56+ UK construction terms, abbreviations, and regulations explained in plain English.
A
- AAIB
- Air Accidents Investigation Branch — investigates civil aviation accidents.
- Appointed Person
- A person appointed under the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLER) to plan and supervise lifting operations on site.
- Approved Code of Practice (ACoP)
- Guidance published by the HSE that provides practical advice on how to comply with health and safety legislation. Not legally binding but used as evidence in court.
- Asbestos Survey
- An inspection to identify the presence, type, and condition of asbestos-containing materials in a building before refurbishment or demolition.
B
- Banksman
- A trained person who directs the movement of vehicles or cranes on a construction site, using hand signals or radio communication.
- Bill of Quantities (BoQ)
- A document listing the quantities of materials, labour, and equipment required to complete a construction project, used for tendering and cost control.
- Building Control
- The local authority department (or approved inspector) that checks construction work complies with Building Regulations. They inspect work at key stages and issue completion certificates.
- Building Regulations
- Statutory requirements that set standards for the design and construction of buildings to ensure safety, health, energy efficiency, and accessibility. In England and Wales, these are the Building Regulations 2010 (as amended).
C
- CDM 2015
- Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 — the main set of regulations for managing health, safety, and welfare on construction projects in the UK.
- CITB
- Construction Industry Training Board — the sector skills body for the construction industry in Great Britain, administering the CSCS card scheme and training grants.
- COSHH
- Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 — requires employers to assess and control exposure to hazardous substances in the workplace.
- CSCS Card
- Construction Skills Certification Scheme card — proves the holder has the required training and qualifications for their job on a construction site. Most sites require workers to hold a valid CSCS card.
- Construction Phase Plan
- A document required under CDM 2015 that sets out the health and safety arrangements, site rules, and management procedures for the construction phase of a project.
D
- Daywork
- Work that is paid for on the basis of time spent and materials used, rather than a fixed price. Used for variations or work that cannot be measured in advance.
- Defects Liability Period
- A specified period after practical completion during which the contractor is responsible for rectifying any defects that become apparent, typically 6-12 months.
- Demolition Plan
- A detailed document describing how a structure will be safely dismantled, including methodology, sequence, temporary supports, and hazard control measures.
E
- Enabling Works
- Preliminary work carried out before main construction begins, such as demolition, site clearance, diversion of services, and ground investigation.
- Excavation Support
- Temporary structures (shoring, sheet piling, trench boxes) used to prevent the collapse of excavation sides and protect workers.
F
- F10 Notification
- A notification to the HSE required under CDM 2015 for construction projects lasting more than 30 working days with more than 20 workers simultaneously, or exceeding 500 person-days.
- Fire Safety Plan
- A document detailing fire prevention measures, emergency procedures, escape routes, assembly points, and fire-fighting equipment locations on a construction site.
G
- Gantt Chart
- A bar chart showing project tasks plotted against time, used for scheduling and tracking construction project progress.
- Ground Investigation
- Site investigations including boreholes, trial pits, and laboratory testing to determine ground conditions before construction.
H
- HASWA
- Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 — the primary piece of legislation covering occupational health and safety in Great Britain.
- HSE
- Health and Safety Executive — the government body responsible for regulating and enforcing health and safety legislation in the UK.
- Hot Works Permit
- A formal document authorising work that generates heat, sparks, or flames (welding, cutting, grinding) on a construction site, specifying precautions and fire watch requirements.
I
- Improvement Notice
- A notice served by an HSE inspector requiring a duty holder to remedy a contravention of health and safety legislation within a specified timeframe.
- Interim Certificate
- A payment certificate issued during the construction phase to authorise a progress payment to the contractor based on work completed to date.
J
- JCT Contract
- Joint Contracts Tribunal — a widely used suite of standard form construction contracts in the UK, covering various procurement routes and project types.
L
- LOLER
- Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 — requires that all lifting equipment is suitable, maintained, and thoroughly examined at statutory intervals.
- Liquidated Damages
- A pre-agreed sum in the contract that the contractor must pay the client for each day (or week) of delay beyond the contractual completion date.
M
- Method Statement
- A step-by-step description of how a construction task will be carried out safely, including plant, materials, PPE, sequence of work, and emergency procedures.
- Mobilisation
- The process of setting up a construction site before work begins, including temporary facilities, welfare, plant delivery, and establishing site management.
N
- Near Miss
- An unplanned event that did not result in injury, illness, or damage but had the potential to do so. Reporting near misses is essential for preventing future incidents.
- NEC Contract
- New Engineering Contract — a family of contracts used in the construction industry, known for their collaborative approach and active risk management.
P
- PPE
- Personal Protective Equipment — equipment worn to minimise exposure to hazards, including hard hats, high-visibility clothing, safety boots, gloves, eye protection, and hearing protection.
- Practical Completion
- The stage at which the construction works are complete (except for minor defects), the building is fit for occupation, and the defects liability period begins.
- Pre-Construction Information
- Information gathered by the client and principal designer under CDM 2015 about the project and existing site conditions, provided to designers and contractors to help them plan safely.
- Principal Contractor
- The contractor appointed under CDM 2015 to plan, manage, monitor, and coordinate the construction phase. Required when there is more than one contractor on a project.
- Principal Designer
- The designer appointed under CDM 2015 to plan, manage, and monitor pre-construction health and safety, and coordinate the health and safety file.
- Prohibition Notice
- A notice served by an HSE inspector requiring immediate cessation of an activity that involves a risk of serious personal injury.
- Programme
- A schedule showing the planned sequence and duration of construction activities, typically presented as a Gantt chart or network diagram.
R
- RAMS
- Risk Assessment and Method Statement — a combined document identifying hazards, evaluating risks, and describing the safe system of work for a construction activity.
- Retention
- A percentage of the contract sum (typically 3-5%) withheld by the client as security for the contractor's performance, released in stages after practical completion and the defects liability period.
- Risk Assessment
- A systematic process of identifying hazards, evaluating the likelihood and severity of harm, and determining appropriate control measures.
- Risk Register
- A document listing identified project risks, their likelihood, impact, mitigation measures, and responsible persons, used for ongoing risk management throughout a project.
S
- Scaffold
- A temporary structure of metal poles and timber or metal decking, providing platforms for workers and materials during construction, maintenance, or repair at height.
- Section 21 Defence
- Under HASWA 1974, a defence that a person took all reasonable precautions and exercised due diligence to avoid committing an offence.
- Site Diary
- A daily record of events on a construction site, including weather, workforce, deliveries, visitors, instructions, progress, delays, and health and safety observations.
- Site Induction
- A mandatory briefing for all workers before they start work on a construction site, covering site rules, hazards, welfare facilities, emergency procedures, and site-specific safety requirements.
- Snagging
- The process of identifying and listing defects or incomplete work items during or after construction, typically carried out before handover.
T
- Temporary Works
- Parts of the construction process that are needed to build the permanent structure but are not part of the finished building — e.g. formwork, falsework, propping, shoring, and temporary access.
- Toolbox Talk
- A short health and safety briefing given to workers on site, typically 10-15 minutes, covering a specific topic relevant to the current work activities.
- Traffic Management Plan
- A document detailing how vehicles, pedestrians, and mobile plant will be safely managed on a construction site, including routes, signage, speed limits, and segregation measures.
V
- Variation
- A change to the scope of work from what was originally specified in the construction contract, which may affect the cost, programme, or both.
W
- WAHR
- Work at Height Regulations 2005 — requires that all work at height is properly planned, supervised, and carried out by competent people, with equipment properly inspected and maintained.
- Welfare Facilities
- Provisions required under CDM 2015 on construction sites, including toilets, washing facilities, drinking water, changing rooms, rest areas, and a means of heating food.