Health and Safety Skills: Selection & Management of Contractors

Course Overview

This workshop will present important health and safety issues relating to the selection and control of contractors. It will provide an overview of the legislative requirements for managing contractors and the responsibilities for different aspects of contractors' work. It will consider a wide variety of contract work, ranging from construction and maintenance through to security, cleaning and waste disposal.

This workshop is designed to be interactive, to facilitate discussion and to explore practical methods of achieving compliance with legislation and industry best practice.

Audience

• Property and facilities managers
• Maintenance managers
• Contract, project and administration managers
• Health and safety professionals
• Engineering managers and engineers
• Anyone who employs contractors

Skills Gained

This programme will help you:

• Understand your responsibilities for managing contractors
• Identify the key steps in controlling contractors
• Assess the competence of contractors
• Understand the importance of contracts/agreements for contract work
• Realise the importance of the risk assessment process in ensuring effective management of health and safety during contract work

Course Outline

Introduction

• Who are contractors?
• Different types of contractors
• Short term, one-off
• Short term, repetitive
• Medium term
• Long-term
• Reasons for managing contractors

Legal aspects

• Overview of health and safety law
• Statute and common law
• Health and safety law and its enforcement
• Statutory duties and the enforcing authorities
• Relevant legislation for controlling contractors
• Offences by corporate bodies
• Employers' and employees' duties
• Health and Safety at Work Act
• Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations
• Contruction (Design and Management) Regulations (CDM)
• The CDM management system and when it applies
• Contract law
• The importance of the contract

Managing contractors in practice

• Principles and objectives
• Identifying how well you are managing contractors
• Identifying and achieving the objectives of managing contractors
• The five step approach to managing contractors

Planning the work

• Identifying the job
• Scope and extent
• Risk assessment and management
• Interface with other activities
• Who controls what?
• Contractual arrangements

Selecting the right contractor

• Locating contractor organisations
• Selection criteria
• Competence assessments
• Approved lists/frameworks
• Tender process

Pre-work commencement

• Co-ordination and co-operation
• Exchange of information
• Risk assessments and method statements
• Permits to work

During contract work

• On-going liaison
• Monitoring and inspection
• Reporting procedures
• Security
• Facilities and access

Reviewing work on completion

• Reasons to review
• What to review and the review checklist
• After the review - implementation