Frequently Asked Question - The DoWCoP (Appendix 6) states that the Qualified Person should not be directly involved in the management or execution of the project. Is it acceptable for the Qualified Person to have had some direct role in the early stages of the project (e.g. management of site investigations or setting up the project under planning) and equally – could a Qualified Person become involved in project management or execution once the Declaration is completed and signed?

The DoWCoP (Appendix 6) states that the Qualified Person should not be directly involved in the management or execution of the project. Is it acceptable for the Qualified Person to have had some direct role in the early stages of the project (e.g. management of site investigations or setting up the project under planning) and equally – could a Qualified Person become involved in project management or execution once the Declaration is completed and signed?

There should be no possibility of Qualified Persons checking their own work. As such, it is considered that any direct involvement in the initial stages of the project, or its establishment, will exclude someone from acting in the Qualified Person role on that project.

Once the Declaration is completed, signed and submitted, the Qualified Person role is finished and that person could go on to take a direct role in the management and execution of the project. Note, however, that in a Cluster project, there may be a number of Declarations to be completed and also the possibility of adding to that number if further sites join the Cluster. If the Qualified Person has become involved in the management and execution of the Cluster project having completed the initial Declaration(s) then a new Qualified Person will be required to deal with such additions.