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BS 5975:2024 Compliance: What UK Contractors Need From Their Temporary Works Engineering Firm in 2024/2025

If you're a UK contractor managing temporary works on site, the rules changed on 17 December 2024. That's when BSI published BS 5975-1:2024 and BS 5975-2:2024, replacing the previous 2019 edition. The split into two parts — and the updates within each — have real implications for how you structure your temporary works management system, and for what you should expect from the engineering firm supporting you.

This article covers what changed, what a compliant setup looks like in practice, and how to vet a temporary works engineering firm to make sure they're actually equipped to help you meet the standard.

What Changed: BS 5975-1:2024 and BS 5975-2:2024

The 2019 edition was a single document. The 2024 revision splits it into two distinct parts.

BS 5975-1:2024 covers the management framework — procedures, duty holder roles, registers, permits, and the governance structures contractors must have in place.

BS 5975-2:2024 covers the technical design requirements — how temporary works should be designed, checked, and documented.

This isn't just a cosmetic restructure. It reflects a deliberate separation between the management side (who is responsible, what procedures exist, how permits are issued) and the engineering side (how designs are produced and verified). For contractors, that means your temporary works management system needs to address both parts explicitly — not just cite "BS 5975" as a catch-all.

Key updates across the two parts include revised guidance on duty holder competence, clearer requirements around the independence of design checks, updated language on permit-to-load and permit-to-alter processes, and a stronger emphasis on documented procedures that are specific to your organisation rather than lifted from a generic template.

Duty Holder Roles Under BS 5975:2024

The standard defines three core duty holder roles. Getting clear on each one is the starting point for assessing whether your internal setup — or your engineering consultant — is structured correctly.

Temporary Works Coordinator (TWC)

The TWC manages the temporary works process on behalf of the contractor. They must be competent, formally appointed in writing, and involved from early planning through to completion. Under the 2024 standard, the TWC's responsibilities around maintaining the register and managing the permit process are more explicitly framed than before.

Temporary Works Supervisor (TWS)

The TWS operates under the TWC and handles day-to-day supervision of temporary works on site. On smaller projects, one person may hold both roles — but the standard is clear that the competence requirements apply regardless.

Temporary Works Designer

The designer is responsible for producing a design that is safe to construct, use, and dismantle. BS 5975-2:2024 sets out what the design must include and how the checking process must be structured. Critically, the check must be genuinely independent — the person checking the design cannot be the same person who produced it, and that independence must be real, not just a signature on a form.

What a Compliant Temporary Works Management System Looks Like

A compliant setup under BS 5975:2024 has several non-negotiable components. Here's what each one requires in practice.

Written Procedures

Your organisation must have a documented temporary works procedure that reflects how your business actually operates. Generic, off-the-shelf procedures that haven't been tailored to your projects, team structure, or scope of work won't satisfy the standard. The procedure needs to define how temporary works are identified, how designers are appointed, how checks are carried out, and how permits are issued and closed out.

The Temporary Works Register

The register is the live record of all temporary works on a project. It must be maintained throughout and must capture the status of each item — designed, checked, permitted, inspected, struck. Under BS 5975-1:2024, the register is a management tool, not just an administrative record. If it's not being actively used and updated, it's not compliant.

Permit to Load and Permit to Alter

Permits are the control mechanism that prevents temporary works from being loaded or altered without proper sign-off. The 2024 standard reinforces that permits must be issued by a competent person (typically the TWC), must reference the relevant design, and must be formally closed out. A permit process that exists on paper but isn't followed on site is both a compliance gap and a safety risk.

Practical Checklist: Vetting a Temporary Works Engineering Firm for BS 5975:2024 Compliance

Not every firm offering temporary works design is set up to support your compliance obligations under the 2024 standard. Use this when evaluating who you work with:

  • Do they reference BS 5975-1:2024 and BS 5975-2:2024 specifically? Firms still working to the 2019 edition are behind.
  • Can they produce or review your temporary works procedure? Design capability alone isn't enough — you need support with the management framework too.
  • Do they understand the TWC, TWS, and designer roles? A good firm should be able to advise on role setup and competence requirements, not just deliver drawings.
  • Is their design check genuinely independent? Ask how they structure the checking process. The checker and the designer must be different people, with no conflict of interest.
  • Do they provide a complete design pack? Calculations, drawings, method statements, and a RAMS review should all be part of the deliverable — not separate add-ons.
  • Can they support permit setup and register management? If they only handle the design and leave you to figure out the management side, you're exposed.
  • Do they offer a single point of contact? Fragmented communication across multiple engineers creates gaps. One contact who owns the process from initial query to issue-ready pack reduces that risk considerably.
  • Can they support your TWC or TWS through mentoring or audits? Compliance isn't just about paperwork — it depends on competent people using it correctly.

Where Temporary Works Consulting & Design Ltd Fits

Temporary Works Consulting & Design Ltd is built around exactly the kind of support the checklist above describes. The firm provides end-to-end temporary works design and technical support — calculations, drawings, RAMS reviews, and permit support — with a single point of contact managing the entire process from initial query through to a fully documented, issue-ready design pack.

That single-contact model matters for BS 5975:2024 compliance. When one person owns the process, nothing falls through the cracks. You're not chasing different engineers for different deliverables, and the design pack that comes out the other end is coherent and complete — not a collection of disconnected documents from different hands.

The firm also offers remote site safety audits and mentoring for TWCs and TWS, which addresses the competence side of the standard rather than just the paperwork. For engineers preparing for construction roles, personal tutoring is available too.

Fees are project-quoted rather than fixed, so the scope and cost are matched to what your project actually needs. To discuss availability and your specific requirements, the starting point is temporaryworksconsulting.com.

Conclusion

BS 5975:2024 raises the bar on both the management and technical sides of temporary works. A compliant setup requires written procedures tailored to your organisation, an active register, a functioning permit process, and genuinely independent design checks. The engineering firm you work with needs to understand all of that — not just produce drawings.

Use the checklist above when you're evaluating firms. The right one will be able to speak to every item on it, not just the design deliverables.

FAQs

What is the difference between BS 5975-1:2024 and BS 5975-2:2024?
BS 5975-1:2024 covers the management framework for temporary works — duty holder roles, procedures, registers, and permits. BS 5975-2:2024 covers the technical design requirements. The 2024 revision split what was previously a single 2019 document into these two distinct parts, published on 17 December 2024.

Does BS 5975:2024 apply to all temporary works projects in the UK?
BS 5975:2024 is a British Standard, not legislation, so it isn't automatically legally binding. That said, it's widely referenced in contracts and by principal contractors as the expected standard of care. Non-compliance creates both contractual and safety risk, and many CDM-regulated projects will require compliance as a contractual obligation.

What does a Temporary Works Coordinator need to do under BS 5975:2024?
The TWC must be formally appointed in writing, maintain the temporary works register, manage the permit process, and ensure that designs are produced and checked by competent people. BS 5975-1:2024 sets out the competence requirements and management responsibilities in more detail than the previous edition.

Can the same person be both the temporary works designer and the design checker?
No. BS 5975:2024 requires that the design check is independent. The checker cannot be the same person who produced the design, and that independence must be genuine — not just a formality.

What should a compliant temporary works design pack include?
A compliant pack should include structural calculations, construction drawings, a method statement, and a RAMS review. It should be specific to the project and issue-ready — meaning it can go straight to the TWC and site team without requiring additional work to make it usable.

How do I know if my temporary works procedure is compliant with BS 5975:2024?
A compliant procedure must be tailored to your organisation and project type, not a generic template. It should define how temporary works are identified, how designers are appointed, how checks are carried out, and how permits are issued and closed out. If your procedure hasn't been reviewed against the 2024 standard, it likely needs updating.

What is the difference between a permit to load and a permit to alter in temporary works?
A permit to load authorises the temporary works to be loaded or put into use once the design has been checked and the installation inspected. A permit to alter authorises any change to the temporary works after the initial permit has been issued. Both must be issued by a competent person, referenced to the relevant design, and formally closed out when no longer needed.

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