Temporary works: who signs your permit to strike?

The permanent works get a design team. The temporary works get whoever is free.

Falsework. Formwork. Propping. Excavation support. Façade retention. Scaffolding.

None of it appears on the drawings the client signed off. All of it is holding something up while people work underneath.

Regulation 19 of CDM 2015 requires all practicable steps to be taken to prevent danger from the collapse of any structure that may become unstable, or is in a temporary state of weakness, because of the work.

That duty does not care that the propping is coming out in a fortnight.

BS 5975 is the recognised procedural control. Not law — but if something moves, it is the standard you will be measured against. It sets out:

- A temporary works coordinator, appointed in writing, with the authority to stop work

- A temporary works register, so nobody has to remember what is currently propped

- A design brief before the design, and an independent check proportionate to the risk

- A permit to load, and a permit to strike

The last one is the one that gets skipped.

Loading early and striking early are both programme decisions. Neither should belong to the person carrying the commercial pressure.

Temporary works failures are rarely a design error. They are a sequence error — something loaded before it was ready, or released before the permanent works could take it. Both are control failures.

Who signs your permit to strike, and could they say no on a Friday afternoon?

This is part of our CDM 2015 series for Principal Contractors. Our free clients guide is available from the resources page.