Independent TWC and TWS services to BS 5975
Temporary works rarely fail because of poor engineering. They fail when the process around them is not managed. We provide independent Temporary Works Coordinators and Supervisors who put that process in place and keep it working until the final permit is closed.
Based in Liverpool. Supporting contractors across the UK.
Discuss your temporary worksWhat we do
BS 5975 sets out a disciplined process for temporary works, from first identification through design, checking, installation, use and removal. A competent Temporary Works Coordinator is what makes that process work on site.
We provide that role for contractors who need a competent, independent TWC without carrying the resource permanently, or where independence cannot be achieved within their own team.
Need the temporary works designed as well? Temporary works design is available through our engineering team.
What we provide
How we help
Open any service to see what it covers.
A competent, independent TWC taking overall responsibility for temporary works in line with BS 5975. We set up and manage the register, assign design check categories, coordinate design briefs and checks, accept designs for use and control permits throughout construction.
Support on site working under the TWC to supervise installation, use and dismantling. We check installations before loading, manage permit conditions on site and keep site records aligned with the approved design.
A register set up for the project in line with BS 5975. Each item is recorded with its design check category, design status, check status and permit position, giving the whole project team one current view.
We coordinate design briefs between the site team, the permanent works designer and the temporary works designers. We then manage checking to the category each design requires, arranging independent checks through our professional network where needed.
We set up the permit system for the project, issuing and closing out permits to load and permits to dismantle with a clear record at every stage. Permits to use can be added where the project requires them.
An independent review of your temporary works arrangements against BS 5975. We assess the register, design check categories, check records, permits and site controls, then provide a prioritised action plan.
The roles
Both roles work within the temporary works procedure set by the contractor's Designated Individual.
The TWC has overall responsibility for temporary works on the project. That covers the register, design check categories, checks, design acceptance and the permit system throughout construction.
The TWS works under the TWC to supervise temporary works on site, making sure installation, use, alteration and dismantling follow the approved design and permit conditions.
Projects
Temporary Works Consultant
Matthews & Roberts is appointed as Temporary Works Consultant on Tatton Services, the new £65 million motorway service area on the M56 in Cheshire from the family behind Tebay Services.
Temporary works on a live project that need attention?
Speak to our teamBS 5975
BS 5975 is the UK code of practice for temporary works procedures. These principles sit at its core.
The Designated Individual, TWC and TWS must have the skills, knowledge and experience the temporary works require.
Every item is given a category from 0 to 3, which sets how independent its design check must be.
Category 2 checks are carried out by someone not involved in the design. Category 3 checks by a separate organisation.
Permits to load and dismantle control when temporary works can take load and when they can be removed.
When you need us
Some contractors appoint us at tender or mobilisation. Others call when existing arrangements need urgent attention.
The project needs a formal TWC appointment but no suitably competent person is available in your team.
Your team is designing or building the temporary works, so the independence the process needs cannot be achieved internally.
Work is underway but the register, design check categories, check records and permit system have not been properly set up.
The project involves Category 2 or Category 3 temporary works that need independent checks and a more experienced TWC.
The principal contractor must show that competent temporary works arrangements are in place as part of their CDM duties.
Your temporary works system is being questioned by the client, the Principal Designer, the HSE or an internal review.
The detail
The register is the backbone of the system. It shows what has been identified, the category it sits in, where each design is in the check process and which permits are live.
Excavation support
Sheet piling, trench boxes, close timbering, drag boxes
Falsework
Formwork support systems, propping, shoring
Scaffolding
Access and support scaffolding, independent and tied systems
Propping
Structural propping during demolition, retained facades, underpinning
Working platforms
Crane pads, piling rig platforms, tracked plant platforms
Earthworks
Slopes, batters, embankments, retained structures
Cofferdams
Sheet pile cofferdams, caissons, timber cofferdams
Temporary bridges
Temporary bridging, gantries, launching systems
Temporary works requirements should appear in the programme, subcontractor briefings, design information registers and the Construction Phase Plan. We make sure they do.
Related services
BS 5975 is the British Standard for controlling temporary works in the UK. This guide explains the current 2024 edition, the roles it sets out, design check categories 0 to 3, the register and the permit system.
Read insightMatthews & Roberts has been appointed Temporary Works Consultant on a £2bn manufacturing facility. The scale of the scheme calls for critical interface management, a robust procedure and a structured engagement strategy across every package.
Read insightMatthews & Roberts has been appointed Temporary Works Consultant on a major infrastructure project on the M56, managing temporary works for the structural conversion of three barns predating 1800.
Read insightFAQ
A Temporary Works Coordinator is a competent person appointed by the contractor to manage temporary works on a project in line with BS 5975. The TWC maintains the register, assigns design check categories, coordinates design briefs and checks, accepts designs for use and controls the permit system throughout construction.
A TWC should be appointed on any project with temporary works that need design, checking and control. That includes excavation support, falsework, scaffolding, propping, working platforms, earthworks and cofferdams. The experience required depends on the complexity and category of the works.
The TWC manages the temporary works process across the project, including the register, design check categories, checks and permits. The TWS works on site under the TWC, supervising installation, use and dismantling in line with the approved design and permit conditions.
BS 5975 gives each item a design check category from 0 to 3. Categories 0 and 1 can be checked by another member of the design team. Category 2 must be checked by someone not involved in the design. Category 3 must be checked by a separate organisation. The TWC assigns the category and manages the checking process.
Yes, if they have the required competence. Where your own team is designing or building the temporary works, an external TWC is often the better choice to keep the process independent. We provide independent TWC services where an internal appointment is not suitable or the experience is not available within your team.
A permit to load confirms that installed temporary works have been checked against the approved design and can safely take load. It is issued by the TWC, or by a TWS with delegated authority, after a satisfactory inspection. Work that loads the temporary works must not start without it.
Yes. We regularly step into live projects where arrangements need to be set up, strengthened or taken over from a TWC who has left. We review the current position first, then agree the priority actions to bring the system into line with BS 5975.
Yes. We carry out independent reviews against BS 5975 covering the register, design check categories, check records, permits and site controls, with a prioritised action plan at the end.
Temporary works are one of the most significant risks in the construction phase. The Construction Phase Plan should set out how they are managed. The Principal Contractor must make sure suitable arrangements are in place. We link temporary works coordination with our CDM support so the plan reflects how temporary works are managed on site.
Yes. Temporary works design is available through our engineering team. We can coordinate the design brief, the design and the check together, giving you one point of contact.
We are based in Liverpool and support contractors across the UK, including Liverpool, Manchester and the wider North West.
Yes. On larger or more complex projects we can provide both roles, with clear accountability at each level and consistent records throughout.
Temporary works coordination
Whether you need a TWC from day one, support on a project already underway, a review of your current arrangements or TWS support on site, we can help.
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