Temporary Works Management Guide for Construction Sites [2026]

Temporary works failures have been responsible for some of the most serious accidents in UK construction history. From formwork collapses during concrete pours to scaffold failures and trench collapses, inadequate temporary works management puts lives at risk. BS 5975 provides the framework for managing temporary works safely, and every site manager needs to understand how to implement it effectively.

What Are Temporary Works?

Temporary works are engineering structures that are used during construction but do not form part of the permanent works. They include formwork, falsework, scaffolding, shoring, propping, temporary access roads, cofferdams, ground anchors, and any other temporary structure that supports, protects, or provides access during construction.

The key characteristic of temporary works is that they must be designed, erected, used, and removed safely. They are subject to the same engineering principles as permanent structures, but because they are temporary, there is sometimes a dangerous tendency to treat them with less rigour. This is where failures occur.

BS 5975: The UK Standard

BS 5975: Code of Practice for Temporary Works Procedures and the Permissible Stress Design of Falsework is the primary reference document for temporary works management in the UK. It establishes a management system based on clearly defined roles and responsibilities.

Key roles

• Designated Individual (DI): A senior person within the organisation with overall responsibility for the temporary works management system
• Temporary Works Coordinator (TWC): The person responsible for coordinating temporary works on a specific project. This is often the site manager or a specifically appointed engineer
• Temporary Works Designer: The competent person who designs the temporary works, which may be an in-house engineer or an external specialist
• Temporary Works Supervisor: The person on site responsible for the erection, use, and dismantling of temporary works in accordance with the design

The Temporary Works Process

Design brief

Every temporary works operation begins with a design brief that sets out the requirements. What loads must the temporary works support? What are the ground conditions? What access constraints exist? What is the programme for erection, use, and removal? The more detailed and accurate the brief, the more appropriate the design will be.

Design

The temporary works must be designed by a competent person. For standard operations such as scaffolding to a recognised configuration or proprietary formwork used within manufacturer specifications, the design may be straightforward. For non-standard situations, bespoke design by a chartered engineer is required.

Design check

BS 5975 requires that temporary works designs are independently checked. The level of check required depends on the complexity and risk of the operation. Category 1 checks (self-checks) may be appropriate for simple, low-risk operations. Category 2 checks (independent check by another competent person within the same organisation) are required for most operations. Category 3 checks (independent check by an external organisation) are required for high-risk or complex operations.

The design check is not a formality. It is a critical safety control. Some of the most serious temporary works failures have occurred where designs contained errors that would have been identified by a competent independent check.

Permit to load

Before any load is applied to temporary works, a permit to load must be issued by the TWC. This confirms that the temporary works have been erected in accordance with the design, that the design check is complete, and that it is safe to proceed. No concrete should be poured into formwork, no materials placed on temporary platforms, and no loads applied to any temporary structure without a valid permit to load.

Permit to dismantle

Equally important is the permit to dismantle, which confirms that the temporary works are no longer required and can be safely removed. Premature removal of propping or formwork before concrete has reached adequate strength is a common cause of structural failures.

Common Temporary Works on Site

Formwork and falsework

Supporting concrete until it has gained sufficient strength to be self-supporting. The design must account for the weight of wet concrete (approximately 25 kN/m3), construction loads, and any dynamic effects from concrete placement.

Scaffolding

While scaffolding has its own specific regulations (the Work at Height Regulations 2005), it is also temporary works and should be managed within the temporary works system. Scaffold designs must be checked, permits to use issued, and regular inspections carried out by a competent person.

Excavation support

Trench support, sheet piling, and other forms of excavation support are temporary works that must be designed to resist earth and water pressures. The consequences of failure can be catastrophic, as trench collapses have a very high fatality rate.

Temporary structural support

When openings are formed in existing structures, or when elements are removed during refurbishment, temporary propping or shoring is required to maintain structural stability. This type of temporary works requires particularly careful engineering assessment.

The Site Manager's Role

As site manager, you may be appointed as the TWC, or you may have a separate TWC on your project. Either way, you need to ensure that the temporary works management system is functioning effectively. This means checking that designs are in place before work starts, that design checks have been completed, that permits to load are issued before any loading, and that records are maintained in the site diary.

Regular inspections of temporary works in use should form part of your site management routine. Look for signs of distress such as deformation, cracking, settlement, or displacement. If anything looks wrong, stop work and get the temporary works checked by a competent person before allowing work to continue.

Documentation Requirements

Maintain a temporary works register that records every temporary works operation on the project. For each entry, record the design reference, the design check category and status, the permit to load date, the permit to dismantle date, and the name of the TWC who issued each permit. This documentation provides both a management tool and evidence of compliance in the event of an investigation.