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STATEMENT OF
GENERAL POLICY 1. It
is the policy of the Company that its operations are executed at all times in
such a way as to ensure, so far as is reasonably
practicable, the health, safety, and welfare of all its employees and all
persons likely to be affected by its
operations, including subcontractors, and members of the public. 2. This
policy is the direct concern of the Company, with Mr O’Donnell as Contracts
Director having responsibility for its overall implementation. 3. The
Company Directors, contracts manager, site agents, foremen and safety officer
are to apply this policy throughout the firm's operations. 4. On
each site and in the workshop the manager, agent or foreman responsible is
required to ensure that the Company’s safety procedures are observed by all
employees. Employees are reminded
that they have a duty, under the Health and Safety at Work Act, to take
reasonable care for their own safety and the safety of others who may be
affected by their acts or omissions and also to co-operate with the Company in
its arrangements to perform or comply with statutory safety obligations which
include adherence to the Company’s safety policy. 5. Safety
committees, where applicable, will keep under review the firm's safety measures
in accordance with the policy formulated by this Company. I.
Duties of Senior Management: a.
To implement the Company’s policy for the prevention of injury, damage
or loss and to accept that they are accountable for the safety, health and
welfare of all the employees and of others likely to be affected by operations
being carried out by the Company. b.
To observe the requirements of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and
all obligations under it and all other regulations governing works of building
and civil engineering construction. c.
Once the Company is appointed as principal contractor, to develop the
health and safety plan into a working project document, ensuring that it
contains all of the necessary information d.
To arrange for competent and adequately resourced contractors to carry
out the work where it is subcontracted e.
To determine at the planning stage: i
the most appropriate order and method of working ii
the provision of adequate lighting iii
the allocation of responsibilities with subcontractors and others iv
the hazards which might arise from overhead or underground power lines
and other situations which might lead to necessary improvisations on site v
basic fire precautions f.
To ensure, so far as it is reasonably practicable to do so, that every
contractor and all persons at work on site comply with the rules and regulations
outlined in the Company’s Guide to Health & Safety for Subcontractors and, specifically,
the provisions of the health and safety plan and any rules in it g.
To take reasonable steps to ensure that all contractors co-operate as far
as is necessary to enable each of them to comply with the relevant statutory
provisions h.
Only allow authorized persons on to site or into premises where
construction work is being carried out i.
To obtain from other contractors engaged to work on the project details
of their risk assessments and details of how they intend to manage any of their
works that carry any risk j.
To ensure that the details contained in any notice given to the Health
and Safety Executive are displayed on site where people at work can see it k.
To give to the planning supervisor any information that it has, or can
readily obtain, and is needed for inclusion in the health and safety file l.
to monitor health and safety performance of persons or companies working
on the project m.
To give to every other contractor information on the risks to the health
and safety of employees that the project, or the construction work contained in
the project, will bring about n.
To ensure, so far as it is reasonably practicable to do so, that all
employees have received proper information and training as is required by any
other legislation, together with information about risks to their health and
safety on the project o.
To ensure that everyone working on site has the opportunity to discuss
and to make known to the Company their views on any health and safety matters
that might affect them, and to co-ordinate such views. p.
To ensure that all employees receive adequate and appropriate training q.
To ensure that adequate supervision is available at all work places r.
To insist that employees use safe working practices at all times, in
particular by reference to any relevant Code of Practice s.
To institute proper reporting, investigation and costing of injury,
damage and loss with a view to achieving a reduction in accident rates by
analyzing accident causes and trends t.
To co-ordinate safety activities with sub-contractors or individual
contractors and to allow for such co-operation at the tendering stage. u
to provide and maintain safe plant and working conditions v
to explain the sequence of operations, to outline potential hazards at
each stage and indicate precautions to be adopted w
to co-ordinate safety activities with subcontractors and other
contractors who may be working on the same project x
to check over working methods and precautions with site management before
work starts y
to ensure that work, once started, is carried out as planned and that the
Construction Regulations are observed z
to set a -personal example by wearing appropriate protective clothing
when visiting sites
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Health and Safety Legislation The
Health & Safety at Work Act (HSW Act) places primary responsibility for
health and safety on site with employers. They must ensure the health and safety
of their own workers and other people who may be affected by their work,
including members of the public. Not only employers have specific duties under
the Act, the self-employed and employees must comply with the legislation, which
applies to them. Notwithstanding
any specific reference made to any Act, Regulation or British Standard etc
within this guide it shall be deemed that contractors to Property Repair Ltd
should carry out work in accordance with all current Acts, Regulations, or
British Standards.
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The Parties Involved in a Project ·
Clients ·
Professional Advisers ·
Property Repair Ltd.
as Main Contractor ·
Subcontractors ·
Employees
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Short listing Subcontractors for Tender Health
and safety factors are taken into account when judging whether to invite a
subcontractor to tender. In
preparing the tender list, potential subcontractors will only be included if
they show competence in the management of health and safety matters. Candidates
may be subjected to a pre-tender assessment to ensure that competitiveness in
terms of price will not be achieved at the expense of health and safety. A
subcontractor with the correct management attitude should be willing to provide
information on past performance, policies and practical proposals for the
management of health and safety during a project. Those
subcontractors required by law to prepare a written safety policy should give a
copy to Property Repair Ltd.
Management at the earliest opportunity. This will provide evidence of management
attitude. Laudable statements are not enough, they should be supported by
detailed, well prepared arrangements. The policy should be a working document
with provisions for monitoring its effectiveness and therefore subject to
amendment and updating as appropriate. A director or partner should be named as
having the final responsibility for health and safety and should sign and date
it. The
use which subcontractors make of accident information in preventing accidents
may also indicate a willingness to monitor and improve health and safety
performance. Subcontractors
should be able to show that they can call upon professional health and safety
advisers either internally or externally. They should also show that they are
prepared to allocate resources for safety supervision, joint consultation,
training and safety equipment in relation to the size and nature of the project. Property
Repair Ltd.
Management may look at past performance of a subcontractor to see whether he
should be shortlisted. Subcontractors should prepare for reasonable questions
being asked by Property Repair Ltd.
Management about past performance. Factors which might be taken into account
when assessing past performance include serious accidents and/or dangerous
occurrences, enforcement action by HSE (i.e. prosecutions and enforcement
notices), and justified complaints about health and safety matters both from
within the site, through safety representatives, and from external sources
including members of the public. Assessments will be reviewed regularly to
ensure that judgements are based on the latest information. In this way a
subcontractor with a previously poor performance who demonstrates significant
improvement need not be excluded from consideration.
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Tender Stage Property
Repair Ltd. will normally send subcontractors that are invited to tender the
following documents: ·
A
brief list of particulars - this
gives in summary form a list of special clauses that are relevant to the
contract and which should be taken into account when subcontractors are
preparing their tender. ·
A
schedule of works - this
indicates the work that is proposed and should be priced according to the
various items in the document. Drawings
may be issued at this stage but this depends on availability and requirements,
but they will always be available for inspection at Property
Repair Ltd. offices. Likewise, a detailed pre-tender health and safety
plan drawn up by the planning supervisor may follow the same pattern.
Subcontractors will always be notified of any specific major health and safety
implications that are known at this stage, however.
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Construction Planning Stage This
is a crucial project stage when Property
Repair Ltd. assumes responsibility as main contractor following a
successful tender bid. Property Repair
Ltd. shall accept responsibility for the effective coordination of safety
matters on site and prepare appropriate procedures for the construction stage.
It will be the duty of Property Repair
Ltd. to develop and implement the health and safety plan from this point
onwards. It
is at this stage that Property Repair
Ltd. Management will select subcontractors. Subcontractors will be given information about the project, the site and the procedures for the safety organisation on the site, to enable them to fulfill their responsibilities. All subcontractors should accept at the tender stage, the main contractor's right to manage the site. They should agree to cooperate on health and safety matters with other contractors and accept the need to obey site rules. Detailed arrangements will be agreed with each appointed subcontractor at an initial safety meeting. This meeting will be chaired by the Senior members of Property Repair Ltd. Staff on Site and will follow the agenda laid down by Property Repair Ltd. Where
work on services are to be provided to Property
Repair Ltd. whilst working on client occupied premises, special
regulations may apply, these being in addition to the full range of Property Repair Ltd. safety regulations. Cooperation with the
occupiers is essential and Property
Repair Ltd. Management will advise subcontractors of additional rules and
conditions.
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Construction Stage Subcontractors
have specific and direct responsibility for the health and safety of their own
employees and others that may be affected by their work. Responsibilities should
be made clear to workers from the start and should include cooperation with
employers; general site discipline; care for their own and others' safety;
wearing of safety helmets and other protective clothing; proper use of common
facilities; and reporting of defects and hazards. Programme The
overall programme for work on site, drawn up by Property
Repair Ltd. Management, will indicate the proposed starting times for
significant phases and any special measures necessary to prevent one contractor
causing hazards to another contractor's employees at particular times in the
project. Planned
Procedures Where
complex and potentially hazardous tasks are to be undertaken by a subcontractor,
Property Repair Ltd. will require
written method statements. This is particularly important for temporary works,
the erection of structural frames and demolition. Formal permit to work systems
will be needed for tasks where serious injury can be avoided only by complying
with every aspect of a detailed safe system of work. In these cases, detailed
written method statements will be essential and examples of such tasks include,
hot work in flammable/explosive atmospheres and work in potentially hazardous
confined spaces. Property
Repair Ltd.
will ensure collection of up to date information on possible potentially
hazardous materials that may be used on site. This information will be available
to those with a legitimate need for that information. Subcontractors should
ensure that all up to date relevant information on materials that they may bring
on to site is brought to the attention of Property Repair Ltd. Management prior to its use. With
reference to the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1992 which
came into force on 1 January 1993 Property
Repair Ltd. will require from subcontractors: ·
A
suitable and sufficient assessment for works which may involve risk to
subcontractors employees, or any other person. 1.
Identify the risk. 2.
What persons are at risk? 3.
What precautions should be taken? E.g.
personal protective equipment. ·
A
C.O.S.H.H. assessment prior to works which may require it i.e. tile adhesive
work, wood preservation, spraying or stone cleaning as examples. ·
An
assessment of the risk of manual handling operations that cannot be carried out
by means of power equipment with solutions to reduce the risk as far as is
reasonably possible. Coordination,
Liaison and Communication To
ensure effective management, Property
Repair Ltd. senior manager on site (the site manager) will coordinate the
activities of the parties. The site manager needs to be kept well informed of
progress and problems to enable him to disseminate important information
throughout the site. Clear lines of communication will be set up. Each
subcontractor should nominate an individual supervisor to liaise on a day to day
basis with the site manager. Workforce representatives should be identified and
informed of the person to contact for decision and action if there is an
imminent risk. Regular project meetings will be held to ensure coordination and
each party should be represented. Entry
into Premises or on to Site On
initial arrival employees of subcontractors must
report to Property Repair Ltd.
Site Management in respect of works or services being undertaken by or for Property
Repair Ltd. Only authorised persons will be allowed on site. Monitoring The
site manager will set down the arrangements for the health and safety monitoring
of the site; both on a day to day basis and in the longer term. This may include
environmental monitoring for hazardous dust, fume, and noise etc and any
necessary routine health surveillance. The site manager will generally tend to
conduct the daily site inspection himself, with periodic health and safety
inspections being carried out by Property
Repair Ltd. contracts safety adviser. Subcontractors
should note that the safety adviser and/or site manager would inspect all site
activities (even where the subcontractor has his own safety adviser). These
inspections will not relieve subcontractors of their responsibility for
inspecting their own work regularly. Employees through their representatives
should be encouraged to report matters of concern to management, and individual
supervisors should monitor safety on a day to day basis so as to ensure that
planned procedures are followed.
Training Where
particularly severe or unusual hazards may arise on site Property
Repair Ltd. reserve the right to require a subcontractor's employees to
attend special safety training and instruction sessions whether carried out on
site or externally. On larger projects, Property
Repair Ltd. may also require a subcontractor's employees to undergo
specified induction safety training. These aspects should be confirmed with Property
Repair Ltd. at the tender stage. Property
Repair Ltd. shall display health and safety information for the workforce
on notice boards and posters on site. Common
Facilities, Plant and Equipment Welfare
facilities, occupational health and hygiene services, scaffolds and access
equipment, cranes and other plant intended for common use will be identified and
the specific rules for their use set out. Similarly site wide emergency
procedures and permit to work systems will be explained to subcontractors. Subcontractors
will adhere strictly to the Construction (Health, Safety and Welfare)
Regulations 1996, and will keep statutory inspection registers available for
inspection both by Health and Safety Executive Inspectors and Property Repair Ltd.. Particular attention will be paid to strength
and stability of both mobile and fixed scaffolding provision of guard rails and
toe boards, quality and support of timber. Any alterations should be notified to
and inspected by a competent person from Property Repair Ltd. before use. All ladders provided by a
subcontractor must be in sound condition, placed at the correct angle, and
firmly secured when in use. First
aid and welfare facilities will be provided in strict accordance with the
Construction (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1996. Where they are
shared with Property Repair Ltd, Form
202 designating the arrangements shall be made out in accordance with these
regulations. Reporting
of Accidents, Dangerous Occurrences, Fires, Occupational Illness In
addition to his or her own procedures in the above, subcontractors shall report
to the Property Repair Ltd site manager any accident to an employee which causes absence from work beyond working shift. Where
appropriate, a copy of official form F2508 (Report of notifiable accident to
Enforcing Authority) should be attached. Lifting
Operations Before
a subcontractor carries out any lifting operation for and on behalf of Property
Repair Ltd, he shall produce for inspection by Property Repair Ltd Management: ·
The appropriate
statutory inspection reports/certificates. ·
Evidence
that the operator of any crane or lifting machine is trained and competent. ·
Detailed
information as to the way in which lifting operations are to be carried out and
as to the equipment to be used. Subcontractors
must also consult with Property Repair Ltd Management before carrying out any
lifting operation with a crane or lifting machine to ensure: ·
The ground or place
where the crane or lifting machine is standing is suitable and will withstand
the weight imposed on it. ·
That no part of the
crane or lifting machine is likely to foul overhead gantries, pipelines,
electric lines or adjacent electrical conductors. Careful attention must be
given to the proximity of overhead electrical lines. Excavations Before
any excavation is commenced Property Repair Ltd Management must be consulted and
the presence of electrical cables, drains, sewers, pipes, gas and water mains
checked. The
requirements of the Construction (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1996
will be observed in relation to shoring etc, and where there is a danger of
personnel falling into excavations the excavations will be securely fenced
around or along the edge. Housekeeping All
subcontractors are expected to carry out their work for or on behalf of Property
Repair Ltd in a clean and orderly manner, and maintain their site establishment
likewise in compliance with the Construction (Health, Safety and Welfare)
Regulations 1996. Fire
Precautions Before
carrying out welding, flame or arc metal cutting, paint burning, or other
processes involving heat or naked lights fire precautions must be agreed with
Property Repair Ltd Management. Where necessary, Property Repair Ltd Management
will prescribe permits to work. Subcontractors
should familiarise both themselves and their employees with Property Repair Ltd
fire precautions, fire alarms, means of escape, and emergency evacuation
procedures. Before
leaving Property Repair Ltd premises and sites subcontractors to Property Repair
Ltd should ensure that naked lights and other ignition sources have been
extinguished and electrical apparatus switched off where practicable. Subcontractors
should comply with the The Chemical (Hazard Information and Packaging and
Supply) regulations 1994, with particular reference to the storage of the
aforementioned flammable items. Fencing
of Machinery All
prime movers, transmission machinery, and dangerous parts of machinery should be
securely fenced in accordance with statutory requirements. It is the
subcontractor's duty to ensure this before any plant or machinery is brought on
to site by him. Electrical
Work Subcontractors
should comply with the Construction (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations
1996 and the The Electricity and Working Regulations 1989. Safety procedures,
and if necessary permits to work, must be agreed with Property Repair Ltd
Management before electrical work commences. All electrical systems in temporary
accommodation must comply with regulations and be fitted with RCCB switch
device. In particular, all steel constructed containers must be bonded to earth
continuity systems where electrical supply has been installed. On
site portable electrical apparatus and electric lighting should be supplied at
110 volts by means of mains isolation transformers with the secondary-winding
centre tapped to earth. If for any reason this is not practicable; safe working
procedures must be agreed with Property Repair Ltd Management Services
and Operating Processes Property
Repair Ltd Management must be consulted for approval when any work to be done by
subcontractors is likely to affect any operating process, machinery or service.
The same rule applies to coupling in to any compressed air line, steam line,
oxygen line, vacuum fuel line or other service. Personal
Protective Equipment (PPE) Subcontractors
should comply with the Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992
except where other existing health and safety legislation already deals fully
with a particular type of PPE. These Regulations are COSHH, Noise at Work,
Control of Lead and Asbestos, and the Construction (Head Protection)
Regulations. Subcontractors
must provide and ensure that their employees make full use of such equipment as
the circumstances demand. This includes safety helmets, eye protection, safety
shoes, gloves etc. Where it is a site rule that such items of equipment are
worn, Property Repair Ltd reserves the right to request the removal from sites
any employee not complying with this rule. Project
Meetings Once
work on site begins, regular project meetings will be convened. Health and
safety will be given a justified allocation and not be passed over at the end of
the meeting due to lack of time. Each meeting will consider safety performance.
Past performance will be reviewed by considering how well the planned policy,
organisation and arrangements have been implemented. The Property Repair Ltd
safety adviser will review inspections and any preventive measures arising out
of investigated accidents. If necessary, poor performing subcontractors or
supervisors will be identified and commitments sought to improve matters. The
subcontractor's representatives can air problems in fulfilling planned
procedures and modifications can be discussed and agreed with the relevant
parties.
web. www.propertyrepairltd.co.uk Registered Office: 52 Montrose Terrace, Edinburgh, EH7 5DL
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