New Roads and Street Works (NRSWA)

The New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 places a duty on any person or organisation undertaking work involving the installation, renewal, maintenance or inspection of underground apparatus in any street or road to ensure that work is under the control of competent persons. To satisfy the requirements of the Act, work involving breaking up the street must be arranged under the supervision of a person having a prescribed qualification as a supervisor. In addition, whether the street is broken up, they must ensure that a person having a prescribed qualification as a NRSWA Trained Operative is always present on the site when work is in progress.

A person may only act as a Trained Operative or Supervisor for the type of work for which he/she has the relevant qualification. It may, therefore, be necessary for persons having different qualifications to be involved in the progress of the work through its various stages. There is, however, no limit to the number qualifications that may be held by one person.