Code of Ethics

Applicable to Registered Members of Voluntary Construction Register

CODE OF ETHICS:

“A member of the Voluntary Construction Register shall agree to be bound by the following principles set down by the Voluntary Construction Registration Board”

General Principles

1. Have an understanding of the legislative, regulatory and philosophical context in which construction is practiced, and keep abreast of ongoing developments and the publication of relevant guidance and legislative requirements including regulations
2. Be an advocate for the principles of quality construction practice to colleagues and to the general public, and accept the economic, social and environmental responsibilities associated with working on construction projects
3. Endeavour to carry out high quality construction works which are required in accordance with scope of works and contract
4. Respect and promote a multi-disciplinary, collaborative approach towards construction
5. Willingly share knowledge, mentor junior colleagues, uphold the support of peers, and as required play a role in education or training of builders/ construction contractor
6. Deal with ethical issues or competing loyalties in accordance with the principles of this code and in a manner which maintains the public image of the construction sector except insofar as to do so could contravene legislative obligations
7. Respect legitimate concerns as to the member’s work expressed by others involved in construction and seek to address them, without however contravening this code by so doing
8. Review projects after completion in order to constantly seek to improve the standard of work
9. Act in compliance with this code and encourage dissemination of its principles amongst other practitioners in the sector
10. Offer assistance as required or necessary to the administrators of the register

CODE OF ETHICS: in four sections

1. Construction Practice (actions in a given situation)

1. Act with fairness and impartiality in all aspects of seeking, administering and reporting on a construction project
2. Examine the plans, specifications and particulars supplied prior to devising a response to a tender request or submitting quotations
3. Employ management skills sufficient to allow the contract progress satisfactorily
4. Carry out contracted work according to its terms, conditions, specification and method statements, with craft and labour skills which are appropriate to the type of project
5. Where the builder/contractor is to specify the work, exercise competency in determining designs, make diagnoses, explore alternatives and specify interventions, the builder/contractor should be able to justify the chosen courses of action in accordance with the overarching principles of this code
6. Recognise the boundary of the one’s own competencies and be prepared to ask for appropriate advices/ guidance
7. Understand and be able to specify, undertake/ arrange for undertaking of appropriate construction techniques
8. Ensure that all materials selected by the builder and for which it is responsible shall comply with the requirements of the Building Regulations
9. Ensure that workmanship shall comply with all requirements of the Building Regulations
10. Carry out works in accordance with the plans, specifications and particulars certified by the appointed professional design team and, reliant on the foregoing, in compliance with the requirements of the Building Regulations
11. Take responsibility for ethical and practical standpoints including the level of risk associated with treatments or strategies – and carry out a risk assessment as necessary to satisfy contractual requirements
12. Adhere to safe working practices
13. Ensure that all engaged for the works understand that buildings are systems and that intervention on important fabric or building performance can have implications for construction outcomes
14. In so far as is practical require that any materials used comes from a legal and ethical source

2. Legal and Regulatory Compliance:

1. Know and accept statutory responsibilities for legislative and regulatory requirements
2. Respect client confidentiality in terms of publishing information on relevant projects, without however being bound permanently to prohibition of the publication of information on the works carried out
3. Ensure where possible that the standard suite of agreed forms of contract are used

3. Business Management:

1. Where standard forms of contract and tendering procedures are not in use, submit written quotations for work clearly setting out the scope of the work, scales of charges and payment terms. Where day work is proposed, day rates should be specified
2. In the event of incapacity, a member who is a sole trader should arrange for a suitably competent understudy to carry out his/her contracted work, with the nominated firm or individual agreed with the client in advance
3. Pay appropriate remuneration and provide appropriate benefits, maintain staff at appropriate levels necessary to carry out the construction projects and respect career development opportunities of staff, with support for training and development
4. Organise the works team efficiently for optimum effectiveness in completing a good quality project, respecting the contributions of employees towards addressing issues that may arise in carrying out the work
5. Members who act as subcontractors work collaboratively with the main contractor and accommodate the required work programme
6. Use all materials in accordance with manufacturers’ recommendations
7. Respect the client’s property and wider environment at all times and maintain the site in a clean and tidy state.
8. Ensure that adequate insurances are maintained
9. Where required by the contract, provide facilities for visits (etc) to the site
10. Adhere to all legislative requirements: Safety, Health and Welfare; Employment Law; Equal Status Legislation; Building Regulations; Waste Management Regulations; Tax etc requirements and keep all statutory records for these purposes
11. Provide guarantees as to the quality of workmanship in accordance with the contract
12. Arrange to demonstrate all necessary maintenance requirements or operational features to the client/ designated representative
13. Promote the register by use of the name and/or logo in members’ letterheads, signage, websites, promotional material etc
14. Act with integrity in issuing promotional material
15. Adhere to legislative provisions of the Construction Contracts Act when enacted
16. Conduct all business with other contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers in an ethical and fair manner.

4. Integrity and Disciplinary Compliance:

1. Maintain a high standard of personal integrity in all conduct relating to construction, so as to ensure public confidence in the sector and the register
2. Provide references or recommendations from direct knowledge only
3. Do not act in a manner that brings the sector or the register into disrepute, by means of displaying partiality or lack of personal integrity or independence of judgement
4. Do not supplant, or attempt to supplant, any other contractor unless and until that contractor’s agreement, employment or contract has been terminated by a client
5. Do not accept work where the technical, financial and administrative resources are not in place, or time is insufficient to complete the work to a standard consistent with the principles of this Code
6. Do not tender for work at a rate that would preclude the work from being sufficiently well resourced to carry out the client’s instructions in a manner in accordance with this Code
7. Do not imply that skills can be provided which the member does not in fact possess or have the ability to procure, or use membership of the register to infer the possession of competence over and above than those required for membership of the register
8. Do not knowingly make exaggerated claims for the outcome of work or make any other misleading comments about construction matters and only make public statements on construction that align with the known facts
9. In publishing detail of a project, fairly acknowledge, record and publicise the intellectual, material and practical contributions of others to the project
10. Avoid situations which may give rise to a conflict of interest. Where such a conflict might be perceived, inform the client or project professional in advance, or publicly declare a potential conflict as deemed appropriate
11. Refuse to participate in trade in illegally sourced materials
12. Avoid fabrication or falsification of information or documentation.
13. Refuse to reveal confidential information about a client unless required to do so by law
14. Where required, testify in legal, regulatory (etc) proceedings in accordance with specific guidelines and only when in possession of the facts of the case
15. Do not make any false or misleading statement about another firm or professional, whether as part of legal or disciplinary proceedings or at any other time
16. Do not commit fraud or deceit, or claim others’ work as the member’s own
17. Do not knowingly accept any inducement that could be construed as a bribe
18. Report allegations of unethical conduct in accordance with specific procedures to the register and co-operate in any ensuing investigation
19. Be prepared to participate if necessary in any disciplinary inquiry established by the register relating to allegations about the member or any other member

Registered Members Obligations

Applicable to Members of Voluntary Construction Register

1. Abide by industry Code of Ethics;
2. Comply with requirements of Building Control Regulations
3. Comply with Codes of Practice which set out standards and procedures to be complied with by members relating to building, inspection and certification aspects of Building Control Regulations;
4. Only undertake building works that it/ (s)he is competent to build and supervise;
5. Co-operate with design teams, assigned certifiers and other certifiers as may be appointed by owners;
6. Ensure that workmanship and materials which it/ (s)he selects and for which it is responsible shall comply with the relevant requirements of the Building Regulations;
7. Appoint competent person(s) to oversee the construction works;
8. Ensure that all work-persons and sub-contractors are competent with appropriate training/ experience and have the necessary skills to undertake their respective work;
9. Fulfill duties with reasonable skill, care and diligence;
10. Furnish mandatory certificates of compliance on completion of building projects;
11. Inform the Construction Industry Registration Board for the Voluntary Construction Register in relation to any convictions for breaches of the Building Regulations;
12. Participate in such information/ training programmes as required under the registration process and maintain up to date knowledge of obligations required under Building Regulations codes;
13. Operate to the highest standard of safety and adhere to all obligations under Health and Safety legislation; and
14. At all times maintain appropriate and adequate insurances.