In the UK there is now an urgent need to replace RAAC panels in a wide range of public buildings (schools, hospitals, leisure centres, libraries etc) and private buildings (shopping centres, supermarkets, hotels) constructed in the 1980s.
These were a ‘Modern Method of Construction’ at the time and perfectly compliant with building regulations but unfortunately time and corrosion of the panels means they are now unable to bear the weight of the structures they support with the potential for ceilings and roofs to collapse.
In the UK a school roof fell in, fortunately at a weekend and some hospitals have even carried out mass casualty simulations of their own building collapsing!
There is a therefore huge impetus to survey and replace RAAC planks, with the NHS committed to their removal from all healthcare settings by 2035.
The 5 worst affected NHS trusts have applied for £331.9M of additional funding to be spent purely on fixing RAAC planks over the next 3 years. This is the tip of the iceberg as the estimate for replacing the 34,000 RAAC planks at Leighton Hospital in Crewe alone is £660M – in that case it would be far cheaper to build a new hospital!
So how can contractors demonstrate their competence in delivering works efficiently and safely?
Deploying construction management software such as EasyBOP can improve RAAC panel refurbishments in several ways, such as:
- Providing a comprehensive and centralised platform for managing all aspects of the project, from planning and design to execution and completion.
- Enabling real-time collaboration and communication between site and office teams, as well as with clients, safety consultants, and other sub-contractors.
- Streamlining workflows and processes, such as budgeting, scheduling, change orders, document management, quality control, and safety management.
- Enhancing visibility and transparency into the project status, progress, performance, and risks, with dashboards, reports, and alerts.
- Improving efficiency and productivity, by reducing errors, delays, rework, and waste. Plus optimising resources and materials.
- Increasing profitability and customer satisfaction, by delivering high-quality projects on time and on budget, and complying with industry standards and regulations.
EasyBOP is a cloud-based construction management software that connects site and office teams for real-time visibility and collaboration. It offers solutions for project management, quality and safety, financial management, and more. EasySmartForms are an integral part of the data collection process within EasyBOP. They enable site based teams to digitally collect safety information and job status evidence whist on the move.
Whether you are bidding for RAAC renovation / demolition contracts and need to demonstrate competency and compliance or you have won a RAAC tender and need to optimise your processes, a construction management system such as EasyBOP will be a major asset.
