A GUIDEBOOK ON CORETRADE

Registration and Deployment Requirements and Procedures

March 2009 Edition

contents
Chapter Topic
What this book is about

Page

2 3 5 11 19 29 39 47

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Introduction to CoreTrade

Registration of Construction Tradesmen

Registration of Construction Foremen

Registration Procedures

Deployment Requirements

Submission of Manpower Deployment Plans

Miscellaneous

What this book is about

The Builders Licensing scheme was introduced as part of the Building Control (Amendment) Act 2007. It sets minimum standards of professionalism for General Builders and six selective Specialist Builders. Construction Registration of Tradesmen, or CoreTrade, is a condition to be met for the Builders Licence. It requires licensed Class 1 General Builders to deploy a minimum number of registered CoreTrade personnel in their projects of value S$20million and more. The deployment requirements are covered under the Building Control (Licensing of Builders) Regulations, while the registration requirements for these CoreTrade personnel are introduced in a separate set of regulations under the Building and Construction Authority Act. This guidebook aims to bring the reader through the entire CoreTrade process: from understanding the rationale of the scheme, becoming familiar with the registration criteria and procedures, to being able to deploy CoreTrade workers in a project to comply with the requirements spelt out in the Regulations. To make it easier for the reader to find out more about the different aspects of the CoreTrade scheme, this guidebook is split into 7 different chapters. Each chapter explains the requirements under the CoreTrade scheme, and the relevant information is presented in a question-and-answer format so that the reader can grasp the fundamental concepts behind the requirements more readily. Sample documents and useful web pages are also presented in this guidebook for the readers easy reference.

chapter 1
INTRODUCTION TO CORETRADE

INTRODUCTION TO CORETRADE

WHAT IS CORETRADE?
CoreTrade stands for Construction Registration of Tradesmen. It is a registration scheme, administered by the Building and Construction Authority, for skilled and experienced construction personnel in the various key construction trades. In the Building Control (Amendment) Act 2007, one of the key amendments that were introduced was the licensing of builders1. As a condition to be met for the Builders Licence, licensed Class 1 General Builders are required to deploy a minimum number of CoreTrade personnel in their projects of value S$20million and more.

WHAT IS THE AIM OF CORETRADE?

The construction industry plays a key role in shaping our built environment, supporting Singapores economic growth and enhancing the quality of life of our people. It is hence necessary for us to develop a core of skilled and experienced workers in key trades who will serve to anchor the construction workforce and raise its quality and productivity levels. This is what CoreTrade seeks to achieve. Workers who are eligible for registration include locals as well as suitable longerstaying and experienced foreign workers who have been working in the construction industry in Singapore. CoreTrade personnel, through registration, are recognized for their competence and experience in their respective trades.

WHAT TYPES OF CONSTRUCTION PERSONNEL ARE REGISTERED?

There are 2 classes of construction personnel. Construction Tradesman A construction tradesman is a worker who is skilled and engaged in a particular trade. More details on the registration of tradesmen are covered in Chapter 2. Construction Foreman A construction foreman is one who supervises and co-ordinates a group of tradesmen in a particular trade. More details on the registration of trade foremen are covered in Chapter 3.

Licensing of builders will not be covered in this guidebook. For more details, please refer to another BCA publication A Guidebook to the Changes in Building Control 2007/2008.

chapter 2
REGISTRATION OF CONSTRUCTION TRADESMEN

REGISTRATION OF CONSTRUCTION TRADESMEN

TRADES FOR REGISTRATION

WHAT ARE THE TRADES FOR REGISTRATION OF CONSTRUCTION TRADESMEN?
Construction tradesmen could be registered in the following 4 trades:

S/N 1

Trade Construction Plant Operation

Scope Operation of any of the following construction plant or machinery: (a) Saddle Jib Tower Crane (b) Luffing Jib Tower Crane (c) Mobile Crane (Truck Mounted) (d) Crawler Crane (e) Hydraulic Excavator (f) Telescopic Handler (g) Bulldozer (h) Track Shovel (i) Excavator Loader ( j) Piling Rig Installation of any wiring, cable, conduit, trunking, isolators, switch socket outlets, power switches or any other fittings for transmission of electricity for lighting, heating, cooling or other similar purposes in a building. Installation of any gas, water and sanitary pipings, or any associated fittings for conveyance of gas, water distribution, soil and waste water disposal in a building. Laying of tiles, marble or stone finishes to the interior or exterior walls or the floors of a building.

Electrical Works

Plumbing and Piping Works

Tiling and Stone Laying Works

REGISTRATION OF CONSTRUCTION TRADESMEN

WHY ARE THESE TRADES SELECTED?

These trades have high value-add and impact on construction quality, safety and productivity.

REGISTRATION CRITERIA
WHAT ARE THE MAIN CRITERIA FOR REGISTRATION?
There are 2 key criteria that construction personnel have to meet before they can be accepted as CoreTrade tradesmen: 1) Personnel are skilled. He must be skilled in his trade, to ensure that construction works are carried out in a proper manner, and high quality results are delivered. A tradesmans skills in his trade can be inferred from the trade skills certification that he has acquired, and if necessary, verified through a skills assessment. 2) Personnel are experienced. The more years of experience a tradesman has in the construction industry, the more familiar he is with his trade. During application, a worker interested in becoming a CoreTrade tradesman will be assessed based on his skill qualifications and experience. If necessary, he will also be required to undergo a skills assessment to verify his competency in his trade.

1st Stage Assessment

Workers meet minimum requirements based on their experience and trade skills

Skill verification stage

Workers pass a skills assessment if verification is required

Registration

Workers get registered and recognised as CoreTrade tradesmen

REGISTRATION OF CONSTRUCTION TRADESMEN

SKILL CRITERION
WHAT TYPES OF SKILL QUALIFICATIONS ARE ACCEPTABLE?
Trade skill qualifications that are widely recognised by the construction industry, such as Certificate of Successful Completion (CSC), Skills Evaluation Certificate (Knowledge) (SEC(K)) and Basic Builder Certificate (BBC) in construction-related trades, are recognised for consideration for registration of CoreTrade personnel.

A list2 of acceptable qualifications for each trade is shown below.

S/N 1

Trade Construction Plant Operation

Acceptable relevant qualifications SEC(K)/SEC/CSC in Crawler Crane Operations SEC(K)/SEC/CSC in Mobile Crane Operations SEC(K)/SEC/CSC in Tower Crane (Luffing Jib) Operations SEC(K)/SEC/CSC in Tower Crane (Saddle Jib) Operations SEC(K)/SEC/CSC/BBC in Hydraulic Excavator Operations SEC(K)/SEC/CSC/BBC in Telescopic Handler Operations SEC(K)/SEC in Bulldozer Operations SEC(K)/SEC in Track Shovel Operations SEC(K)/SEC in Excavator Loader Operations SEC(K)/SEC in Bored Piling Operation SEC(K)/SEC in Driven Piling Operation SEC(K)/SEC in Jack-In Piling Operation SEC(K)/SEC/BBC in Electrical Wiring Installation Builder Certificate in Plumbing and Pipefitting Advanced Builder Certificate in Plumbing and Pipefitting SEC(K)/SEC/BBC in Plumbing and Pipefitting SEC(K)/SEC in Pipefitting SEC(K)/SEC in Gas Pipefitting SEC(K)/SEC/BBC in Tiling

2 3

Electrical Works Plumbing and Piping Works

Tiling and Stone Laying Works

2 Other than the qualifications in the list, other equivalent or higher qualifications relevant to the trade will also be considered on a case-by-case basis by the Authority.

REGISTRATION OF CONSTRUCTION TRADESMEN

CAN A WORKER APPLY TO BECOME A TRADESMAN IF HE DOES NOT HAVE A QUALIFICATION IN THE RELEVANT TRADE THAT HE WANTS TO BE REGISTERED IN?
In the absence of a relevant trade skill certification, the applicant will have to go through a skills assessment to verify that he indeed has the necessary skill competency in the trade that he wishes to be registered in. He will also be assessed on his relevant experience in the industry.

WHAT IS A SKILLS ASSESSMENT? IS THE SKILLS ASSESSMENT COMPULSORY FOR ALL APPLICANTS?
A skills assessment is a practical-based verification of an applicants competency in the trade that he wishes to be registered in. It will be conducted at the BCA Academy, or on- site in cases where applicable. Skills assessment is required where the applicant does not have skill qualification that is relevant to the trade that he wishes to be registered in. For workers who would like to undergo training before they undertake the skills assessment, BCA Academy will be introducing short refresher training courses. Please refer to BCA Academys website at www.bcaa.edu.sg to find out more about these courses.

CAN A LICENSED PLUMBER, LICENSED ELECTRICAL WORKER OR AUTHORISED CRANE OPERATOR BECOME A CORETRADE TRADESMAN?
A plumber licensed by the Public Utilities Board (PUB) and an electrical worker licensed by the Energy Market Authority (EMA) will directly qualify to be foremen in Plumbing & Piping Works and Electrical Works respectively. (Please refer to page 15 for more details.) As they will be concurrently registered as tradesmen in the same trade, there is no need for them to make a separate application to be registered as tradesmen. A worker authorised by the Ministry of Manpower to operate cranes under its Workplace Safety and Health (Operation of Cranes) Regulations, will directly qualify to be a tradesman in Construction Plant Operation. Please note, however, that being a registered CoreTrade personnel in the above cases does not automatically qualify a worker to become a Licensed Plumber, Licensed Electrical Worker or authorised crane operator.

REGISTRATION OF CONSTRUCTION TRADESMEN

EXPERIENCE CRITERION
HOW MANY YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN THE LOCAL CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY ARE REQUIRED FOR REGISTRATION?
The minimum number of years required depends on the type of skill qualification an applicant has, as he is assessed based on a combination of the skill and experience criteria. A worker with a qualification not relevant to the trade he is registering for will need to have more years of experience than another worker with a relevant qualification.

CAN CONSTRUCTION EXPERIENCE IN OTHER COUNTRIES BE CONSIDERED IN PLACE OF LOCAL EXPERIENCE?

Equivalent experience, or working experience in developed countries where the working environment and construction standards are similar to those of Singapore, could be considered on a case-by-case basis.

CAN A CORETRADE TRADESMAN BE REGISTERED IN MORE THAN ONE TRADE?

Yes. A worker who is competent in more than one trade and meets the registration requirements, may be registered in more than one trade. However, he can only be deployed in any one trade at any one time.

10

chapter 3
REGISTRATION OF CONSTRUCTION FOREMEN

REGISTRATION OF CONSTRUCTION FOREMEN

WHAT ARE THE TRADES FOR REGISTRATION OF CONSTRUCTION FOREMEN?

Construction foremen can be registered under 6 key trades. These trades are categorized into 2 clusters, as shown in the table below:

S/N Structural 1

Trade

Scope

Reinforced Concrete Works

Structural Steel Works

Fabrication and installation of formwork and steel reinforcement for reinforced concrete works, and installation of pre-cast concrete components. Fabrication, fitting, welding and erection of steel members or components to form an integral part of any structural system of a building.

Non-structural 3 Electrical Works Installation of any wiring, cable, conduit, trunking, isolators, switch socket outlets, power switches or any other fittings for transmission of electricity for lighting, heating, cooling or other similar purposes in a building. Installation of any gas, water and sanitary pipings, or any other associated fittings for conveyance of gas, water distribution, soil and waste water disposal in a building.

Plumbing and Piping Works

Tiling and Stone Laying Works Laying of tiles, marble or stone finishes to the interior or exterior walls or the floors of a building. Waterproofing Works Applying or laying of material to waterproof any basement, foundation, roof, wet area or walls in the interior or on the exterior of a building.

12

REGISTRATION OF CONSTRUCTION FOREMEN

WHAT ARE THE MAIN CRITERIA FOR REGISTRATION?

The registration criteria for construction foremen are similar to those of the tradesmen as mentioned in the earlier chapter. An applicant will be assessed based on his combination of trade skill qualification and experience. If necessary, he will be required to undergo a skills assessment and written test to verify his competency in his trade. In addition, upon registration, he will concurrently be enrolled in a bridging seminar to refresh his industry knowledge on building regulations, construction quality control and standards, interpretation of Gantt charts, as well as Workplace Safety & Health Regulations.

1st Stage Assessment

Workers meet minimum requirements based on their experience and trade skills

Skill verification stage

Workers pass a skills assessment and written test if verification is required

Registration

Workers get registered and recognised as CoreTrade foremen

+
Workers get enrolled for bridging seminar.

13

REGISTRATION OF CONSTRUCTION FOREMEN

SKILLS CRITERION
WHAT TYPES OF SKILL QUALIFICATIONS ARE ACCEPTABLE?
For construction foreman registration, trade diplomas in the relevant trades, which are awarded by the BCA Academy, will qualify an applicant for direct registration. The trade diplomas are listed in the table below:

S/N 1 2 3 4 5 6

Foreman Trades Reinforced Concrete Works Structural Steel Works Electrical Works Plumbing and Piping Works Tiling and Stone Laying Works Waterproofing Works

Trade Diploma Trade Diploma in RC Construction Trade Diploma in Structural Steel Works Trade Diploma in Electrical Technology Trade Diploma in Plumbing Technology Trade Diploma in Tiling and Stone Laying Trade Diploma in Waterproofing

Other than trade diplomas, the following qualifications in the relevant trades would also be considered in the application for construction foremen.

S/N Foreman Trades 1 Reinforced Concrete Works Structural Steel Works

Acceptable Relevant Qualifications SEC(K)/SEC in Timber Formwork SEC(K)/SEC in Metal Formwork SEC(K)/SEC in Steel Reinforcement Work SEC(K)/SEC in Structural Steel Fitting SEC(K)/SEC in Welding SEC(K)/SEC in Pipefitting SEC(K)/SEC/BBC in Electrical Wiring Installation Builder Certificate in Plumbing and Pipefitting Advanced Builder Certificate in Plumbing and Pipefitting SEC(K)/SEC/BBC in Plumbing and Pipefitting SEC(K)/SEC in Pipefitting SEC(K)/SEC in Gas Pipefitting SEC(K)/SEC/BBC in Tiling SEC(K)/SEC in Waterproofing

3 4

Electrical Works Plumbing and Piping Works

5 6

Tiling and Stone Laying Works Waterproofing Works

14

REGISTRATION OF CONSTRUCTION FOREMEN

CAN A WORKER APPLY TO BECOME A CONSTRUCTION FOREMAN IF HE DOES NOT HAVE A QUALIFICATION IN THE RELEVANT TRADE THAT HE WANTS TO BE REGISTERED IN?
Yes, provided that the worker has been engaged in the trade for a significant number of years and has learnt the ropes of the trade through on-the-job training. He must also have acquired experience in taking on supervisory responsibilities. A construction foreman, who takes on the supervisory role for a group of tradesmen in a particular trade, should possess both hands-on skills and trade knowledge. In the absence of a relevant trade skill certification (such as SEC(K) assessment which includes a theory component), the applicant will have to go through both a skill assessment and a written test. For workers who would like to undergo training before they undertake the skills assessment, BCA Academy will be introducing short refresher training courses. Please refer to BCA Academys website at www.bcaa.edu.sg to find out more about these courses.

IF AN APPLICANT IS UNABLE TO TAKE A WRITTEN TEST DUE TO LITERACY PROBLEMS, WHAT CAN HE DO?
Where the applicants are illiterate, provisions would be made for interviews (or verbal test) to replace the written test.

CAN A LICENSED PLUMBER OR LICENSED ELECTRICAL WORKER BECOME A CORETRADE TRADE FOREMAN?
Yes. A plumber licensed by the Public Utilities Board (PUB) and an electrical worker licensed by the Energy Market Authority (EMA) will directly qualify to be CoreTrade Trade Foremen in Plumbing & Piping Works and Electrical Works respectively. They will not be required to take any skills assessment as they have been previously assessed during the applications for their license. However, they will have to undergo a bridging seminar at BCA Academy upon registration. (Please refer to page 16 for more details on the bridging seminar.) Once again, please note that being a registered construction foreman in Plumbing and Piping Works, or Electrical Works does not qualify a worker to become a PUB-licensed plumber or EMA- licensed electrical worker.

15

REGISTRATION OF CONSTRUCTION FOREMEN

EXPERIENCE CRITERION
HOW MANY YEARS OF EXPERIENCE ARE REQUIRED?
As with tradesmen, the minimum number of years of experience required depends on the type of skill certification that an applicant possesses. An applicant with a qualification not relevant to the trade he is registering for will need to have more years of experience than another worker with a relevant qualification.

CAN CONSTRUCTION EXPERIENCE IN OTHER COUNTRIES BE CONSIDERED IN PLACE OF LOCAL EXPERIENCE?

Equivalent experience, or working experience in developed countries where the working environment and construction standards are similar to those of Singapore, could be considered on a case-by-case basis.

BRIDGING SEMINAR
WHAT IS A BRIDGING SEMINAR?
A bridging seminar is a half-day course at BCA Academy which all newly-registered construction foremen are required to attend, unless they have the relevant trade diplomas. This course aims to refresh their industry knowledge and ensure that they are adequately prepared to take on the responsibilities of construction foremen. This bridging seminar will cover the following topics: Building regulations and permits Construction quality control and standards Interpretation of Gantt charts Introduction to Workplace Safety & Health Regulations and Occupational Safety Please note that BCA has waived the fees for this bridging seminar for newly-registered foremen.

16

REGISTRATION OF CONSTRUCTION FOREMEN

S-PASS HOLDERS
IS AN S-PASS HOLDER ELIGIBLE TO BECOME A CONSTRUCTION FOREMAN?
Registration requirements will not be stipulated by types of work pass but in terms of skills, experience and relevant qualifications. However, BCA noted that S-Pass holders do have the experience and qualifications that allow them to qualify for S-Pass in the first place. Hence, S-Pass holders will be considered favourably for registration, provided that they have experience in the construction industry and are able to pass both the skill assessment and written test if they do not have the relevant trade skill certification.

MISCELLANEOUS
CAN A CONSTRUCTION FOREMAN BE REGISTERED AS A TRADESMAN IN THE SAME TRADE?
Yes. In fact, when a construction foreman is registered, he is concurrently registered as a tradesman in the same trade as well. This means that he can also be deployed on site as a tradesman, provided he is not already deployed in another site during the same period of time. There is no need to make a separate application to be registered as a tradesman. However, please note that this is only applicable for following 3 trades, as these are the trades with registration for both tradesmen and foremen: 1. Electrical Works 2. Plumbing and Piping Works 3. Tiling and Stone Laying Works

17

chapter 4
REGISTRATION PROCEDURES

REGISTRATION PROCEDURES

REGISTRATION PROCESS
HOW CAN AN APPLICANT OBTAIN AN APPLICATION FORM?
An electronic copy of the application form may be downloaded online from the BCA website. The address is: www.bca.gov.sg/coretrade. Alternatively, an applicant can go to the registration counter located at BCA Academy to obtain a hard copy of the application form.

IS REGISTRATION FREE?
Under the Regulations, there is an application fee of $20 for registration of construction tradesman or foreman in any one of the trades. However, for the initial implementation phase, BCA will be waiving the application fees to encourage the industry to register their eligible workers under the CoreTrade scheme. Please note that there will be a minimal fee imposed for the skills assessment on a cost-recovery basis.

WHAT INFORMATION IS AN APPLICANT REQUIRED TO GIVE DURING APPLICATION?

In the application form, an applicant who wants to be registered as CoreTrade personnel will need to give the following details: 1. Name; 2. Nationality; 3. Number of years he had worked in the construction industry in Singapore (or in other developed countries); 4. Companies that he has worked for; 5. Trade skill certification that he possesses; 6. Type of work permit he holds (for foreign workers); and 7. Class of CoreTrade personnel (construction tradesman or foreman) and trade for which he wishes to register 2 passport-size photos of the applicant are to be submitted as well. A sample of the registration form is shown over the next few pages:

20

REGISTRATION PROCEDURES

21

REGISTRATION PROCEDURES

22

REGISTRATION PROCEDURES

23

REGISTRATION PROCEDURES

24

REGISTRATION PROCEDURES

25

REGISTRATION PROCEDURES

HOW CAN AN APPLICANT SUBMIT THE APPLICATION FORM?

Once an applicant has completed the form, he may send the form to: Building and Construction Authority c/o BCA Academy 200 Braddell Road, Singapore 579700 (Re: CoreTrade Registration) Alternatively, he may submit his application form through drop-in boxes at BCA Academy, Enrolment Unit. His application form should be accompanied together with supporting documents, such as skill certificates and photocopy of work passes, where applicable. Upon receiving the application, the registration officer will assess if the applicants skill and experience meet the registration requirements. If they do, the registration officer will inform the applicant within 7 working days that his application has been successful. If necessary, the applicant will have to undergo the skill verification process (skill assessment for tradesmen; skills assessment and written test for construction foremen). Once he passes the skills verification stage, he will be registered as a CoreTrade personnel. Start Yes

Applicant obtains and completes the application form. Applicant submits the application form via mail or drop-in boxes at BCA Academy. Registration officer assesses if applicants skill qualifications and experience meet the requirement. Skill verification required?

No Applicant undergoes skill verification stage.

Registration officer informs applicant if skill verification is required.

Applicant passes skill verification stage?

Yes Applicants skill qualifications and experience meet BCAs requirements? No Applicant does not get registered as CoreTrade personnel. Yes

No

Applicant gets registered as CoreTrade personnel

End

End
26

REGISTRATION PROCEDURES

WILL THERE BE A REGISTRATION CARD ISSUED TO THE APPLICANT UPON SUCCESSFUL REGISTRATION?
Yes, a registration card will be issued. This document will indicate if the registration is for construction tradesman or foreman, as well as the trade for which the worker is registered. A photo of the worker will also be shown on the document for identification purposes. All CoreTrade personnel are supposed to carry this document with them on the construction sites at which they are deployed.

A sample of the registration card is shown below.

Photo of a worker for identification

CTF is the code for foremen; CTW is the code for tradesemen. SSW is the code for structural steel works. Different trades will have different codes.

Expiry date will be 2 years from the date of registration.

HOW LONG IS THE REGISTRATION VALID FOR?

The registration is valid for 2 years, after which renewal is required.

CAN THE PUBLIC HAVE ACCESS TO THE DATABASE OF THE CORETRADE PERSONNEL WHO HAVE BEEN REGISTERED BY BCA?
No. There will not be a public register of CoreTrade personnel. Only CoreTrade personnel and their employers will know of their status as CoreTrade personnel.

27

chapter 5
DEPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS

DEPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS

RATIONALE BEHIND DEPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS

DO THE REQUIREMENTS APPLY TO ALL PROJECTS?
CoreTrade requirements are only applicable to projects of value $20 million or more.

HOW IS MAN-YEAR DEFINED?

Man-year can be defined as a unit of work representing the productive effort of one person in a period of 260 working days; or its equivalent.

WHY ARE THE REQUIREMENTS IN MAN-YEARS INSTEAD OF THE NUMBER OF CORETRADE WORKERS?
This is to allow flexibility in the deployment of CoreTrade personnel. Different projects vary in duration, manpower needs and project management. Specifying the requirements in man-years, as defined above, will allow project managers to deploy CoreTrade personnel based on the uniqueness of each project. For example, if a CoreTrade tradesman is deployed on a project site for 2 years, the number of man-years that is counted towards meeting the requirements is 2 manyears. This is equivalent to 2 CoreTrade tradesmen working on another project site for 1 year, or 4 tradesmen for half-year duration. Although this is a simplified example, it highlights how the concept of man-years allows for the various combinations of manpower deployment.

ARE THE REQUIREMENTS DEPENDENT ON THE TOTAL CONTRACT VALUE OF THE PROJECT?
Yes. The minimum number of man-years required increases with the total contract value. This is because the overall contract value generally provides a fair indication of the scale of works to be carried out, and hence the level of manpower requirements to be imposed. The greater the scale of project, the higher the manpower deployment requirements. However, beyond a certain value, which is $100 million in this case, BCA noted that manpower requirements do not necessarily continue to increase linearly with contract value. Hence, for projects exceeding $100 million, the manpower deployment requirements are halved for the value in excess of $100 million.

CAN A CORETRADE WORKER BE CONCURRENTLY DEPLOYED IN MORE THAN 1 PROJECT?

No. At any point in time, a CoreTrade worker can only be deployed in 1 project.

30

DEPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS

DO THE REQUIREMENTS DIFFER DEPENDING ON THE TYPE OF PROJECTS?

Yes. Currently, there are 3 broad classes of projects. They are new building works, addition and alteration works and civil engineering works. These 3 categories have been chosen because they are distinctly different in their manpower needs.

DEPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS
WHAT ARE THE DEPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS?
(A) New building works New building works will generally require construction foremen in structural and non-structural trades. Tradesmen in Construction Plant Operation and trades such as Electrical Works, Plumbing and Piping Works, as well as Tiling and Stone Laying Works, will also be involved in the project. The table below shows the deployment requirements for new building works.

Class of CoreTrade Personnel

Man-years Required Trades First $100m Excess of $100m Remarks Combination of manyears between these 2 trades is allowed

Structural trades: RC Works 0.5MY per $10m Structural Steel Works Non-structural trades: Electrical Works Plumbing and 0.5MY per $10m Piping Works Tiling and Stone Laying Waterproofing Works Construction 0.5MY per $10m Plant Operation Electrical Works Plumbing and 0.5MY per $10m Piping Works Tiling and Stone Laying

0.5MY per $20m AND

Foremen

0.5MY per $20m

Combination of manyears among these 4 trades is allowed.

0.5MY per $20m AND

Tradesmen

0.5MY per $20m

Combination of manyears among these 3 trades is allowed.

31

DEPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS

To make it easier to comprehend the table, we will illustrate with the following worked examples.

WORKED EXAMPLE 1:
Project A is a commercial project that is of $85 million in contract value.

Class of Coretrade Personnel

Man-years Required Trades Structural trades: RC Works Structural Steel Works First $100m 0.5MY x $85m/$10m = 4.25MY AND Excess of $100m NA Total

4.25MY

Foremen

Non- structural trades: Electrical Works Plumbing and Piping Works Tiling and Stone Laying Works Waterproofing Works Construction Plant Operation Electrical Works Plumbing and Piping Works Tiling and Stone Laying Works

0.5MY x $85m/$10m = 4.25MY 0.5MY x $85m/$10m = 4.25MY AND 0.5MY x $85m/$10m = 4.25MY

NA

4.25MY

NA

4.25MY

Tradesmen

NA Total

4.25MY 17MY

The column at the right will show the total number of man-years of construction tradesmen and foremen in the various trades required for project A.

32

DEPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS

WORKED EXAMPLE 2:
Project B is a residential project that is of $150 million in contract value.

Class of Coretrade Personnel

Trades Structural trades: RC Works Structural Steel Works Non- structural trades: Electrical Works Plumbing and Piping Works Tiling and Stone Laying Waterproofing Works Construction Plant Operation

Man-years Required First $100m 0.5MY x $100m/$10m = 5MY AND Excess of $100m 0.5MY x $50m/$20m = 1.25MY

Total

5MY+1.25MY = 6.25MY

Foremen

0.5MY x $100m/$10m = 5MY

0.5MY x $50m/$20m = 1.25MY

5MY+1.25MY = 6.25MY

0.5MY x $100m/$10m 0.5MY x $50m/$20m = 5MY = 1.25MY AND 0.5MY x $100m/$10m = 5MY 0.5MY x $50m/$20m = 1.25MY Total

5MY+1.25MY = 6.25MY

Tradesmen Electrical Works Plumbing and Piping Works Tiling and Stone Laying Works

5MY+1.25MY = 6.25MY 25 MY

33

DEPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS

(B) Addition and alteration works The deployment requirements for addition and alteration (A and A) works are rather similar to those for new building works, except for the requirements for tradesmen. We noted from industry feedback that Construction Plant Operation may not always be applicable in A and A works. Hence, for A and A works, tradesmen can be deployed from any of the 4 trades: Construction Plant Operation, Electrical Works, Plumbing and Piping Works, as well as Tiling and Stone Laying Works. This will allow for flexibility in deployment, even for projects where construction plant operation is not applicable.

Class of Coretrade Personnel

Man-years Required Trades Structural trades: RC Works Structural Steel Works First $100m Excess of $100m Remarks

0.5MY per $10m

Combination of man-years 0.5MY per $20m between these 2 trades is allowed.

Foremen

Tradesmen

AND Non- structural trades: Electrical Works 0.5MY per $10m Plumbing and Piping Works Tiling and Stone Laying Works Waterproofing Works Construction Plant Operation Electrical Works 1MY per $10m Plumbing and Piping Works Tiling and Stone Laying Works

Combination of man-years among 0.5MY per $20m these 4 trades is allowed. Combination of man-years among these 4 trades is allowed.

1MY per $20m

34

DEPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS

WORKED EXAMPLE 3:
Project C is an A and A project that is of $85 million in contract value. This project involves the use of construction plant such as cranes and piling rigs.

Class of Coretrade Personnel

Man-years Required Trades Structural trades: RC Works Structural Steel Works First $100m 0.5MY x $85m/$10m = 4.25MY AND Excess of $100m NA Total

4.25MY

Foremen

Tradesmen

Non - Structural Trades: Electrical Works Plumbing and Piping Works Tiling and Stone Laying Works Waterproofing Works Construction Plant Operation Electrical Works Plumbing and Piping Works Tiling and Stone Laying Works

0.5MY x $85m/$10m = 4.25MY

NA

4.25MY

1MY x $85m/$10m = 8.5MY

NA Total

8.5MY 17MY

35

DEPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS

WORKED EXAMPLE 4:
Project D is an A and A project that is of $150 million in contract value. This project involves the use of construction plant such as cranes and piling rigs.

Class of Coretrade Personnel

Man-years Required Trades Structural trades: RC Works Structural Steel Works First $100m 0.5MY x $100m/$10m = 5MY AND Non- structural trades: Electrical Works Plumbing and Piping Works Tiling and Stone Laying Works Waterproofing Works Construction Plant Operation Electrical Works Plumbing and Piping Works Tiling and Stone Laying Works 0.5MY x $100m/$10m = 5MY 0.5MY x $50m/$20m 5MY+1.25MY = 1.25MY = 6.25MY Excess of $100m Total

0.5MY x $50m/$20m 5MY+1.25MY = 1.25MY = 6.25MY

Trade Foremen

Tradesmen

1MY x $100m/$10m = 10MY

1MY x $50m/$20m = 2.5MY Total

10MY+2.5MY = 12.5MY 25MY

WORKED EXAMPLE 5:
Project E is an A and A project that is of $150 million in contract value. In this project, no construction plant is involved.

Class of Coretrade Personnel

Trades

Man-years Required First $100m Excess of $100m

Total

Structural trades: RC Works Structural Steel Works Non- structural trades: Electrical Works Plumbing and Piping Works Tiling and Stone Laying Works Waterproofing Works Electrical Works Tradesmen Plumbing and Piping Works Tiling and Stone Laying Works Foremen

0.5MY x $100m/$10m 0.5MY x $50m/$20m 5MY+1.25MY = 6.25MY = 1.25MY = 5MY AND 0.5MY x $100m/$10m 0.5MY x $50m/$20m 5MY+1.25MY = 5MY = 1.25MY = 6.25MY

1MY x $100m/$10m = 10MY

1MY x $50m/$20m = 2.5MY Total

10MY+2.5MY = 12.5MY 25MY

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DEPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS

(C) Civil engineering works In civil engineering works, workers are predominantly engaged in structural trades. Hence, deployment requirements for this class of projects only involve construction foremen in structural trades and tradesmen in Construction Plant Operation. In the event that Construction Plant Operation is not applicable, the deployment requirements for tradesmen can be satisfied with deployment of foremen in lieu of tradesmen. Class of Coretrade Personnel Foremen Man-years Required Trades Structural trades: RC Works Structural Steel Works Construction Plant Operation First $100m Excess of $100m Remarks

Combination of man-years 0.5MY per $10m 0.5MY per $20m between these 2 trades is allowed. 0.5MY per $10m 0.5MY per $20m OR

Tradesmen

Foremen

Structural trades: RC Works Structural Steel Works

1MY per $10m

1MY per $20m

This combination is only allowed if Construction Plant Operation is not applicable in the project.

WORKED EXAMPLE 6:
Project F is a civil engineering project that is of $150 million in contract value. Construction plant is applicable for this project.

Class of Coretrade Personnel Foremen

Man-years Required Trades Structural trades: RC Works Structural Steel Works Construction Plant Operation First $100m 0.5MY x $100m/$10m = 5MY Excess of $100m 0.5MY x $50m/$20m = 1.25MY Total 5MY+1.25MY = 6.25MY

Tradesmen

0.5MY x $100m/$10m = 5MY

0.5MY x $50m/$20m = 1.25MY Total

5MY+1.25MY = 6.25MY 12.5MY

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DEPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS

WORKED EXAMPLE 7:
Project G is a civil engineering project that is of $150 million in contract value. In this project, no construction plant is involved.

Class of Coretrade Personnel Trade Foremen

Trades

Man-years Required First $100m Excess of $100m 1MY x $50m/$20m = 2.5MY

Total

Structural trades: RC Works Structural Steel Works

1MY x $100m/$10m = 10MY

10MY+2.5MY = 12.5MY

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chapter 6
SUBMISSION OF MANPOWER DEPLOYMENT PLANS

SUBMISSION OF MANPOWER DEPLOYMENT PLANS

WHO IS IN CHARGE OF MAKING THE SUBMISSION OF MANPOWER DEPLOYMENT PLANS?

Main contractors (Class 1 General Builders), to which the permit to commence structural works is issued, are responsible for making the submission of manpower deployment plans for projects subject to CoreTrade requirements. They have to decide which trades to deploy CoreTrade personnel, as well as the duration over which these personnel are to be deployed. This could involve co-ordination with the sub-contractors on the deployment of CoreTrade personnel under the sub-contractors.

WHEN IS THE CONTRACTOR REQUIRED TO SUBMIT THE MANPOWER DEPLOYMENT PLAN?

The contractor is required to submit the manpower deployment plan within 30 days from the date of the grant of permit to carry out structural works for the project.

WHAT KIND OF INFORMATION IS REQUIRED ON THE MANPOWER DEPLOYMENT PLAN?

The contractor has to indicate the number of CoreTrade tradesmen and trade foremen who will be deployed for his project, the trades they are deployed in and the schedule of their deployment. At the point of submission when the project is still at the early stage of progress, the provisions of the names of all CoreTrade personnel to be deployed are not required. However, once these details are firmed up, the contractor shall update the list of names of the CoreTrade personnel to be deployed. Any changes to the deployment schedule can also be made after the first submission of manpower deployment plans.

40

SUBMISSION OF MANPOWER DEPLOYMENT PLANS

SUBMISSION PROCEDURES
HOW DOES THE CONTRACTOR SUBMIT THE MANPOWER DEPLOYMENT PLAN?
An online system has been developed to facilitate the submission of manpower deployment plans electronically. This system aims to provide greater convenience to the contractors in the submission and subsequent updating of the plans. The following screen shots show the key steps in submitting the manpower deployment plans. For more information, please refer to the latest and more detailed user guide for this online system, which will be uploaded on the CoreTrade website (www.bca.gov.sg/coretrade).

Step 1:
The contractor will log on to CoreTrade website: www.bca.gov.sg/CoreTrade/PEP

For every new project under the contractor, the contractor is given a log-in password. With this project-specific password, he can now log on anytime to make his manpower deployment submission.

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SUBMISSION OF MANPOWER DEPLOYMENT PLANS

Step 2:
Under Man-Year Requirement, he can view a summary of the CoreTrade deployment requirements that the IT system has auto-generated for his project based on the total contract value.

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SUBMISSION OF MANPOWER DEPLOYMENT PLANS

Step 3:
Under PEP Declaration, he can now proceed to key in the required details, such as the number of CoreTrade personnel and the schedule deployment. He can come back to make amendments to this deployment plan should there be further changes.

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SUBMISSION OF MANPOWER DEPLOYMENT PLANS

Step 4:
Once he has confirmed the details of his CoreTrade personnel, he can key in the CoreTrade registration number of the workers under PEP Deployment. Please note that if the worker has already been deployed in another project, the system will not allow this worker to be deployed in this project. An error message will be shown.

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SUBMISSION OF MANPOWER DEPLOYMENT PLANS

Step 5:
The contractor can view the deployment of all the CoreTrade personnel deployed in this particular project in a deployment chart.

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SUBMISSION OF MANPOWER DEPLOYMENT PLANS

WHAT ARE THE PENALTIES IF A CONTRACTOR MAKES FALSE DECLARATIONS DURING THE SUBMISSION?
As the submission of manpower deployment plan is mandatory as a condition of Builders Licence, making false declarations could result in penalties being imposed on the contractor. Under the Building Control Act, a penalty could be in the form of: Revocation of the Builders Licence Suspension of the Builders Licence for a maximum of 6 months Financial penalty not exceeding $20,000 Censure Restriction on the builders business

KEEPING OF RECORDS ON SITE

WHAT KIND OF RECORDS ARE REQUIRED TO BE KEPT ON SITE?
The contractor is required to keep and maintain the following documents on the site where building works are carried out for the project: 1. 2. 3. A copy of the approved manpower programme An official site attendance record for all registered construction personnel deployed A record of all documents accounting for the absence of each registered construction personnel during the scheduled period of his deployment

During a site audit, when a BCA officer visits a project site to audit the accuracy of the manpower deployment programme, the contractor is required to show the officer the above records for the purpose of audit.

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chapter 7
MISCELLANEOUS

MISCELLANEOUS

WHEN WILL THESE NEW REQUIREMENTS COME IN PLACE?

Registration of workers has commenced in December 2008. The requirements for submission of manpower deployment plans and deployment of the minimum number of CoreTrade personnel will be imposed on all projects for which application for permits to commence structural works are submitted on or after 16 June 2009.

WHO CAN CONTRACTORS CONTACT IF THEY HAVE FURTHER QUERIES ON CORETRADE?

A new hotline 6325 5200 has been specially set up to provide advice and assistance on the CoreTrade scheme from Mondays to Fridays, 9am - 5:30pm. Any queries can also be directed to bca_coretrade@bca.gov.sg.

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Produced by: Building and Construction Authority, Singapore Designed by: ArtNexus Design Pte Ltd Printed in Singapore by: GPS Print Media Pte Ltd

Copyright 2009 Building and Construction Authority, Singapore. All rights reserved. This document or any part of it may not be reproduced for any reason whatsoever or in any form or means whatsoever and howsoever without the prior written consent and approval of the Building and Construction Authority, Singapore. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information in this publication, the Building and Construction Authority, its employees and its agents shall not be responsible for any mistake or inaccuracy found in this Guidebook and expressly disclaim all such liability and responsibility. ISBN 978-981-08-2844-8

Printed on recycled paper

5 Maxwell Road #16-00 Tower Block MND Complex Singapore 069110 Main Line:+65 6325 7720 Fax :+65 6325 4800 Quality Service Manager: 1800 2219001 CoreTrade Hotline: +65 6325 5200 Enquiry Email: bca_coretrade@bca.gov.sg BCA Academy of the Built Environment No. 200 Braddell Road Singapore 579700 Main Line:+65 6248 9999 Fax :+65 6258 0558 http://www.bca.gov.sg Email: bca_enquiry@bca.gov.sg