Work Activities · 6 checks · 1 critical

Temporary Works
safety audit checklist

Propping, formwork, falsework, TWC procedures.

Every check below says what good looks like, when it passes, the regulation or HSE guidance it rests on and the defects that usually fail it. Critical checks are marked: a fail on one of those stops the activity.

  1. 1.
    Temporary works coordinator (TWC) appointed
    What to look forNamed TWC with clear authority and competence to BS 5975. TWC overseeing register of all temp works (Cat 0/1/2/3 by complexity). Issues permits to load, permits to dismantle. Coordinates designer, checker, supervisor. Independent of works contractor on Cat 3 designs.
    Acceptable whenBS 5975:2019 Code of Practice for temporary works procedures and permissible stress design of falsework. CDM 2015 Reg 4 (PD/PC duties). TWC formal appointment in writing. Competence: typically civil engineer plus temp works experience.
    StandardBS 5975:2019. CDM 2015. CITB Temporary Works Co-ordinator/Supervisor courses.
    Common defectsNo TWC appointed, site agent acting informallyTWC not aware of all temp works on siteTWC also designer or checker, independence compromised on Cat 3TWC competence not documentedRegister of temp works not maintained
  2. 2.
    Temporary works designs checked and approved
    Critical: a fail stops the work
    What to look forEach design has design check at level appropriate to category, Cat 1 (low risk, internal), Cat 2 (independent within organisation), Cat 3 (independent organisation). Design Brief → Design → Check → Approval signature trail. Design certificate (DC) issued before works start. Drawings on site.
    Acceptable whenBS 5975:2019, proportionate independent check. Cat 0 = simple standard solution, Cat 1 = internal check, Cat 2 = check by other in same organisation not involved in design, Cat 3 = check by separate organisation. Design certificate before work commences.
    StandardBS 5975:2019. CDM 2015. Eurocodes for the temporary works calculation basis (BS EN 1991-1-6 for actions during execution).
    Common defectsDesign done but no check evidenceVerbal approval, no Design CertificateCat assigned too low to avoid independent checkDrawings on file in office, not on siteDesign not updated when site conditions changed (loadings, geometry)
  3. 3.
    Permit to load issued before loading
    What to look forPermit-to-load (PTL) issued by TWC after physical inspection confirms temp works erected per design. No loading until PTL signed. Specifies load magnitude, location, method, sequence. Closed out at end of phase. Common for falsework, propping, formwork.
    Acceptable whenBS 5975:2019, formal handover by permit before load applied. Confirms inspection complete and design intent met. TWC has authority to refuse permit.
    StandardBS 5975:2019. CDM 2015. HSG250, Permit to work systems.
    Common defectsLoading commenced without PTLPTL issued without physical inspectionLoads applied beyond PTL specification (overload)Sequence of loading not followed (asymmetric)Permit not closed out, assumed valid for next pour
  4. 4.
    Propping/backpropping in place as per design
    What to look forProps (Acrow, Slimshor, etc.) located, oriented and tightened per design drawings. Spacing and number match design. Foundation/sole plate adequate. Backprops on slabs below before slab struck above. Pin in correct hole. No bent or damaged props in use.
    Acceptable whenBS 5975:2019. Adjustable steel props to BS EN 1065. Strict use per design. Backpropping on at least the slab immediately below until concrete reaches design strength (typically 28-day).
    StandardBS 5975:2019. BS EN 1065:2024 (adjustable steel props). HSG33 / Concrete Society guidance for striking times.
    Common defectsProps at wrong spacing, design exceededBackprops removed too early (slab below not at full strength)Bent / damaged props in usePin in hole creates eccentric loading (corkscrewing)No sole plate on soft ground, prop sinkingProps leaning, out of plumb beyond manufacturer tolerance
  5. 5.
    No dismantling without permit to dismantle
    What to look forPermit to dismantle (PTD) issued by TWC after confirmation permanent works can take loads, typically concrete cube strength reached, structural designer sign-off. Sequence specified. No partial dismantling without PTD. Common point of failure on temp works projects.
    Acceptable whenBS 5975:2019, striking and dismantling controlled by permit. Concrete strike strengths per design (cube test results). Striking sequence to avoid imposing loads on adjacent unstruck areas.
    StandardBS 5975:2019. BS 8110 / Eurocode 2 for early-age concrete strength. CIRIA C660 for early-age striking.
    Common defectsOperatives dismantling because falsework is in their wayStrike strength not verified by cube testAsymmetric striking, distortion of permanent worksNo permit and TWC unaware until after strikePremature strike, slab deflection / cracking
  6. 6.
    Monitoring regime in place
    What to look forTemp works inspection regime defined, daily quick check, weekly detailed, after weather/load events. Monitoring (telltales, deflection points, settlement markers, strain gauges) where design specifies. Records kept. Trigger levels for action defined. TWC reviews.
    Acceptable whenBS 5975:2019. CDM 2015 Reg 13, monitoring during construction. Trigger levels (Amber/Red) lead to action (review or stop). Records signed and retained.
    StandardBS 5975:2019. CDM 2015. CIRIA C760, Guidance on embedded retaining wall design.
    Common defectsMonitoring required but never installedTelltales installed but not read regularlyTrigger exceeded but no action takenRecords lost / not retainedNo re-inspection after high winds / heavy rain / load change

Questions people ask

How often should a temporary works audit be done?

Weekly is the common rhythm for a live site, plus whenever the work, the plant or the people change and after any incident or near miss. What matters is that it is scored, recorded, dated and the actions are closed out, not the exact frequency. Guidance, not legal advice.

What is the difference between a safety audit and an inspection?

An inspection looks at the site. An audit checks the system as well: is the paperwork there, do the people know it, is what was promised actually happening. On a small site the words blur, and that is fine. The checks below cover both.

What happens with a failed item?

A corrective action with an owner and a date, and a photo of the fail so nobody argues later. 1 of the 6 checks here are marked critical: a fail on one of those stops that activity until it is put right.

Who should carry out the audit?

A competent person, and where possible not the person whose work is being looked at. The site manager auditing the site manager's housekeeping is better than nothing, but a visiting supervisor or the SHEQ lead sees what the regular eye has stopped noticing.

Is a site safety audit a legal requirement?

The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 require arrangements for monitoring your health and safety measures (regulation 5), and CDM 2015 requires every contractor to plan, manage and monitor the work under their control (regulation 15). A recorded, scored audit is how you show that is happening. Guidance, not legal advice.

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