Arte Construction
Competence Statement
We have the knowledge, experience, behaviours, and capability to meet the PAS8672 competency thresholds that we are expected to meet as Principal Contractor duty holder role in alignment with BSI Flex 8670. We fully adhere to the knowledge, skills, expertise, and behavioural standards required to fulfil our role of Principal Contractor under the BSA.
Skills, resource, knowledge, and experience
In accordance with the Building Safety Act 2022, our statement of compliance provides evidence that we have the necessary skills, qualifications, and experience to undertake and fulfil our duties as Principal Contractor.
We are committed to the continuous learning of each member of staff and supply chain partners having completed and delivered extensive in-depth fire safety and remediation training.
Competence management
To address the recommendations of BSI Flex 8670 and competency of our workforce, Arte’s Training and Development Champion, Steven Bennett actively manages the CPD plan of all staff and key supply chain partners.
Using our training database, we record the successful completion of professional development activities and review, update, and verify the plan quarterly at board level.
We adopt a risk-based approach with SMART objectives through the identification of competence gaps and areas requiring further development.
Behaviours
Arte recognises that its process or system hinges on the attitudes and behaviours of people in the building project or organisation. In particular, behavioural competence, when combined with appropriate skills, knowledge and experience, helps to engender a sense of individual responsibility and accountability as part of an effective and strong safety culture.
Competence Statement All members of staff and supply chain partners will take personal responsibility and accountability for their own actions, and we will manage the actions of others within our control.
We guarantee a duty of care to others including building and members of the public through our communications system that enables reporting of risks or concerns throughout the construction and handover phases.
We are fully cognisant with the PAS8672 competency requirements relating to the life safety of occupants and public safety in and about buildings. We will ensure our legal and contractual requirements in relation to the discharge of duties for all buildings are met.
In managing building works, we will highlight:
• The importance of health, safety and wellbeing for the end-users and liaise with other duty holders.
• Key differences between hazard identification, risk assessment, and outline a basis for managing risks.
• Risks and risk responses (or treatments) including the ability to manage risks other than by reduction (i.e. mitigation).
We will explain how residual risks are managed as well as describing the procedure for dealing with matters beyond our control.
We will take responsibility for managing building safety during construction to ensure that the building and building systems are compliant and safe for occupation.
Management of higher-risk buildings (HRB)
We have a well-developed formal approach to managing building works for HRBs that demonstrates how safety risks can be reduced through effective measures and industry best practice.
Our Operations Manager will manage the development of the construction control plan during the construction phase so that building safety risks arising from construction (including fire, structural, other regulatory prescribed hazards and public safety) are fully recorded and addressed as part of the BSR Gateway process. We will demonstrate that the building works carried out in occupied buildings does not undermine existing safety arrangements.
Planning and organising production (all buildings)
Our procurement process and systems promote openness and transparency in decision making and assess proportionately the competence of contractors and suppliers. We perform due diligence on the prequalification and selection of contractors, suppliers, and service providers, including establishing authenticity and integrity of information and record keeping.
We will;
• Plan and organise safe building projects for their lifecycle and assess their resource requirements to meet statutory requirements.
• Procure quality assured materials, products and building systems suitable for their intended purpose.
• Assess safety implications during the construction phase planning process and adopt a risk-based approach to managing project budgets and financial controls.
• Plan and co-ordinate building work to allow time to deliver a safe and compliant building, including surroundings, for the occupants
Managing construction processes / production
Through regular CPDs, toolbox talks and partnering workshops, those undertaking building work (including supply chain partners) will be made aware of their role and limitations, legal and moral duties, inter-related building phases, activities and systems that impact on safe building practices and public safety.
We will:
• Monitor the competency levels and those undertaking on and off-site construction activities and services, including maintaining accurate and updated records using Arte’s R drive
• Manage and supervise the quality of building work, adopt best practice with mock ups and benchmark areas.
• Continuously monitor the procurement of building systems and co-ordinate the building work of contractors, suppliers, and service providers through our materials tracker
• Oversee the inspection and testing of safety critical materials, components and building systems. This process will be managed by our Site Manager and SHEQ Manager.
• Manage project time and budgets (through design meetings, project reviews and valuation meetings) without compromising the safety and compliance of the building throughout its lifetime.
Leadership, decision making and change management
We fully recognise the purpose of leadership, its place in management and effects on personnel. We understand how it can be used to achieve defined objectives.
Our Quality Management processes and policies:
• Describe situations in which delegation and empowerment can be effective and helps us to manage this.
• Highlights indicators of fraud, irregularity, corrupt practices, and measures to avoid them and steps to be taken when they occur.
• Develop, maintain, and record plans to manage and control change, and to assess their impact on the build process, including building occupants.
• Include change control measures for evaluating and updating the construction control plan. We will provide full and accurate records of any changes (including justifications) to the building and building systems.
Using lessons learnt during key stages of the project, our team will:
• Analyse, appraise, and integrate learning from experiences and best practice to improve buildings and life safety.
• Use reliable and nationally recognised sources of industry information and standards in decision making.
Our approach to liaising with the client, other stakeholders, and regulatory bodies will be to:
• Liaise with all stakeholders and regulatory bodies who impact the construction planning, construction and handover phases on matters affecting the lifetime quality and safety of the building.
• Identify and respect the client’s needs and requirements whilst engendering a trusting, open and honest relationship with the client and their team.
• Liaise with the regulators and other relevant duty holders, including the Client, Principal Designer and Accountable Person, and understand their regulatory obligations, including the signing-off of key information demonstrating how the “as-built” building complies with the requirements of building regulations/standards.
• Co-operate with the Principal Designer on interpreting and improving design information while maintaining a shared digital documentation control system focusing on compliance and safety improvements. Competence Statement
We will demonstrate an understanding of the building’s safety case and liaise with the design team on matters that impact on any control measures described within it.
Developing people and teams
The culture at Arte encourages respect and teamwork with other people. Respect is promoted through leadership of the construction workforce with clearly defined roles, responsibilities, and targets for effective teamwork. This encourages commitment, the sharing of objectives between clients, staff, supply chain partners.
We identify the skills, knowledge, experience, and appropriate behaviours of those directly appointed (both internally and subcontractor appointment) and develop training plans to address gaps in competences.
We enable our construction workforce to make workplace decisions for which they are accountable and responsible and maintain an organisational safety culture.
We develop and maintain competences that underpin the safety of HRBs and carry out the additional duties for managing the construction phase.
Managing the quality of building work
Our quality management system and process direct, supervises, controls, and co-ordinates quality throughout the build process and facilitates a lifelong safe building for occupants.
We continuously monitor and test building materials, components and systems during the construction phase using benchmark and mock up methods of measurement incorporating key safety indicators, reviews and audits.
Processes and systems are implemented for checking the quality profile and references of suppliers of materials, products, building systems and services prior to engagement. Drawings are subject to a rigorous sign-off process by fire engineer, lead architect, and approved inspector. We check all installations against the approved design and manufacturer’s guidance and recommendations.
The management and co-ordination of safety and quality checks are managed by our SHEQ Manager in conjunction with the supply chain, and delivery team at key milestones. During these stages, alterations or deviations are reviewed and approved to confirm that they do not impact on the building safety for end-users.
Through the appointment process, inductions, and regular toolbox talk inductions, we will ensure that all staff, subcontractors, and building system providers understand their duties and evaluate their competences to carry out the construction activities safely.
Managing information
We recognise the importance of accurate and reliable documented information, including knowing how to deal with any missing information and assess the suitability of information management systems for the build process.
We have a well develop digital strategy for the build management that considers all appropriate data and information important to the lifetime compliance and safety of the building.
We promote, where appropriate and practical, the continuous adoption of building information throughout the construction phase and maintain accurate records of the as built building.
In relation to higher-risk buildings, we will implement a system for mandatory structural, fire and other regulatory prescribed safety occurrence reporting, enabling workers/employees to report potential occurrences which could cause risks to life safety
