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 and 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.
