Considerate Constructors Scheme

Local authority advice note

Local government and the construction industry

working in partnership

Published by Considerate Constructors Scheme in conjunction with the LG Group, May 2011

Code: F/CA167 ISBN: 1 84049 323 2

Table of Contents

Foreword............................................................................................................................................... 1

Introduction ........................................................................................................................................... 2

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Use of the Scheme ...............................................................................................................................

Site registration .................................................................................................................................

Company registration ........................................................................................................................

The purpose of this advice note............................................................................................................

The need for a Considerate Constructors Scheme ..............................................................................

The Scheme’s Codes of Considerate Practice .....................................................................................

The Considerate Constructors Scheme................................................................................................

Benefits .............................................................................................................................................

Guidance for sites and companies....................................................................................................

When sites are unacceptable............................................................................................................

Funding .............................................................................................................................................

Scheme branding ..............................................................................................................................

The role of local authorities...................................................................................................................

Specifying the Scheme on all local authority projects .......................................................................

Promoting the Scheme as local champion........................................................................................

Conclusions ..........................................................................................................................................

Scheme contacts ..................................................................................................................................

Appendices ...........................................................................................................................................

Appendix 1 – Codes of Considerate Practice ...................................................................................

Appendix 2 – scheme guidance for sites and companies .................................................................

Appendix 3 – scheme posters.........................................................................................................

Appendix 4 – scheme products.......................................................................................................

Appendix 5 – monitors’ checklists and report forms........................................................................ �

Foreword

Mark Prisk

Minister for Business and Enterprise

“The Considerate Constructors Scheme is a great example of a major industry taking voluntary action to drive good practice.

The standards set out by the Scheme for neighbourliness, appearance and care for the environmental, and their adoption by construction businesses, all contribute to a positive image of the industry at a community level.

I commend the Considerate Constructors Scheme and their work to encourage and recognise those businesses that are ‘best in class’.”

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Introduction

The Construction Industry Board launched the Considerate Constructors Scheme as a voluntary national initiative aimed at improving the image of construction through better management and presentation of its sites. The word ‘constructors’ is used to embrace all members of the construction team including clients.

The Scheme is owned by the Construction Umbrella Bodies (Holding) Ltd or CUB(H)Ltd.

It aims to raise the standards of construction management, community relations, site welfare facilities and environmental awareness above statutory requirements. Those constructors who volunteer to become involved must commit to an eight point Code of Considerate Practice.

� Considerate

� Environment

� Appearance

� Good Neighbour

� Respectful

� Safety

� Responsible

� Accountable

The Scheme has run successfully for over fourteen years and has now registered over 50,000 sites.

Use of the Scheme

Construction companies can register on a site by site basis or as a company.

Site registration

Any work that could be construed by the general public as ‘construction’ can be registered as a site, providing it has a duration of six weeks or more.

Company registration

Companies with an annual turnover of up to £3.5 million can register, with registration covering all their sites, regardless of site duration. Companies with an annual turnover over £3.5 million can register, with registration covering only their sites with a duration of less than six weeks.

All registered sites and companies are assessed by one of the Scheme’s experienced Monitors, using a Monitors’ Checklist, Appendix 5, based on the appropriate Code of Considerate Practice.

Local authorities have a key role in making the Considerate Constructors Scheme a success in their capacity as clients or contractors for construction work and as local champions, by encouraging greater use of the Scheme.

Local authorities already engage with building and highway works sites through their regulatory services. They set and monitor standards and take enforcement action where necessary including through their environmental health, planning, building control and highways responsibilities.

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The purpose of this advice note

This note sets out the key components of the Considerate Constructors Scheme. It focuses on the role local authorities can play in supporting and promoting the Scheme in addition to fulfilling their statutory duties. This will help ensure success through ‘constructors’ (all involved in a construction project) improving care for the environment and the quality of life for people living and working near construction sites.

The need for a Considerate Constructors Scheme

Residents and businesses located adjacent to construction sites may complain to local authority officers and councillors about unsafe and inconsiderate practices (for example, noise, dust, mud on roads and footpaths, obstructions and damage to property). The basic reasons for these problems may be thoughtlessness, commercial and financial pressures, misguided attitudes and a lack of proper training for operatives. Residents and businesses may not know who to speak to about issues relating to specific construction sites.

Contractors sometimes seem unclear of their obligations in law, or, on occasions, deliberately flout the law in the knowledge that legal action can take a considerable time, with only small fines levied sometimes even when a prosecution is successful. Contractors can also lack understanding of the ways in which to allay local concerns and the need to tackle problems promptly.

Current local authority contact with constructors is likely to be mainly through a mixture of informal, site-based advice and responses to specific public complaints. Environmental health officers visit construction sites in their areas and provide guidance on issues such as noise, air pollution and working

hours. Staff with enforcement responsibilities in other departments such as highways and planning might only visit a site in response to a complaint.

Whilst building control officers will visit all construction sites for which they are supervising the implementation of the Building Regulations, they have no role in enforcing good site management.

Hard pressed enforcement staff need to take action to prevent or correct unsatisfactory working practices which affect the environment and the safety and convenience of residents and road users, but it is preferable for contractors to proactively manage their site through the Scheme to prevent problems in the first place.

A coordinated and well publicised Scheme which encourages contractors to be considerate and benefits the local authority and community through:

� Involving an independent organisation with Monitors drawn from senior levels of the construction industry.

� Reducing the number of complaints received about construction sites or companies.

� Reducing the cost of enforcement or releasing officer time for other work.

� Improving the quality of the environment around construction sites and hence the confidence of local residents and businesses in the local authority’s overall effectiveness in environmental management.�

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The Scheme’s Codes of Considerate Practice

The Scheme requires registered sites and companies to adhere to an 8 point Code of Considerate Practice. The Code for Sites is as follows.

Considerate

Everyone affected by the project should be advised before work starts. Nuisance caused by deliveries, traffic and parking should be minimised. Diversions should be clearly signed with special attention paid to the needs of traders and those with sight, hearing and mobility difficulties.

Environment

The potential environmental and ecological effects of site operations should be identified and evaluated, with appropriate action taken to minimise all forms of pollution. Every effort should be made to reduce, reuse and recycle waste. Materials should be obtained from sustainable sources, and local resources used where possible. The site should make a positive contribution to the natural environment.

Appearance

The site should be doing all it can to create an image of which the industry can be proud. The site perimeter, the offices and all welfare facilities should be clean, tidy and well presented, and all materials stored neatly. Waste, rubbish and litter should not be allowed to accumulate. Dusty operations should be managed to prevent any inconvenience. Damage caused by graffiti should be repaired quickly.

Good neighbour

The site should have a positive influence on the local community. The site manager should

interact proactively with residents, businesses, schools, etc. throughout the project to inform them about site activity and to pre-empt and avoid complaints. Any complaint should be logged and handled positively to achieve a satisfactory outcome for all concerned.

Respectful

Everyone on site should help to create a positive image and maintain respectable and safe standards of dress and behaviour. Improper conduct and language should be subject to severe disciplinary action. Pride in the management and appearance of the site, its temporary facilities and the surrounding area should be shown at all times.

Safety

Systems should be in place so that construction work is carried out with care and consideration for the safety of the public as well as for those visiting and working on site. No site should be a security risk to others.

Responsible

Considerate Constructors should be aware of their obligations to personnel, act in a professional and conscientious manner, and play a part in the development of the industry’s future workforce.

Accountable

The site manager should promote the Scheme’s aim of ‘improving the image of construction’. Everyone associated with the site should understand and comply with the Site Code of Considerate Practice. The training and development needs for all on site should be identified and addressed.

There is a separate Code of Considerate Practice for companies detailed in Appendix 1.

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The Considerate Constructors Scheme

Benefits

The Scheme aims to achieve the following:

� Minimise any disturbance or negative impact (for example, in terms of noise,dust and inconvenience) sometimes caused by construction sites to the immediate neighbourhood and environment.

� Deal with complaints from the neighbours and general public.

� Eradicate offensive behaviour and language from construction sites.

� Encourage best practice through advice and guidance from the Monitor.

� Recognise and reward the constructor’s commitment to raise standards of site management, safety, welfare and environmental awareness beyond statutory duties through annual National Awards.

Guidance for sites and companies

Guidance for sites and companies on how to comply with the fundamental requirements of the Scheme are detailed in Appendix 2.

When sites are unacceptable

First and foremost, sites are accountable to the public through posters giving the Site Manager’s name and telephone number or company contact details and the public will request action.

If that fails to generate action or if the site/company is in serious breach of the Code of Considerate Practice, the Scheme’s administration office will intervene. A Scheme Monitor will liaise with the contractor to improve performance and will visit the site/company.

Only when all efforts to resolve shortcomings to the Code have failed will a site/company be removed from the Scheme and the client informed. In over 50,000 registrations only 9 have failed to comply with the Scheme’s advice.

Funding

The Scheme operates through clients or contractors paying a small registration fee, based on the site’s value (for Site Registration) or on the size of company and volume of work (for Company Registration). This funds the posters and vehicle stickers/magnets, promotional material, Monitors visit(s) and reports, administrative support and advice.

Scheme branding

All participating sites and companies are monitored to assess adherence to the Codes of Considerate Practice.

All sites must clearly display Considerate Constructors Scheme posters providing a project description, names and local telephone numbers of site management, and the Scheme’s administration office, web address and telephone number.

For Company Registration, all companies registered with the Scheme must display a registration sticker or magnet on any vehicle used on the public highway. Posters should also be displayed on sites, where appropriate.

Examples of the Scheme posters are shown at Appendix 3 while the various products available to registered sites and companies are detailed in Appendix 4.

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The role of local authorities

Local authorities can help support and promote the Scheme in any or all of the following ways:

Specifying the Scheme on all local authority projects

There will be construction sites in operation through council contracts and contractors on the council’s prescribed list of tenderers.

The following clause is recommended for inclusion in contract preliminaries:

Allow for registering the site or company with the Considerate Constructors Scheme, including the appropriate fee, and for using best endeavours to comply with the Scheme’s Code of Considerate Practice.

Promoting the Scheme as local champion

� Through contact with planning applicants/developers and contractors. Leaflets can be supplied by the Scheme. Posters for Site Registration and posters, stickers and magnets for Company Registration are supplied direct to participating contractors by the Scheme. The local authority’s logo can be added to these materials by agreement.

� By promoting the Scheme through local launch meetings with local and regional industry representatives.

� By promoting the Scheme through Local Authority National Type Approval Confederation arrangements.

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Conclusions

The Considerate Constructors Scheme offers local authorities the opportunity to achieve local objectives by supporting and taking part in this national initiative. The overall aim is to achieve a sensible and reasonable standard of consideration on all construction sites.

The key elements are the voluntary nature of the Scheme and the focus on site or company standards and local relations. The main aim is not to penalise failure to comply but to promote good practice.

Scheme contacts

The Scheme can be contacted using the details provided below. The website provides details of both Site and Company registration as well as information for Clients and prospective Monitors.

Considerate Constructors Scheme PO Box 75 WareSG12 0YX

Tel: 0800 783 1423 Fax: 01920 485958 Email: enquiries@ccscheme.org.ukWeb: www.ccscheme.org.uk

Appendices

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Appendix 1 – Codes of Considerate Practice

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Appendix 2 – scheme guidance for sites and companies

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Appendix 3 – scheme posters

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Appendix 4 – scheme products

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Appendix 5 – monitors’ checklists and report forms

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�������������������������������Considerate Constructors Scheme PO Box 75 WareSG12 0YX Telephone 01920 485959, Fax 01920 485958 www.ccscheme.org.uk

Registered office:

Considerate Constructors Scheme Ltd, 26 Store Street LondonWC1 7BT

Company registration number: 3465121 England

Local Government Group Local Government House Smith Square LondonSW1P 3HZ Telephone: 020 7664 3000, Email: info@local.gov.uk Internet: www.local.gov.uk

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