All About Keeping Everybody Safe

There are three reasons for having exemplary site safety records and  documentation and all reasons intrinsically involve all three construction working sectors: Management, Supervisory and Operative.  Under the direction of the Health and Safety at Work Act all individuals at the work place are responsible for health and safety and the roles and responsibilities vary depending on which working sector each individual finds themselves, but succinctly where site safety documentation is concerned, the role and responsibilities can be broken down as follows:

1. Management: To produce, distribute, monitor, action and review.
2. Supervisory: To comply, brief, Complete records and report.
3. Operative:  To understand, comply and report.

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The three reasons for having exemplary site safety documentation are firstly that they are the tools by which a site is safely managed which keep staff, workers and visitors safe. Second, they are the evidence that a  good  working Health and Safety Culture is in existence and thirdly, they are important record reference documents which are required when applying for Supply Chain Accreditation and Compliance acceptance.  Apart from the above reasons, the first two questions the HSE will ask as a result of a major incident will be:

1. Who was hurt and what was the nature of the incident and
2. Were they working according to their method statement and risk assessments?

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The following action by the HSE will be to carry out an investigation and during that investigation the Health and Safety documentation and records for the date of the incident will be examined.  It is not a difficult task to bring any particular days records up to date but having examined the record of that day, the HSE will examine the records from the start of the project.  If there are records, then there is proof that a company has managed their H&S correctly and have enthused a H&S culture throughout the whole project.  If not, the opposite will be the case and therefore the company and all individuals involved in the incident will be open to prosecution, including the most senior management.

The basis of site safety documentation are founded in various Health and Safety laws and regulations such as PUWER (Provision and use of working equipment regualtions) COSHH (Control of substances hazardous to health) WAH (working at height regualtions) CAR (control of asbestos regulations) and the one law which reigns supreme, The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 (HASAWA).

In conclusion I believe it is in order to state that the importance of site safety documentation is that they keep EVERYBODY safe.

All RivaSure registered members are freely able to access an intial generic site safety pack consisting of twelve documents.  These documents are designed to be developed as the basis of a site safety management portfolio.  Dependant upon project specific activities and hazards, they are to be added to by other documentation to cover ALL activities and site specific risks.

Should you wish,  RivaSure are able to provide,  on a consultation basis all safety documentation from risk assessments to Construction Phase Health and Safety Plans or open generic documents so that you are able to develop your own systems.  The initial generic site safety pack will consist of the following documents:

1. Site Induction (Generic-to be developed further on site).
2. Works operative safety check list.
3. Induction Register.
4. Hot works Permit
5. Working at height/weekly site safety check list.
6. Workin at heights Permit
7. Tool box talk record.
8. Site emergency contact details.
9. Site safety inspection Report.
10. Site Attendance Register.
11. CDM check list.
12. PPE Register

See Basics Site Safety Documents Pack

I will be pleased to respond to any questions and enquiries.

Thank you for your time and consideration.  Our business is the development of your business.

Kind Regards, William
William Simpson BA(Hons), ICIOB, A.ILD
www.RivaSure.co.uk

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