Temporary works solutions are a vital part of any permanent construction project, the two are intrinsically linked. In fact, it could be said that the success of the permanent will largely depend on the success of the temporary, which is why we decided to write this blog.
Here, explore how well-designed temporary works can help keep your projects running smoothly and how we can assist you on your next project.
So, what are temporary works?
Temporary works normally refers to the parts of a construction project needed to enable permanent works to progress. For example, temporary works solutions are used to support or protect an existing structure, or to provide access to the permanent works – and there are many solutions, such as groundworks, propping, temporary roadways and formwork and falsework. Temporary works can even refer to parts of the permanent structure in a temporary state – for example, the four walls of a building before the roof is put on and ties it all together. It’s often in these cases where monitoring becomes key!
How can you best plan temporary works?
When it comes to incorporating temporary works within a project, timing - like everything else on a construction project – is everything. That’s why the RIBA Plan of Works was developed, designed to help define the deliverables required at each stage of a construction project. There are seven stages: strategy, brief, definition, design, build, handover and operation. While it may seem like common sense to include temporary works in the strategy stage, all too often they are being considered as late as stage four (design) or even stage five (build). Understandably, being considered so late on in the construction sequence has the potential to cause considerable issues, both for the temporary works provider, contractors and the overall project. This is why we recommend taking a proactive approach to temporary works.
Incorporating temporary works at the initial strategy stage of a project has many benefits. Perhaps one of the most important is around health and safety. When working on a development, organisations such as the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) will often ask project teams to detail how they plan on mitigating significant site risks. This includes explaining plans to keep structures stable while construction work happens.
It’s also not just about making sure you think about temporary works early on in a project, but also a matter of how you can most effectively do this. Through the use of BIM and other digital technology, temporary works can be designed and visualised in 3D, with accurate, information-rich models created. This enables teams to achieve a better-informed overall design stage as a result, with the ability to identify potential issues early on and take a proactive approach to solving them, as opposed to being forced to react as and when they occur later on site.
How can Mabey Hire help?
At Mabey Hire, we have the nation’s most extensive temporary works range. We offer an incomparable complete in-house solution across design, supply, installation and monitoring for planned, reactive and emergency projects. Unique to us in the market, our experienced site teams can install the kit on-site, which reduces the potential for delays and ensures work schedules can be upheld. In fact, our solutions have been used extensively on a number of large-scale industrial and construction projects.
Why choose Mabey Hire?
As a company, we’re proud to see our national engineering team working across some of the UK’s largest and most complex infrastructure projects. However, we believe what really sets us apart from our competitors is our ability to service all sizes of projects, along with our innovative, digital approach to engineering, being one of the only UK temporary works providers to have received the BSI ISO-19650 accreditation.
With 17 strategically located depots across the UK, our regional engineering teams are able to deliver a fast, accurate design service no matter where in the UK the project is taking place – or what the project is! Combined with our excellent customer service, it’s clear why so many customers are choosing us as their temporary works partner.
