Health and Safety at Work - 7. 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 Raitt 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, Raitt 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. Raitt 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 Raitt 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 Raitt Management will require from subcontractors:
- A suitable and sufficient assessment for works which may involve risk to
subcontractors employees, or any other person.
- Identify the risk.
- What persons are at risk?
- 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, Raitt's 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 Raitt Site
Management in respect of works or services being undertaken by or for Raitt.
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 Raitt's 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 Raitt 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, Raitt may also require a subcontractor's employees to undergo
specified induction safety training. These aspects should be confirmed with
Raitt at the tender stage. Raitt 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
Raitt. 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 Raitt 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 Raitt, 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 their own procedures in the above, subcontractors shall
report to Raitt's 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
Raitt, he shall produce for inspection by Raitt 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 Raitt 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 Raitt 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
Raitt 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 Raitt Management. Where necessary, Raitt Management will prescribe permits
to work.
Subcontractors should familiarise both themselves and their employees with
Raitt fire precautions, fire alarms, means of escape, and emergency evacuation
procedures.
Before leaving Raitt premises and sites subcontractors to Raitt 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 Raitt
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 Raitt Management
Services and Operating Processes
Raitt 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, Raitt 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 Raitt
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.
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