In many construction projects, the focus is on getting the work done, meeting deadlines and getting the facilities up and running. Technical documentation is often treated as a formality that can be completed later.
However, this approach generates one of the most common problems encountered in receptions, technical audits and ISU authorization procedures: lack of work verification reports and the documents that demonstrate that the execution was carried out according to the design and applicable regulations. In many situations, the facilities exist and operate, but the documents that must prove how they were executed can no longer be identified or were never drawn up.
What are the minutes according to C56?
The C56 standard establishes the procedures for checking the quality of the works during execution. The purpose of these checks is simple: certain stages of the works must be controlled and documented before they become inaccessible or before the continuation of the following stages. These documents demonstrate that the works have been executed in accordance with:
- the technical project;
- execution details;
- applicable regulations;
- quality requirements.
Without these documents, after the completion of the work it is often impossible to demonstrate how certain construction elements or installations were executed.
What are the determining phases and hidden works?
During execution there are many works that can no longer be checked after completion. Common examples:
- buried electrical routes;
- protective conductors;
- earthing sockets;
- cables for fire safety installations;
- data networks;
- pipes mounted in screeds or walls;
- structural elements covered later.
For these situations, hidden works reports and documents related to the determining phases are drawn up. These subsequently become an integral part of the technical documentation of the construction.
The role of the Technical Execution Officer (TEO)
The technical execution manager plays an essential role in ensuring the quality of the works. RTE monitors whether the execution is carried out according to:
- the project;
- technical regulations;
- legal requirements regarding quality in construction.
He also participates in the necessary checks and monitors the preparation of the documents that must accompany the work. The presence of an RTE involved from the execution phase significantly reduces the risk of problems occurring at reception or in the subsequent stages of authorization.
Why problems arise after construction is completed
In practice, many difficulties arise several years after the completion of the works. The building administrator requests:
- updating documentation;
- obtaining a permit;
- expansion of a facility;
- reassessment of compliance.
At that moment it is found that the following are missing:
- hidden works reports;
- minutes for decisive phases;
- verification reports;
- documents regarding the materials used;
- documents regarding the tests and measurements performed.
Restoring these documents after years of exploitation is difficult and, in many cases, impossible.
The importance of documents in the Construction Book
The Construction Book represents the technical history of a building. It must contain information that allows understanding of how the construction and installations were designed, executed and received. The documents drawn up during execution are not only important for the initial reception. They are subsequently used for:
- modernization works;
- extensions;
- changes of destination;
- technical expertise;
- compliance checks;
- authorization procedures.
An incomplete Construction Book can cause delays and additional costs in any future project.
Why are ISUs important in the authorization procedure?
In the case of constructions and installations that require fire safety approval or authorization, the execution documentation is of particular importance. The authorities must be able to verify that the systems have been built according to the approved designs and technical requirements. For fire safety installations, the lack of documents can create difficulties in demonstrating the conformity of the works performed. Among the frequently requested documents are:
- documents regarding the execution of installations;
- verification reports;
- test and measurement reports;
- documents regarding materials and equipment used;
- documents attesting to the receipt of the works.
When these documents are missing, the authorization process can become much more difficult.
Common problems encountered in the field
During technical audits, situations such as:
- lack of reports for hidden works;
- lack of documents regarding PRAM measurements;
- lack of documents regarding testing of fire installations;
- the lack of correlation between the documentation and the real situation on the ground;
- lack of documents from the Construction Book;
- changes made without updating the documentation.
These issues not only affect legal compliance, but also the ability to manage and maintain the building in the long term.
How GreenSoft can help you
GreenSoft offers execution, verification and documentation services for electrical installations, security systems and fire safety installations. In our projects, we pay special attention to the technical documentation that must accompany the works and which will later be part of the Construction Book. We can also carry out technical audits to identify missing documents and assess the compliance of existing installations.
In many projects, the difference between a smooth handover and a complicated approval process is not the existing installations, but the documentation that demonstrates how they were executed. And these documents must be prepared during the works, not after their completion.
Request an audit of technical documentation and installations.
