Health & Safety Consultancy Services
Health & Safety Consultancy
Consultancy activity covers general construction related H & S services and include:
- Production of or assistance with Company Health & Safety policies
- Production of Clients Health & safety specification, and the assistance and/or introduction and implementation of standardised Health & Safety Procedures for construction works across all disciplines
- Contractor Appraisals – see below
- Site Safety Inspections – see below
- Attendance at regular progress meetings or Health & Safety forums
- Monitoring and management of the appointed CDM co-ordinator, where we do not fulfil the role
- Telephone support helpline during working hours
Training
Training is an important part of our strategy in helping to drive Health & Safety awareness and creating a culture across the whole project team, particularly Contractors. We do offer ‘public’ courses in various areas of Health & Safety, as well as identifying and providing up to date training for our Clients. Our trainers give Health and Safety training courses to the highest standards with all being qualified as professional trainers
If any training courses fall out of the scope of training we offer, as required, we will arrange for this training to be carried out on our client’s behalf, after firstly obtaining satisfactory arrangements with the training provider.
CDM Co-ordinator
Our Health & Safety advisors are competent to carry out the CDM Co-ordinators role and have done so on numerous occasions. The following services, although not exclusive, do form the major part of the CDM Co-ordinator’s duties:
- Review designers Health & safety risk information
- Complete on site Health & Safety survey of the proposed works
- Produce the pre-Construction Health & Safety information pack
- Complete F10 notifications to the HSE where appropriate
- Review the principal contractors construction phase H & S Plan
- Attend the Pre-commencement meeting
- Compile the H & S file (and cut to CD-Rom where required) without exception, all of our clients who utilise our CDM Co-ordination services also choose to benefit from the following two supplementary services:
- Contractor Competence Appraisal – see below
- Site Safety Inspections – see below
Resident Safety Advisor
This is a service we provide for Construction activities of significant value where it is beneficial for our client to have a Safety Advisor at site on a full time or part time basis to oversee the Health & Safety implementation throughout the project.
Small Works Plan
A system for dealing with the Health & Safety on lower risk non-notifiable projects such as maintenance or renovation works. This system is very simple and efficient, and is popular as a very economic way of dealing with an area that historically was ignored in terms of H & S.
Contractor Appraisal
The Client has a legal responsibility to vet the competence of the appointed Principal contractors and their sub contractors, which we do on their behalf.
Site Safety Inspections
Site Safety inspections are a logical follow on from the initial contractor appraisal process. Whilst the latter is of course a legal requirement, it does not address the area where the client is most exposed- on site. Site Safety inspections provide ongoing monitoring, assessment and support for the practical application of Health & Safety.
Inspections should not be regarded as just a policing role, although there are times when this is appropriate, but rather the Client can be seen to offer help and support to the Contractors and personnel and the best way to drive forward a culture that has a Health & safety focus.
The Benefits
An ongoing monitoring, assessment and support system, during construction.
Many Clients control procedures do not extend to the construction phase, yet on site is where the client is most at risk. A site inspection service provides the support and monitoring that is vital to helping ensure the construction phase is managed.
An independent Inspection
Independent of the Client and independent of the appointed contractors. The Client can demonstrate to any legislative authority that they have systems in place for the management and monitoring of Health & Safety, not just the mere satisfaction of the CDM regulations.
A proven monitoring system
We operate this service for all of our contractual Clients. It is proven to identify performance at site level, to highlight areas for concern and trends, and is without doubt an effective tool to drive change.
Specialists in Construction Health & Safety
All of our staff have first hand Construction experience, qualifications and are competent to deliver the support that the contractors (and often the project team) need in order to manage Health & safety on site. One of the aspects that we feel stands us apart from the competition is our practical approach. We do not leave site until our report is fully understood by the site manager.
Challenge
Whilst it is of course the actual on – site performance of the Contractors that is our first priority, we are not afraid to challenge the actions of designers/consultants whose actions may be causing problems to the Contractor.
The Inspection
Our Safety advisors look to identify, prioritise and then address safety issues. Any issues that are found on site are tackled immediately, with the site manager.
The Inspection report form comprises three copies, one of which will remain on site with the site manager on completion of the site inspection. This will be signed by the Health & Safety advisor and the Site Manager with all points raised discussed at the end of the inspection highlighting actions that require immediate attention. The master copy will be sent to the Client at the end of the month with the third copy retained for our records for any future reference.
The form has serviceable/unserviceable box sections and a written section to focus on the
areas of concern in more depth, there is also an additional comment page to the form
highlighting remedial action required.
Management Reports
We produce a number of reports which reflect the Site Inspection results all of which are intended to give the Client a clear understanding of the H & S management performance of their Contractors and Project Management Team. This enables Clients to manage quickly and clearly the application and improvement of Health & Safety through all the parties involved in their construction processes.
The reports can be produced to compare Contractors, Site managers or project managers. Alternatively, reports can reflect any one of the above but with a focus on key site activities or degrees of risk. These reports can be produced monthly or quarterly dependant on contractual arrangements and Client requirements.
Information is presented in the form of Management Reports and is broken down into the following areas:
H & S Performance Report
Displays the average site performance across all categories of the work activity. This report has proved to be one of our most powerful tools in helping to drive safety performance.
Performance Safety Data
This forms the basis of our monthly or quarterly report which we issue to Directors highlighting health & Safety performance data over a given period. The report gives an accurate overview of the Health & Safety performance of all personnel working on the specific project with recommended remedial actions for any breaches in legislative requirements or safe systems of work.
Fire Risk Assessments
In 2005 a change in legislation has meant that all responsible persons must undertake a Fire Risk Assessment of their premises in accordance with The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. These specific legislative requirements apply to you if you are:
- Responsible for business premises
- An employer or self employed with business premises
- Responsible for part of a dwelling where that part is solely used for business purposes
- A charity or voluntary organisation
- A contractor with a degree of control over the premises
- Providing accommodation for paying guests
We can undertake the role of the Fire Risk Assessors, enabling you to comply with these legislative requirements. We offer a fully comprehensive survey and report service which incorporates an action plan of remedial procedures in order to meet these legislative requirements.
Our Fire Risk Assessment reports are in a simple to understand format with hard and electronic copies for your records.
Portable Appliance Testing (PAT Testing)
The UK Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER) require that every employer shall ensure that work equipment is so constructed or adopted as to be suitable for the purpose for which it is to be used for, this ranges from small items such as an office lamp, up to portable tools to be used on site.
All our Safety advisors are trained to undertake PAT Testing duties and have all undergone in- house training and achieved external qualifications.
We provide a mobile PAT Testing service to ensure Clients conform to regulations. This comprises of a thorough examination of all electrical equipment and a hand written log of equipment tested with relevant labels showing recommended date of next inspection and inspector details. We can also maintain their registers of tested equipment to relieve them of the burden of regular reviews.