Super planning supervisor guru bites back...

A few key points were presented out of context in your feature on ‘super planning supervisors’ (‘Now he’s got some bite’, CM, February).

The co-ordinator interview process was very demanding and while many candidates were experienced, not all were able to demonstrate the required competencies with respect to:

• Design Hazard Identification and actual construction experience
• Management and assessment of health & safety, including environmental standards
• Delivery of training and talks to client‘s project team, the business and the supply chain
• People skills

I would also like to add that all major companies / consultancies / practices were approached for resources and while all were able to undertake the traditional PS role, they had difficulty in releasing or finding individuals on full-time basis that could undertake this enhanced role. This highlighted that there is a huge gap in resources.

The statement regarding the membership of Association of Planning Supervisors (now Association of Project Safety) was not enough. It should have stated: “in addition to APS membership, they also had to be at least Tech SP of IOSH with actual construction H&S and environmental experience, together with delivery of training.”

Finally, construction costs are £750m, not £2.2bn, which includes the total business operations, HR and change management.