How does this affect me?

 

There are different roles that will interact with the MCHW – you may have one or more roles:

Designer

Specifier

Constructor

Project manager

Product supplier

Certification Body

Quantity surveyor

Local authority

Software developer

Designer

  • The updated MCHW is very different from the old version.
  • Several DMRB documents have been updated to align with the new MCHW, see also DMRB amendments.
  • You will continue to undertake your design activities and produce design outputs, which will now be inputs into the WSRs, rather than the contract specific appendixes (formerly contained in the Notes for Guidance).
    • You are expected to understand and manage compatibility and interaction between design criteria and relevant product standards.
  • Your design will be implemented by the constructor using the Specification for Highway Works (SHW) and the WSRs.
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Specifier

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Constructor

  • The updated MCHW is very different from the old version.
  • There have also been some updates to technical requirements made to specific SHW documents. The revised MCHW documents should be read to confirm the full extent of the technical changes and how they apply to particular work aspects, see also Changes summarised by document for an overview of key changes.
  • You will construct the solution described in the contract-specific specification and drawings following the SHW in accordance with all other contract obligations, see also how the updated MCHW operates contractually.
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Project manager

  • The updated MCHW is very different from the old version.
  • There have also been some updates to technical requirements made to specific SHW documents. The revised MCHW documents should be read to confirm the full extent of the technical changes and how they apply to particular work aspects, see also Changes summarised by document for an overview of key changes.
  • The updated MCHW will start to be implemented in contracts let after the MCHW publication date, see GP 110 for the implementation requirements. Generally speaking, as Project Manager you will be responsible for making a decision whether to use a new or revised document depending on the stage of the project and the impact of implementing the new documents. For existing design and construction contracts, see When do I adopt it.
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Product supplier

  • The updated MCHW is very different from the old version.
    • It has a new structure, clause style, and numbering system. For an overview of mapping from the old MCHW document to the updated MCHW document codes, see also Document mapping.
    • There have also been some updates to technical requirements made to specific SHW documents. The revised MCHW documents should be read to confirm the full extent of the technical changes and how they apply to particular work aspects, see also Changes summarised by document for an overview of key changes.
  • You will continue to supply the products and materials needed to construct the solution.
  • The materials and products will need to meet the specification requirements for the particular contract they are being used for.
    • Contracts using the old MCHW – old MCHW requirements apply​.
    • Contracts using the updated MCHW – updated MCHW requirements apply.
  • Whilst the updated MCHW has a significantly different format, the technical changes are not as significant. Generally, where materials and products meet the technical requirements of the old MCHW on the whole they are likely to meet the technical requirements of the updated MCHW.
  • You will need to familiarise with the documents for the technical areas relevant to your product or service, plus with the sections in GC 101 that are relevant to your product or service.
  • Where appropriate, prescriptive (method-based) requirements have been replaced with performance-based requirements to provide a framework for innovation. Refer to the specific MCHW documents for details on updates to your product.
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Certification body

  • The updated MCHW is very different from the old version.
  • There have also been some updates to technical requirements made to specific SHW documents. The revised MCHW documents should be read to confirm the full extent of the technical changes and how they apply to particular work aspects, see also Changes summarised by document for an overview of key changes.
  • Since the updated MCHW has a new document and clause numbering system, if the certification process directly references MCHW Series or Clauses, then those processes will need to be changed to those relevant in the updated MCHW. The aspects covered by the certification will need to be checked against the updated MCHW for any changed requirements for the associated activities.
  • You will also be interested in the verification and documentation requirements to certify / validate that the solution is as described. The new style of the MCHW includes clear verification (including testing and inspection) requirements to prove that products and materials are acceptable and documentation to prove that other requirements have been carried out.
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Quantity surveyor

  • The updated MCHW is very different from the old version.
  • The new Method of Measurement for Highway Works (MMHW) documents have been broken up into different documents to align with the relevant SHW documents. They have kept same clause sequence as they had before (units > measurement > itemisation > item coverage), so there are no significant changes made to the clause style.
  • You will use the MMHW and the contract-specific specification and drawings to measure and assess the cost of the solution where the contract involves bills of quantities.
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Local authority

  • The updated MCHW is very different from the old version.
    • It has a new structure, clause style, and numbering system. For an overview of mapping from the old MCHW document to the updated MCHW document codes, see also Document mapping.
    • Old Volume 3 has been reviewed and it is no longer a separate volume; where deemed still necessary following their review, the Highway Construction Details have been updated and moved to: relevant DMRB documents as illustrative figures; SHW documents where relevant to construction; the Operational Technology Standards Library (OTSL) for traffic technology items. See also Highway Construction Details.
    • The Works Specific Requirements (WSRs) templates are now to be used to produce the contract-specific specification.
  • Several DMRB documents have been updated to align with the new MCHW, see also DMRB amendments.
  • There have also been some updates to technical requirements made to specific SHW documents. The revised MCHW documents should be read to confirm the full extent of the technical changes and how they apply to particular work aspects, see also Changes summarised by document for an overview of key changes.
  • Since the updated MCHW has a new document and clause numbering system, if your documents directly references old MCHW Series or Clauses, then those documents will need to be changed to align with the updated MCHW.
  • GC 100 can be used to define the relevant Overseeing Organisation, which in case of local authorities could be a relevant authority.
  • The MCHW has been drafted for the motorway and all-purpose trunk road network. However, WSRs can be targeted to different roads, differentiating highways and other roads using different WSR’s elements and/or tabs.
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Software developer

  • The updated MCHW is very different from the old version.
  • Since the updated MCHW has a new document and clause numbering system, if your software directly references MCHW Series or Clauses, then it will need to be changed to align with the new clauses.
  • The new MCHW rules are clearer and less ambiguous, more structured and easier to extract the information from. Content will be provided in HTML, which will make it easier to extract information than PDF as currently provided.
  • There is plan to provide an API interface for third party systems, which will enable (i) clause level information to be directly accessed and (ii) changes to clauses between published versions to be easily identified.
  • The numbering system of the Method of Measurement for Highway Works (MMHW) has changed. If your system makes use of work breakdown structures related to the old MCHW series system, be mindful that it needs to be updated to reflect the new document numbering system.
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