Safety on-site is everyone’s responsibility. Even if you’re a contractor only on-site for an hour, you still have health and safety responsibilities — although they differ slightly from the employer’s.
Deliberate violation of health and safety procedures may lead to work being stopped, contracts withdrawn and any monetary loss incurred by the employer charged to the contractor.
Before examining particular health and safety procedures for contractors in more detail, let’s be clear on the governing legislation contractors and subcontractors work under.
Rules And Regulations
Health And Safety At Work etc. Act 1974
The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 obliges the employer to ensure any contractors that it employs work safely to protect the health and safety of all staff and visitors who may be affected by their undertakings.
Therefore, policy dictates that contractors ensure all work activities comply with the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 with explicit reference to:
- Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations
- Construction (Design and Management) (CDM) Regulations
- Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations
- Control of Asbestos Regulations
- Working at Height Regulations
- Control of Noise at Work Regulations.
Related Reading: Guide To Workplace Health And Safety Training
Construction Contractors: Responsibilities Under CDM 2015
Construction projects must comply with the CDM 2015 Regulations, which divide health and safety responsibilities between contractors and a project’s Principal Contractor. If a project consists of a single contractor, this person will assume the role and responsibilities of Principal Contractor.
For more detail on CDM roles and responsibilities, see our guide to CDM Regulations.
Permit-To-Work
Some organisations use a “permit-to-work” system for specific operations, such as:
- Hot working
- Working in a confined space
- Excavating the ground
- Working on or near live electrical equipment
- Demolition.
A permit-to-work ensures work is done safely and authorises certain individuals to complete specific tasks within a timeframe. Based on a risk assessment, the permit sets out the precautions workers need to be aware of to complete their work safely.
Protection Of The Public
During the planning stage of a construction project, the Principal Contractor should consider the protection of the public, especially when work is being carried out in public areas.
Warning signs inform the public of potential risks, and barriers around the work area direct pedestrians on a safe route, which is vital when a footpath is closed.
The Principle Contractor should also:
- Ensure all materials are stowed safely and away from walkways
- Ensure walkways are clear of trip hazards, such as cables or rubble
- Ensure areas with gas or electricity supply are locked when the site is unoccupied
- Ensure hazardous materials are locked away when not in use
- Ensure plant machinery is immobilised at the end of the workday
- Ensure all ladders are removed from work areas at the end of each day.
Overnight security may also be necessary on larger or higher-risk work projects.
Free Risk Assessment Template
Take the stress and confusion out of creating a risk assessment with our free template.
Enter your details, and we’ll email you a risk assessment template that’s both compliant and comprehensive to use.
By submitting this form you confirm you are happy to be contacted by CHAS in accordance with our Privacy Policy
Health And Safety Areas Of Concern
Each contractor will be expected to instruct their workforce and subcontractors on matters of health and safety, with particular attention to areas of concern common to all work projects regardless of size: fire precautions, lone working, first aid, personal protective equipment, plant and machinery, noise, asbestos and control of substances hazardous to health.
An important caveat for contractors: all workers have the right to stop work if they feel at risk. Management has no right to take punitive action against workers who raise health and safety concerns.
Fire Precautions
To avoid any unnecessary risk, all contractors must be aware of the emergency protocol within the building or area where they are working. Contractors must understand the evacuation procedure should a fire break out and the fire alarms ring.
Lone Working
All contractors must be made aware of the risk when working alone. So far as is practicable, contractors working alone for significant periods must protect themselves from threats to their health and safety.
Solitary working exposes contractors to certain hazards. The contractor should extricate themselves from these hazardous risks or reduce them as much as possible.
Although there is no legal prohibition on working alone, the Health and Safety at Work Act and The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations still apply. This still requires the various contractors involved to evaluate the danger and implement appropriate risk-mitigating measures.
First Aid
First Aid supplies will be provided in accordance with Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations, which stipulate employers have a legal obligation to give first aid to employees who become injured at work.
Protective Personal Clothing & Equipment (PPE)
Personal Protective Clothing and Equipment must be supplied or made available to all contractors or subcontractors working for the employer.
The Principal Contractor will provide instructions on when and where workers must use the protective clothing and equipment. It will be the contractor’s responsibility to provide training on PPE to the workforce.
Protective equipment that contractors will most likely encounter and need an understanding of include:
- Hi-visibility clothing worn to the correct European Standard
- Safety helmets when there is a foreseeable risk of head injury
- Eye protection worn during certain operations, for example, when using an abrasive wheel or chipping out
- Safety footwear worn when there is a risk of injury to the feet.
Related Reading: Updated PPE Regulations: What You Need To Know
Plant And Machinery
Plant and machinery equipment must be well constructed from quality material and free from defects, whether supplied by your contractor or procured from a supplier. It must be maintained and operated by competent and fully-trained employees.
All plant machinery and equipment provided must comply with the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations and the Lifting Operations Lifting Equipment Regulations.
Any worker who finds a defect must report it to the Principal Contractor immediately, and the equipment is not to be used under any circumstances.
Noise
The excessive clamour from equipment and tools can damage hearing, leading to instructions not being heard and accidents happening.
All contractors and subcontractors adhering to health and safety procedures should obey mandatory warning signs regarding the wearing of mufflers and sound-reducing equipment when noisy machinery is in operation.
Control Of Substances Hazardous To Health (COSHH)
Workers on construction sites use many hazardous substances, including cement, preserved wood, cleaning fluids, oils, metal preparation, inks, etc.
The employer must assess all hazardous substances used and, if necessary, eliminate a dangerous substance from use or find a safe substitute. If this is not possible, control measures must be introduced, and a Safe Work Practice created.
Related Reading: What Is COSHH? Hazardous Substance Control Explained
Asbestos
For many years, the construction industry has been using materials that contain asbestos, which hides in heating pipes, boilers and ceiling tiles. Breathing in tiny asbestos fibres is dangerous, and prolonged exposure can cause lung tissue scarring, shortness of breath and asbestosis, a long-term lung disease.
For more information regarding other applicable areas of health and safety procedures relevant to contractors, such as manual handling, working in hot weather, confined spaces, highly flammable liquids, electricity, scaffolding, roof work and lifting equipment, follow the CHAS blog for the latest developments in the construction industry.
Free Health & Safety Policy Checklist
Ensure your health and safety policy covers all the key areas with a checklist that’s simple to understand.
Enter your details, and we’ll email you a health and safety checklist that includes step by step details of what you should include in your policy.
By submitting this form you confirm you are happy to be contacted by CHAS in accordance with our Privacy Policy
Additional Health And Safety Procedures Contractors Need To Know
Safety Review Meetings
Depending on the complexity of the construction project, weekly or monthly safety review meetings may be convened to discuss current and upcoming site activities. A representative from each subcontractor on-site will likely attend the meeting.
Incident Reporting
All contractors and subcontractors will cooperate with the employer by promptly reporting any incidents on-site to help prevent further accidents and possible injuries. It’s a critical health and safety procedure that workers report all incidents, however minor.
Accident Prevention
Many accidents are entirely preventable and caused by negligence. Many trips, slips and falls happen because materials and equipment are left lying around.
Accident prevention is an area where all contract workers can contribute to health and safety procedures on the worksite. Sound safety practices include:
- Tidy as you go and don’t leave rubbish lying around
- Do not obstruct walkways
- Safely dispose of all material off-cuts
- Remove nails from any wood refuse
- Keep welfare facilities clean and tidy
- Ensure spilt liquids are cleaned up promptly
- Ensure cables are fixed (not loose or hanging) to avoid trip hazards
- Do not place objects where they may fall (i.e. on a scaffold)
- Keep scaffold access tidy
- Take care on uneven or damaged surfaces
- Ensure holes in the ground are securely covered or suitably fenced off.
Related Reading: Why Are Risk Assessments Important?
The Responsibility Of Your Employer
Employers need to define the scope of the work to be undertaken clearly. Contractors need to prepare appropriate risk assessments to ensure the safety and welfare of all workers exposed to the hazards of construction work.
Contractors and their employers should have no confusion over:
- Rules and regulations, such as where to park to avoid causing obstruction
- Control and hand-over of occupancy
- Erection of barriers to prevent accidental access to hazardous areas
- What plant and equipment contractors are authorised to use and bring on site
- The procedure for contractors in an emergency on-site and how to contact first aid facilities
- What the protocol is for contractors in the event of a fire on-site.
To monitor and control health and safety procedures, the employer must liaise with the contractors they use to ensure that health and safety dangers are correctly identified and managed.
Using contractors over in-house employees may pose a higher risk to the employer regarding health and safety issues, which arise from the unfamiliarity of location, hazards and contrasting safety standards.
Whether you’re a client or contractor, CHAS helps you take control of health and safety.
As a contractor, you can benefit from our industry-leading, nationally-recognised accreditation schemes. With exclusive membership benefits like risk management resources and discounted training modules, you can take your health and safety standards to new levels.
