How to Use: Design Change & RFI Risk Impact Log (Combined)

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37 Critical document templates for Principal Contractors: User Manual Index

Purpose and outcome (what this is for)

This log is your single place to track RFIs (questions/clarifications) and design changes (anything that alters what you will build). It helps you make decisions without missing:

  • Safety impacts (new hazards, changed controls, residual risks to hand over)
  • Temporary works impacts (propping, scaffolds, edge protection, lifting plans)
  • Sequencing and access impacts (who can work where and when)
  • Compliance impacts, especially Building Regulations (and who will confirm)

Good completion looks like: every item has a clear description, affected drawings/revisions are identified, safety/buildability is checked, Building Regs impact is considered and owned, a decision is recorded, evidence is filed, the site team is briefed, and the item is marked Closed.

Who uses it (roles and responsibilities)

Role Main job in the log Typical examples
Site Supervisor / Working Foreman Keeps the log up to date, chairs the discussion in site meetings, assigns actions, checks close-out. Logs new items daily; confirms which revision the team builds to; stops work if a change affects stability/fire/waterproofing.
Project Manager / Contracts Manager Runs the commercial/programme side, chases responses, agrees client decisions, ensures evidence is filed. Issues formal change instruction; agrees dates; ensures updated drawings are received and distributed.
Designer / Engineer Provides the technical answer, updates design info, confirms constraints and residual risks. Revised detail; calc note; “buildable sequence” advice; clarifies specification.
Temporary Works Coordinator / Competent Person (if applicable) Reviews any impact on temporary works and confirms what must change before work continues. Prop change; scaffold tie pattern; lifting plan change; edge protection change.
Building Control / Approved Inspector (as relevant) Confirms Building Regulations implications where needed (or confirms what evidence is required). Fire stopping detail acceptance; insulation/ventilation changes; drainage changes; structural changes.
Trades / Subcontractors Raise RFIs early, flag clashes, confirm install impacts and lead times, follow the latest approved info. “Duct clashes with beam”; “tile backer board substitution”; “access needed before ceiling close-up”.

When to use it (trigger points and frequency)

  • Immediately when a question/change is raised (don’t wait for the next meeting).
  • Before ordering anything affected (materials, kit, specialist items).
  • Before covering up work (fire stopping, structure, waterproofing, insulation, drainage runs).
  • Before a new phase starts (demolition, structural alterations, roof works, MEP first fix, second fix).
  • At every site meeting: review open items, agree actions, and close out completed ones.

Minimum review rhythm: weekly on live sites; more often (daily/48-hourly) on fast-moving jobs or where design is developing.

Before you start (what you need to have to hand)

  • Latest drawings/specs and the current revision list (even a simple “drawing register” printout).
  • Site photos and a clear location reference (grid/room/plot/level).
  • Current RAMS, permits, and any temporary works documents (design, checks, inspection records).
  • Programme / lookahead (what’s happening next week and which trades are affected).
  • Product information if substitutions are proposed (data sheets, fire ratings, certifications, lead times).
  • Decision route: who can approve what (client/PM/designer/engineer/Building Control).

How to complete it (step-by-step)

1) Log the item straight away (even if it seems small)

  1. Give it a clear reference (e.g., RFI-012 or DC-005).
  2. Record date raised, raised by, location/area, and a plain-English summary.
  3. Add a priority and a realistic needed by date (tie it to the programme).

Tip: Write the summary so someone not at the conversation can understand it later.

2) Pin down exactly what information is affected

  1. List the affected drawings/details/spec and their revision.
  2. State what work/trade is affected on site.
  3. Note any materials/products impact (substitution, lead times, approvals, warranties).

Rule: if you don’t know the revision, treat it as not confirmed and keep the item open.

3) Do the “quick buildability & site impact check”

  • Temporary works: Does this change loads, stability, access equipment, propping, lifting, or edge protection?
  • Sequence/access: Does it change the order of works, restrict access, or create clashes between trades?
  • Interfaces: Does it affect other packages (MEP openings, fire stopping, finishes, weatherproofing)?

If the answer is “yes” or “not sure”, record what must be checked and who owns it.

4) Capture the safety and risk impacts (practical level)

  1. Write what could go wrong because of the change (collapse risk, falls, silica dust, manual handling, hot works, confined access, etc.).
  2. List who is at risk (specific trades, public/occupants, visitors).
  3. Note which existing controls are affected (RAMS no longer matches; permits needed; inspections; exclusion zones).
  4. State new controls needed and who will implement them (update RAMS, new briefing, extra supervision, permit, temporary works check).
  5. Record any residual risk / handover info that must not be lost (what future maintenance/occupiers need to know).

5) Building Regulations and approvals check (don’t skip this)

For each item, answer: Building Regulations impact? Yes / No / Unsure. If “Yes” or “Unsure”:

  • Note which areas might be affected (e.g., structure, fire safety, insulation/ventilation, drainage, accessibility).
  • Write who will confirm (designer/engineer/Building Control) and a confirm by date.
  • Record other approvals (planning, warranty provider, client sign-off) if relevant.
  • List the evidence to file (email approval, calc, marked-up drawing, photo, manufacturer certification).

Site rule: if the item could affect structure, fire stopping/means of escape, waterproofing, drainage falls, insulation continuity, or accessibility—pause and confirm before closing up.

6) Record the decision, actions, and close it properly

  1. Write the decision/response issued in plain terms (what was agreed and what you will build).
  2. Record who issued it and the date issued.
  3. List actions to close out with names/companies and due dates.
  4. Only mark Closed when:
    • updated drawings/spec/revisions are received (or a clear written instruction is filed),
    • RAMS/permits/briefings are updated as needed,
    • affected trades have been told,
    • evidence is filed and easy to find.

Review and sign-off (what “approval” should look like)

  • RFIs: response should come from the designer/engineer (or the party responsible for the design info). If the answer changes the design, treat it as a design change and capture impacts.
  • Design changes: confirm who has authority to approve (client/contract administrator/PM/designer). Don’t rely on verbal approvals for anything that affects safety, compliance, cost, or programme.
  • Temporary works: if impacted, get sign-off from the competent person/TWC before proceeding.
  • Escalate immediately if:
    • the change could affect stability or fire safety,
    • Building Regs impact is unknown and work is about to be covered up,
    • two trades are working to different revisions,
    • the “needed by” date is missed and it will stop the job.

Recordkeeping (storage, version control, retention)

  • Storage: keep one live copy accessible to the team (site folder / project drive) and one printed copy if you run paper meetings.
  • Link the evidence: save emails, sketches, marked-up drawings, photos, and calcs in a simple folder structure (e.g., RFIs / Design Changes) and name files with the log reference (e.g., DC-005_marked-up-detail_revA.pdf).
  • Drawing control: ensure the “build to” revision is clear on site (printed set or tablet). Remove/mark superseded prints to avoid building to the wrong info.
  • Retention: keep the log and evidence with the project records for at least the project duration plus your normal handover/defects period (and longer if required by contract, insurer, or regulator).
  • Audit readiness: you should be able to show: what was raised, what was decided, what changed on site, how safety/compliance was checked, and who approved it.

Common mistakes (and how to avoid them)

  • Mistake: waiting until the weekly meeting to log items.
    Fix: log the moment it’s raised; review at the meeting.
  • Mistake: vague summaries (“sort door detail”).
    Fix: write what is wrong, where it is, and what decision is needed.
  • Mistake: building from an email or a sketch but not recording the drawing/revision.
    Fix: note the evidence and ensure a revision-controlled update follows.
  • Mistake: treating product substitutions as “like for like” without checking fire/acoustic/thermal performance.
    Fix: record Building Regs and warranty implications; file datasheets/certification.
  • Mistake: ignoring temporary works impacts on “small” changes.
    Fix: always ask “does this change loads, stability, access, or support?”
  • Mistake: closing items without briefing the trades.
    Fix: close-out includes a toolbox talk/briefing and confirmation the right revision is on site.

Worked example (realistic site scenario)

Scenario: Joiner raises an RFI: the kitchen extraction duct clashes with a steel beam shown on the latest drawing.

  • Log entry: RFI-014, raised by joiner/MEP subbie, location “Plot 6 – Kitchen ceiling”, needed by “Friday (ceiling close-up)”, priority High.
  • Affected info: GA ceiling plan (rev C), steel beam detail (rev B), MEP layout (rev A). Work affected: MEP first fix, joinery, plasterboard ceiling.
  • Site impacts: sequence change (cannot board ceiling), access (need MEWP/scaffold tower later), materials (possible duct change/adapter lead time).
  • Safety impacts: additional work at height later; potential cutting/drilling near structure; dust control; supervision for out-of-sequence works.
  • Building Regs check: “Unsure” flagged—ventilation performance and fire stopping at penetrations may change. Designer/MEP engineer to confirm by Wednesday; Building Control to be informed if layout changes.
  • Decision: engineer issues revised route (email + marked-up drawing) and confirms ventilation equivalent; fire stopping detail updated. Actions: update RAMS, brief MEP and dryliners, file marked-up drawing and email, then mark Closed once the revised drawing revision is issued and on site.

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