Health & Safety Service

CDM

As a CDM consultant, we would aim to be a key advisor in respect of Construction and Design related Health and Safety matters on behalf of the Principal Designer. The following functions would be undertaken in accordance with the regulations as required:

Provide the client and other members of the Design Team with advice and assistance as required to help comply with their duties under the regulations.

Ensure any appointed Designers, Principal Contractors and Contractors are deemed to be competent for their given discipline when requested to do so by the client (Regulation 8), and where they are unfamiliar to us.

Assist with coordinating design work, planning and other preparations for construction with respect to Health and Safety matters.  

Attendance at an appropriate number of Design and Construction meetings (additional cost), to aid effective communication and co-operation. 

Assist in identifying areas of significant risks to enable the Principal Designer, other Designers, and Contractors to mitigate these risks where possible.

Attend site to become familiar with the local conditions, identify significant hazards, and collect and review the pre-construction information, including relevant information from any existing Health and Safety files where available.

Carry out a design review with the Project Design Team to identify any potential risks in construction, maintenance and replacement, alongside measures to remove or mitigate those risks (Regulation 11).

Issue a Pre-Construction Information Report to the relevant team members with relevant site & project specific pre-construction information (Regulation 4(4)).

Monitor and review the minutes of meetings to identify any areas of significant Health and Safety risk.

Issue the project F10 Notification to the Health & Safety executive on behalf of the client and circulate to all interested parties where requested, as required under Regulations 6(1).
 

Health & Safety

As approved inspectors, we would undertake the following project reviews.

• Site set up.
• Health & Safety folder
• Risk assessment and method statements
• Qualifications and competencies 
• Construction phase plan
• Management considerations
• Access and egress arrangement
• Welfare consideration
• Safe systems of work
• COVID – 19 considerations
• General site arrangement

On completion of the review, a written report with photographs will be completed. It will identify any non-conformities found. From this an action plan will be produced and responsibilities assigned with closeout dates indicated

Health and Safety culture advice based on reviews of current safety policy, staff talks, site visits, maintenance records, training record and company training Matrix.

An accident reporting services is also offered. This is where a full investigation is undertaken regarding an accident or incident and the route cause is identified with recommended improvement measures alongside advice on the likely outcome of any legal prosecution given.

Project Management

We have previously been responsible for generating and delivering a variety of project work on client sites where we have taken on full accountability and responsibility for management and delivery of project works.

Developing an understanding of the full scope of works in line with the desired project business case is essential.  As such, we work closely with developers, designers, and sub-contractors to define and document the scope of work.

We can produce tender documentation on behalf of our clients and carry out full tender analysis of all sub-contractor returns. 

Identify, reduce, and manage all statutory and commercial risks associated with the project they are leading.

Ensure QHSE practices and processes are fully embedded in each project and work within the current CDM process.

Ensure full compliance with Project Management policies and procedures.

Manage the day-to-day operational aspects of the project “end to end”. Activities to include but not be limited to estimating, business development, quantity surveying, sub-contractor management and site manager duties.

Work closely with relevant stakeholders to ensure effective and efficient implementation of the project.

Ensure client acceptance is adhered to, in writing and in line with the project plans. Mutually agree payment schedules and applications for payment to the benefit of the project.

Ensures project documents are complete, current, and appropriately stored and provide timely monthly reports in an agreed format.
 

Site Management

Read and understand CPP,  familiarise yourself with site, all site staff, contractors and working arrangements.

Site Set up, barriers, safe routes, signage, notice board, location of first aid kit & eye wash station etc as per CPP.

Complete management of Site Safety Management File.

Manage all inductions for contractors including signing of their RAMS, copying, and filing all relevant qualification, CSCS, IPAF, PASMA etc.

Manage the daily signing in process for all contract staff including issues of access passes if required. (File within SSMF).

Daily contractor management, understanding what tasks are being completed and ensuring they are done safely in accordance with contractors approved RAMS.

Liaising daily with the building point of contact, site facilities and security teams for the following items:

• Access arrangements to specific work areas if outside of site demise.
• Fire alarm isolations for work area.
• Power shutdowns or isolations of water or electrical service.
• Any temporary use of fire exits for access or material movements.
• All deliveries expected or skip exchanges.Contractor parking arrangements
• Site visitors weekly toolbox talks and Health and Safety updates/briefings are to be delivered to the contractor team.
• Constant review of working arrangements, or any changes to the works, or working environment that may require a RAMS review.
• Daily site diaries are completed and filed within the SSMF daily along with progress photos of all works to be stored electronically.

Health & Safety Management of site including the following: -

• Are contractors suitably dressed, no shorts etc.
• PPE - Is it fit for purpose? Are contractors wearing the correct PPE?
• Electrical tools and equipment - Is it the correct tool for the job? Does it have a valid PAT test? Is it the correct Voltage?
• Permits & Isolation Procedures (LOTO) (If training has not been completed then other arrangements are to be made prior to works taking place)#Site security from unauthorised entry, ensuring all signage and barriers are in place and safe routes have been identified.
• First Aid Box - Management and replenishment of any items taken from the site first aid box.
• First Aid - Responding to any injury to working staff, ensuring correct procedures followed.
• Reporting of any accident or incident into the site first aid book and report to Project Manager immediately.
• Ensure all site rules are upheld.
• Weekly H&S checklist completed.
• Updating the project directory when required.
• Checking that Contractors insurances are still in date.
• Informing the PM of any changes to the project that may require an update of the CPP.
• Weekly reporting to the PM of project progress and site activity (Flash Report)

RAMS Production

Risk assessments are produced to identified and eliminate risk, residual risks are reduced and managed and that Designers, Principal Designers, Principal Contractors and Contractors take account of the 'principles of prevention' in carrying out their duties, which in general terms are:

(a) Avoid risks where possible.
(b) Evaluate those risks that cannot be avoided.
(c) Put in place proportionate measures that control them at source.

Whilst the specific process of preparing a formal risk assessment is not a requirement of the CDM regulations, regulation 3(6)(a) of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations does require that risks are controlled in the workplace, including construction sites. This involves thinking about what might cause harm to people and deciding what steps to take to prevent that harm. Where an employer employs five or more people, the significant findings of risk assessments must be recorded.

Method statements are widely used in construction as a means of controlling specific Health and Safety risks that have been identified such as lifting operations, demolition or dismantling, working at height, installing equipment, and the use of plant.

A method statement helps manage the work and ensures that the necessary precautions have been communicated to those involved.

Like risk assessments, producing written method statements is not an explicit requirement of the CDM Regulations, however they are identified by the Health and Safety Executive as one way of satisfying the requirements of the regulations and as an effective means of assessing risks, managing risks, collecting workers’ views and briefing workers.

Method statements need be no longer than is necessary for them to be effective. They are for the benefit of those carrying out the work and so should be clear, should not be overcomplicated and should be illustrated where necessary.

PPS can offer a service where specific job related RAM can be produced, please contact us for more details.

Construction Inspections & Audits

External site Health and Safety inspections and audits by independent competent Health and Safety professionals are now considered an essential part of construction site Health and Safety arrangements.

Method statements are widely used in construction as a means of controlling specific Health and Safety risks that have been identified such as lifting operations, demolition or dismantling, working at height, installing equipment, and the use of plant.

Importantly, site inspections form part of the proactive site monitoring arrangements to regularly identify any shortcomings and areas of improvements before they result in any incident or accident on site.

In comparison to regular site Health and Safety inspections, a Health and Safety audit is considered more as a one-off exercise to monitor any particular site Health and Safety related issue.

Our inspections and audit service include undertaking a thorough site visit to identify any shortcomings in the current Health and Safety arrangements and present a formal written report with identified issues where improvements may be required, with suggested action plan and target completion time scales.

Please contact us if you would like to arrange an independent site inspection or audit.

Accident Reporting

It is the policy of our company that all accidents, incidents and near misses are reported to the site and recorded into the company’s accident record book which is kept online in our Safety First Package.

The main objective of accident, incidents and near miss reporting and investigation is to reduce incidents and prevent future accidents.

It will be the responsibility of the MD or his nominated representative to notify the Health & Safety Executive in respect of any accident or occurrence for which notification is required by the:

Under current – Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) the following must be reported:

• Deaths
• Specified injuries to members of the public on our premises and taken to hospital.
• Over 7 day injuries – where an employee or self-employed person is injured at work and away from work or unable to perform their normal work duties for more than 7 consecutive days. This must be reported to the HSE using appropriate forms within 15 days of the accident.
• Some work-related diseases as per RIDDOR.
• A dangerous occurrence – When something happens that does not result in an injury, but could have done. Eg scaffold collapse, wall collapse, equipment failure etc.
• Gas Safe registered gas fitters must also report dangerous gas fittings they find, and gas conveyors / suppliers must report some flammable gas incidents.

Any accident resulting in more than minor injuries or incident which might have resulted in serious injury will be investigated by the MD or his nominated representative. Depending upon the circumstances of the accident, the MD or his nominated representative may seek the assistance of an external Health & Safety Advisor, both in the investigation and the formulation of preventative procedures to avoid repetition.

A study of the circumstances will help to reduce or remove the causes.

• When the reports are examined over a period of time, it can be seen whether preventative measures have been effective in reducing accidents.
• If these objectives are to be attained, investigation and reporting must be accurate, complete and consistent.
• All accidents and incidents resulting in injury to employees and/or to any other persons or near misses on the premises or sites that YOUR COMPANY employees are working on must be reported immediately to your company site foreman and or to the site Duty holder or PC and be recorded in the company Accident book and reporting systems.
• Where there is more than one person injured in the accident a separate page should be used for each person.
• All relevant questions must be completed for every accident resulting in personal injury.
• Care should be taken in completing the Accident Report Form and the your company Supervisor wherever possible should ensure that the injured person reads the entries recorded on his behalf.
• Care should also be taken when stating the nature of the injury. Unless a medical certificate has been submitted.

At PPS we offer an independent accident and incident reporting service which is unbiased and will identify the route cause of the accident or incident. From the findings of the report a recommendations action plan will be reproduced with suitable individuals assigned tasked to be completed in a required time frame. Once these recommendations are implemented, we have found that there is generally an improvement in management and employee attitudes towards Health and Safety procedures, resulting in an improved company Health and Safety culture.

Health & Safety Policy Production

As an employer, you have a duty of care towards your employees to ensure that their Health & Safety at work is respected, managed and provided for. If you do not implement the appropriate policies and procedures, then the consequences can be severe.

PPS can help your business to ensure that you are compliant and adhere to all the necessary obligations, requirements and standards.

According to the Health and Safety Executive, there are over 150,000 injuries in the workplace each year in the UK. If such an injury were to happen in your workplace, you could face serious consequences unless you have the correct Health and Safety policies and procedures in place. But what do we mean by ‘Health and Safety policies and procedures’?

Put simply, a policy is a statement that you are maintaining the required level of Health and Safety in the workplace; this should include the procedures (tasks, responsibilities, rules etc.) you have in place to achieve this. Typical Health and Safety policy and procedures should include:

• The risks present in your workplace: are you aware of the risks? Are you monitoring them and reducing them wherever possible? Are your staff informed and updated on potential hazards and risks in the workplace?
• How you are managing any hazardous substances, equipment or machinery? Are your staff informed, educated and trained in these areas?
• The actions required to minimise these risks: are you doing the best you can to ensure all risks are managed and minimized?
• Whose responsibility it is to ensure these actions are taken? What are your reporting lines and management structure when it comes to health & safety?
• Who records and monitors incidents and tasks? Do you have clear monitoring systems in place?
• What happens in case of emergencies? What happens if the worst happens?

PPS can draw up a bespoke Health and Safety policy for your workplace, complete with an inspection of your premises to ensure nothing has been missed. We also provide clients with a visitor book template and risk assessment pack to ensure all the necessary paperwork is in order.

Having the right Health and Safety policy and procedures is all very well on paper, but what happens in real life is often a very different matter especially in high-pressure situations. Fortunately, clients can call our 24/7 employment law helpline for advice on anything from filling out a form to coping with the aftermath of a serious accident.

Empower you to make decisions, be proactive, and go above and beyond the standard policy and procedures.  As an employer, you have a duty of care towards your employees to ensure that their Health & Safety at work is respected, managed and provided for. If you do not implement the appropriate policies and procedures, then the consequences can be severe.  PPS can help your business to ensure that you are compliant and adhere to all the necessary obligations, requirements and standards.

At PPS, our experienced team of Health & Safety consultants will develop a set of specific Health & Safety arrangements for your business. These arrangements work alongside a bespoke action plan to provide a roadmap and benchmarks, which will help you to develop and manage your Health & Safety systems.