Construction Guidelines

Environmental Operating Plan Guidelines

The Authority has implemented a system of documenting compliance with environmental commitments and requirements during the construction of national road schemes. This system involves main contractors engaged in the construction of national road schemes producing, implementing and maintaining Environmental Operating Plans (EOPs). The key elements of such plans are the:

1. Appointment of an Environmental Manager by the main contractor;
2. Incorporation of environmental commitments and requirements;
3. Outlining methods by which construction work will be managed to meet these environmental commitments and requirements;
4. Identification of roles and responsibilities of the main contractor’s staff having regard to the main contractor’s organisational structure;
5. Incorporation of procedures for communicating with the public and communicating within the main contractor’s organisation;
6. Incorporation of procedures for environmental awareness training;
7. Incorporation of monitoring procedures and responses to the results of monitoring, where contractually required; and
8. Provision of a system of audit and review with regard to the effectiveness of the plan.

Main contractors are provided with guidance with regard to the production, implementation and maintenance of such plans in the Authority’s Guidelines for the Creation, Implementation and Maintenance of an Environmental Operating Plan (National Roads Authority, 2007).