Specifying Protection

Detailing and specifying temporary protection of historic interiors during construction is the responsibility of both the architect and contractor. Most general conditions of a construction contract contain language similar to AIA Document A201, General Conditions of the Contract for Construction: "The Contractor shall be solely responsible for and have control over construction means, methods, techniques, sequences and procedures and for coordinating all portions of the work."(2) The same document in a later paragraph states "The Architect will not have control over or charge of and will not be responsible for construction means, methods, techniques, sequences or procedures, or for safety precautions and programs in connection with the worked."(3) And, directly related to temporary protection, "The Contractor shall use reasonable precautions for safety of, and shall provide reasonable protection to prevent damage, injury, or loss to . . . other property at the site or adjacent to . . . not designated for removal, relocation, or replacement in the course of construction.''(4) Thus, the contractor is responsible for the means and methods of construction, including protection of public and property. The courts have reinforced this concept by holding an architect liable for construction injuries where the architect took an active role in enforcing construction safety practices.

The above notwithstanding, architects routinely specify temporary facilities including temporary utilities, temporary construction and support facilities, and security and protection services. For preservation projects, it is recommended that temporary protection of historic interiors during construction be specified in a separate Division 1 specification section entitled "Special Project Procedure'' or "Restoration Project Procedures'' to ensure that required provisions are not overlooked by bidders because they appear in the often lengthy Section 01500 - Temporary Facilities. Under competitive bidding circumstances, bidders logically seek to minimize the cost to the project for providing temporary facilities, including temporary protection of historic interiors. By creating a separate section in a price proposal, the bidder will be inclined to treat the "special project procedures'' as an added cost rather than a part of the temporary facilities required for any alteration project. The contractor's project manager can thus anticipate making reasonable expenditures for providing specified temporary protection during construction. To ensure the adequacy of temporary protection measures in projects involving a construction manager, temporary protection is often best provided by the construction manager, who normally works for the owner on a cost-plus-fee basis (see figure 7).

Figure 7. A contractor's solution to protecting the limestone door surround consisted of thin foam sheeting, secured with wood nailed to the masonry. This protection was rejected as inadequate by the architect, and a full plywood enclosure constructed. In the architect's solution, it should be noted that a temporary door is used while the original door is stored for safe keeping during construction. Photo: Ford Farewell Mills and Gatsch Architects.

Temporary protection should generally be specified rather than detailed, with details provided by the contractor as shop drawings. Materials permitted and prohibited, fasteners, attachment to existing construction, descriptions of assemblies, and other provisions should be specified in adequate detail to enable the contractor to prepare shop drawings for specific field conditions. More detailed requirements may be involved where a conservator's plan is required for select items or rooms due to their special significance.

The temporary protection of historic interiors during construction is also affected by other specification sections. In Section 01045-Cutting and Patching, it should be clearly stipulated who is to perform cutting and patching in spaces involving historic interiors. This is particularly important in multiple prime contracts, where each contractor is responsible for his own cutting and patching. Unless carefully specified, all the positive temporary protection work specified in Section 01100 may be lost to damage done during cutting and patching work. In Section 01500- Temporary Facilities, requirements for trash chutes affect tire protection, as do requirements for field offices, materials storage and site access. Additionally, dust control, whether specified in Section 01500 or in Section 02070 Selective Demolition, must not be permitted in historic buildings by means of water sprinkling.

Conditions prior to commencement of construction should be photographically documented by the contractor. For large preservation projects, project specifications may require a professionally prepared videotape survey of the entire building interior. For small projects, a videotape survey may also be an effective supplement to existing conditions photographs. The owner may wish to document existing conditions independent of the contractor in order to avoid any future dispute regarding damage caused by construction operations as opposed to pre-existing damage.