ABSTRACT
This chapter presents the health and safety legislation in force in the United Kingdom and outlines key issues relevant to dewatering works. It outlines typical contractual arrangements used to procure and manage groundwater control works, including the traditional contractor and sub-contractor relationships, as well as alternative forms of contract. Very large projects are, in principle, subject to the same environmental constraints as smaller projects. In addition to regulations at national and state and province level, occasionally, local regulations exist to address specific environmental issues. A significant number of accidents occur in excavation works, particularly as a result of falls or resulting from collapses of poorly supported excavations. Legal requirements for safety in excavations are contained in the CDM Regulations 2015. In the United Kingdom, the traditional form of construction contract involved the client appointing a client’s representative to administer and supervise the works.
