A Temporary Works Supervisor (TWS) is a competent person appointed to assist the Temporary Works Coordinator (TWC) and to supervise the implementation of temporary works on site, ensuring they are installed, maintained, used, and dismantled in accordance with the approved design and method statements, and that safety standards are upheld throughout.
Explanation of TWS’s Role and Responsibilities
While the Temporary Works Coordinator (TWC) is responsible for the overall management and procedural control of all temporary works on a project, the Temporary Works Supervisor (TWS) is focused on the practical, on-the-ground implementation of one or more specific temporary works jobs. They are usually experienced site supervisors or engineers who understand construction sequencing, structural behavior, and safe working practices. They are the TWC’s eyes and ears at the worksite. The Temporary Works Supervisor plays a key role in the execution and monitoring phase of temporary works. Working under the guidance of the Temporary Works Coordinator (TWC), the TWS ensures that:
- Direct Supervision: Actively supervising the team that is erecting, altering, or dismantling the temporary works.
- Checking Conformity: Ensuring that the temporary works are being built exactly as specified in the approved design drawings and method statement. This includes checking materials, component sizes, and assembly sequence.
- Permit: Permits to proceed are issued and followed
Ensuring Safe Practices: Ensuring that the work is being done safely and that operatives are following safe systems of work. - Inspections: Carrying out inspections of the temporary works at various stages and before it is put into use. They are often the ones who conduct the initial check before calling for a formal inspection or permit from the TWC.
- Stopping the Work: The TWS has the authority and responsibility to stop the work if they observe any unsafe practices or deviations from the design that could compromise safety. Modifications are not made without re-approval
Reporting: Liaising directly with and reporting back to the TWC on the status and safety of the temporary works they are supervising.
The TWS must have sufficient experience and competence in temporary works to identify risks and implement control measures.
Example of TWS in Action
Scenario: Continuing with the multi-story building project, the TWC has approved the design and issued a permit to erect the falsework (the support structure) for the second-floor concrete slab.
- Appointment: The main contractor’s TWC formally appoints an experienced Temporary Works Supervisor (TWS) specifically for the erection of the second-floor falsework.
- Briefing: The TWS attends a briefing with the TWC and the falsework erection crew. They are given the final, approved design drawings and the method statement.
- Direct Supervision: As the crew begins installing the falsework, the TWS is present on the first floor. They have a copy of the design drawing and are actively checking the work:
- They verify that the crew is using the correct type and size of steel props specified in the design.
- They measure the spacing between the props to ensure it matches the drawing exactly.
- They check that all locking pins are correctly inserted and that the props are plumb (perfectly vertical).
- Issue Identification: The TWS notices that the crew is about to place a prop directly onto a section of the floor slab with a small crack. They know from the design notes that all props must be on sound, solid ground.
- Stopping the Work: The TWS immediately instructs the crew to halt work in that area. They explain the issue and prevent the unsafe placement of the prop.
- Reporting and Resolution: The TWS reports the issue to the TWC. The TWC consults with the project engineer, and they decide to use a steel plate to spread the load over a wider, more stable area. The TWS ensures this instruction is followed correctly before allowing work to resume.
- Final Check: Once the entire falsework system is erected, the TWS conducts a full visual inspection, checking every connection and component against the design. Only when they are satisfied does the TWS sign their inspection form and inform the TWC that the structure is ready for the TWC’s final inspection and the “Permit to Load.“
In this case, the TWS’s direct supervision and authority to stop the work prevented a potentially dangerous error, ensuring the integrity of the falsework before it was loaded with tons of wet concrete.
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