News in Brief: 22 May 2020

The Construction Leadership Council has published the fourth version of its Site Operating Procedures, which removes the previous requirement for face to face contact to be kept to 15 minutes or less on sites.

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Lawsuit on the cards over Carillion audits

Auditing giant KPMG may face a £250M lawsuit over alleged negligence in its audits of Carillion ahead of the construction firm’s collapse in 2018. This could mark the first time that Government liquidators have attempted to sue a large auditor to recoup losses from a major insolvency.

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Inspections to recommence on construction sites

Proactive inspections of construction sites are set to be resumed by the Health & Safety Executive to help ensure building is carried out safely and in line with public health guidance on coronavirus.

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Scotland unveils phased approach to reopening sites

Scottish construction sites designated as ‘non essential’ may be able to make initial steps towards returning to work from next week under plans revealed by the Scottish Government for a phased approach to easing the current Covid-19 lockdown. The announcement does not signal any immediate changes, one lawyer emphasises.

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Call to reconsider contracts amid Covid-19

Reconsidering the way contracts are drafted throughout the construction supply chain will be necessary to enable projects – which are facing delays and productivity challenges – to proceed in light of the Covid-19 crisis, a new Arcadis report recommends.

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Risk of further cost increases on HS2

High Speed 2 has gone badly off course according to the Public Accounts Committee, which reports that the Government failed to provide Parliament with clear warning that value for money was at risk.

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Settlement reached in landmark ‘Zoom’ TCC trial

The first English Technology & Construction Court trial to be conducted entirely remotely – using video conferencing platform ‘Zoom’ – has concluded, resulting in liability for Barnet Council of over £3m following the repeated flooding of a family home.

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Nuclear procurement report commended

A procurement law specialist has commended the latest Nuclear Factory Thinking report by Constructing Excellence, which sets out recommendations for how procurement can be transformed on major nuclear projects to achieve better productivity.

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Small firms at risk as lockdown ends

Construction has been among the hardest hit sectors by the coronavirus lockdown and despite more sites beginning to reopen from this week, small firms remain at risk of insolvency, new research shows.

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Disputes avoidance guidance short on detail

New Covid-19 guidance on avoiding disputes in construction may prove helpful as a reminder to the sector of the risk of disputes, but is not legally enforceable and lacks sufficient practical detail, according to Pinsent Masons.

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