Background
KS Danmark was brought in on a classic DS1140 assignment concerning the execution and documentation of timber structures.
During the work, an issue was found in the project material that called for attention.
The issue did not necessarily fall within the contractor’s design responsibility, but it was an issue the contractor had become aware of, and which therefore should not simply be ignored.
The challenge
When a contractor becomes aware of a possible problem in the project basis, it can be crucial to respond.
The contractor should not take over the designer’s responsibility or start redesigning a structure that others are responsible for designing.
But that does not mean you should carry on working without responding to an issue you have become aware of.
KS Danmark therefore recommended that the contractor bring the issue to the consultant’s attention and make sure the enquiry was documented.
The solution
The contractor responded and brought the issue to the consultant’s attention.
The problem was thereby placed with the relevant designing party, who could carry out the necessary technical assessment.
The issue was subsequently dealt with, and it turned out that the structure had to be changed.
The contractor had thus raised the problem before work continued on a basis that subsequently turned out to need changing.
The result
Afterwards, the client contacted KS Danmark with clear feedback:
«It was a good thing I pointed it out.»
The issue had been raised and documented, and when it was later decided that the solution had to be changed, the contractor was in a significantly better position, because the problem had already been made visible to the relevant consultant.
Discovering an issue does not necessarily mean you are responsible for designing the solution – but it can be crucial that you respond to what you become aware of.
DS1140 is more than inspection forms
A good control process is not only about being able to document that a check has been carried out.
It can also help ensure that issues in the project are identified, communicated and handled before they develop into bigger problems during execution.
KS Danmark helps contractors with DS1140, control plans, execution control and documentation – and with creating structure around the issues and deviations that arise along the way in the construction process.
If you need help with DS1140 or with structuring the documentation around your execution, contact KS Danmark.
About the case: The case is based on a specific assignment carried out by KS Danmark. The client, the project and other parties involved have been anonymised. The technical matters described are based on the specific assignment.
