a formal structural design by a structural engineer is required.

Erection: Scaffolding must be erected by competent persons. In Ireland, competency for scaffolding erection is demonstrated by holding a valid CSCS (Construction Skills Certification Scheme) card for the relevant scaffold category. The PSCS must verify that all scaffolding contractors hold the appropriate CSCS cards before allowing them to erect scaffolding on site.

Inspection: Scaffolding must be inspected by a competent person before it is first used, after any event likely to have affected its stability (such as high winds or impact damage), and at intervals not exceeding seven days. The inspection must be recorded using the GA3 Approved Form, which is available from the HSA. The completed GA3 forms must be kept on site and made available for inspection by the HSA.

Tagging: It is good practice to use a scaffold tagging system to indicate the inspection status of each scaffold. A green tag indicates that the scaffold has been inspected and is safe to use. A red tag indicates that the scaffold has been inspected and is not safe to use, or that it has not yet been inspected. The tag should show the date of the most recent inspection and the name of the inspector.

Falsework and Formwork

Falsework is the temporary structure used to support formwork and the wet concrete during a concrete pour. Formwork is the mould into which the concrete is poured. Both are temporary works that must be designed, installed, and inspected by competent persons.

The design of falsework must take into account the weight of the wet concrete, the construction loads (including the weight of workers and equipment), and any dynamic loads arising from the concrete pour. The design must be carried out by a competent structural engineer and must be checked by a second competent person before installation begins.

Before any concrete is poured, the falsework and formwork must be inspected by a competent person to confirm that they have been erected in accordance with the design and that they are in a safe condition. The inspection must be recorded, and the record must be signed by the inspector.

Excavations and Shoring

Schedule 8 of the Construction Regulations 2013 sets out specific requirements for excavations, shafts, earthworks, underground works, and tunnels. The key requirements include:

All excavations must be inspected by a competent person before work begins each day, after any event likely to have affected their stability, and at intervals not exceeding seven days. The inspection must be recorded using the AF3 Approved Form (for excavations) or a suitable alternative record.

Excavations must be supported, battered, or otherwise made safe to prevent collapse. The method of support must be designed by a competent person, taking into account the ground conditions, the depth of the excavation, and any surcharge loads adjacent to the excavation.

No person should work in an excavation unless the sides are properly supported, battered back to a safe angle, or otherwise made safe. The competent person responsible for the excavation must assess the ground conditions and determine the appropriate method of support before work begins.

Conclusion

Temporary works management is a critical aspect of construction safety that requires careful planning, competent design, and rigorous inspection. The consequences of temporary works failure can be catastrophic, and the legal requirements are clear. If you are a PSCS or a contractor responsible for temporary works on an Irish construction site and you are unsure whether your temporary works management system meets your legal obligations, contact Safety Check for a review.