Morgan Sindall is one of the UK's major construction and infrastructure companies. Their project managers needed to understand PAS128 well enough to specify, commission, and verify utility surveys on their projects. This was not operative-level training. It was leadership-level knowledge designed to reduce legal and commercial risk.
The Brief from Morgan Sindall
Morgan Sindall identified a gap at the project management level. Their PMs were commissioning utility surveys as part of standard project planning, but many did not fully understand what PAS128 required, what the different quality levels meant, or how to verify that a delivered survey actually met the specification. This created both legal exposure under CDM 2015 and commercial risk from surveys that did not provide the information needed to design and build safely.
Morgan Sindall needed training that was pitched at the right level. Not a hands-on surveying course, but a structured briefing that would give project managers the confidence to make informed decisions about utility surveys on their projects.
What Sygma Designed
Sygma designed a PAS128 leadership briefing programme covering six core modules, delivered as a classroom session to small groups of 6 to 10 delegates. The programme is available as a half-day or full-day format depending on the depth required.
| Module | Focus |
|---|---|
| What Is PAS128 | The purpose, scope, and structure of the specification |
| Quality Levels (D/C/B/A) | What each quality level delivers and when each is appropriate |
| Legal Duty of Care Under CDM | How PAS128 connects to CDM 2015 responsibilities for clients and principal designers |
| How to Specify Compliant Surveys | Writing specifications that result in the right survey being delivered |
| How to Verify Deliverables | Checking that survey outputs meet the specified quality level |
| PAS128 in Infrastructure Frameworks | How PAS128 integrates with major infrastructure procurement frameworks |
How It Works in Practice
Sessions are delivered in a classroom setting at Morgan Sindall offices or at Sygma's training centre. Group sizes are kept small, between 6 and 10 delegates, to allow for detailed discussion and scenario work. This is not operative-level training and does not include practical surveying elements. Delegate feedback is captured via QR-code surveys at the end of each session.
Key Outcomes
| Outcome | Detail |
|---|---|
| Informed Commissioning | Project managers can specify the correct PAS128 quality level for each project phase |
| Reduced Legal Exposure | Teams understand their CDM duties in relation to underground services information |
| Quality Verification | PMs can check survey deliverables against the specification before accepting them |
| Commercial Protection | Reduces the risk of paying for surveys that do not deliver the required information |
| Framework Alignment | Training content maps to the frameworks Morgan Sindall operates under |
Want a Programme Built Around Your Organisation?
If your project managers or leadership team need to understand PAS128 in the context of your own projects and frameworks, Sygma can design a briefing programme tailored to your requirements.
Learn about bespoke training →