Planning for health and safety is important to anticipate hazards, understand risks, and prevent problems. Comprehensive plans should cover construction methods, materials, worker training, and safety for all phases from design through occupancy. Failure to properly plan was demonstrated in a case study of asbestos sheeting where health risks were unknown and uncontrolled. Health and safety plans are a legal requirement and provide evidence of fulfilling duties to protect workers and allow safe construction.
Planning for health and safety is important to anticipate hazards, understand risks, and prevent problems. Comprehensive plans should cover construction methods, materials, worker training, and safety for all phases from design through occupancy. Failure to properly plan was demonstrated in a case study of asbestos sheeting where health risks were unknown and uncontrolled. Health and safety plans are a legal requirement and provide evidence of fulfilling duties to protect workers and allow safe construction.
Planning for health and safety is important to anticipate hazards, understand risks, and prevent problems. Comprehensive plans should cover construction methods, materials, worker training, and safety for all phases from design through occupancy. Failure to properly plan was demonstrated in a case study of asbestos sheeting where health risks were unknown and uncontrolled. Health and safety plans are a legal requirement and provide evidence of fulfilling duties to protect workers and allow safe construction.
PLANNING Why Undertake Planning? • Anticipate Hazards and Risks – Hazard – Dangerous Area, Activity or Situation – Risk – Chance of the Hazard Occurring • Avoid and Mitigate Danger • To Prevent Site Problems Why Undertake Planning? • Understand the Project • Understand the Materials e.g. Asbestos • Plan Safe Methods of Work inc. Handling • Identify Key Activities & Specialist Work • Demonstrate Professionalism Case Study: Asbestos Sheeting • Widely Specified • No Safety Data Sheets or Other Information • Health Risks Not Known or Made Clear • No Planning to Cope With Dust & Risks • Effects Not Clear Until Many Years Later Case Study: Asbestos Sheeting • Understanding the Works and the Materials is Critical!
• Asbestos Promotion
• Could This Happen
Today? The Legal Environment • Legal Requirement to Plan For Safety • Prevents Inadvertent Breaches of Legislation • Removes the ‘Creative’ Element on Site • Supports a Legal Defence • Ethical and Moral The Legal Environment - RIDDOR • ‘Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations’ 1995 • Legal Duty On... o Employers o Self-Employed People o People in Control of Premises • Incidents Cannot Be ‘Swept Under the Carpet’ • Enforced by HSE Via the ‘Incident Contact Centre’ • Feeds Back to HSE Policy and Regulations What is Reportable Under RIDDOR? • Deaths and Major Injuries • Any Incident That Caused a 3-day+ Absence • Dangerous Occurrences (Near Misses) • Disease • Gas Incidents RIDDOR and Health & Safety Planning • Planning is the Way to Avoid RIDDOR • Virtually All Major Incidents Will Be Prevented by Planning • ‘Force Majeure’ – Act of God • Evidence of Good Planning Provides Good Defence Types of Health & Safety Plans • Pre-Construction Phase • Construction Phase Plans • The Health and Safety File • Transport & Materials Movement Planning • Fire Egress Planning Pre-Construction Planning • Designer’s Risk Assessments o Architecture o M&E o Structure • Client Input • CDM Coordinator Input & Review • Pre-Construction Information Pack • Contractor Involvement esp. 2-stage Tendering Pre-Construction Planning • Compliance With CDM Regulations Requirement for ‘Information’ • Allows Proper Planning Time • Removed Excuses • Forms Part of the Tender Package – Contract Planning Time • To Plan Properly, Contractors Need Time • CDM Requires ‘Adequate Time’ Is Allowed • In Practice Between 2-4 Weeks • If Inadequate Time is Given, The Liability Is With The Client • A Contractor Who Offers to Omit This Time Should Not be Given the Work Health & Safety Policy • The Construction Phase Plan is the ‘Delivery’ of the Contractors Health & Safety Policy • Reflects Requirements of Legislation • Part of Tender and Submission Documentation • Covers… o First Aid Provision, Training & Equipment o Reporting Procedures o Control of Work o Understanding the Impact on the Business Construction Phase Plans • Detailed Assessment of How the Works Are To Be Done o Method Statements o Risk Assessments (Next Lecture) • Includes Sub-Contractors Works • Reviewed Throughout the Project • Covers All Works • Phased Plans Construction Phase Plans • Specific Not Generic • Formally Issued and Controlled • Covers Health o Chemicals & Materials o PPE • Safety o Falls From Height o Vehicles • Welfare o Mess Arrangements o WCs Construction Phase Plans • Can be an External Consultant • Named Responsibilities & Duties • COSHH Arrangements • Security Arrangements • Permits and Certificates of Compliance • Training Information – Worker Records Method Statements • How Is The Job Going to Be Done? • Open to Review But Controlled • Will Be Inspected on Site • Issued Document o CDM Coordinator o Health & Safety Executive • Not Required For Everything - Focus CDM Coordinators Role • Reviews the Plan • Makes Recommendations, Asks Queries and Advises • Open Discussion • Visits Site • Inspects Site Areas • Attends Meetings Site Induction • Covers Everything Workers Need to Know • Health, Safety & Welfare • Site Rules • Different Languages • Site Handbook & Procedures • Visitors • Issue of Personal Protective Equipment Health and Safety File • “Post-Construction Phase Plan” • Use of The Building When Complete and Occupied o Users o Maintenance o Emergency • Information From All Parties – Mostly Contractor • Information to be Provided Before PC What’s In a Health and Safety File? • Maintenance Information • Cleaning Information • Testing Procedures • Records of Colours, Shades, Finishes Types • Ongoing M&E Support • As Built Drawings What’s Not In a Health and Safety File? • Construction Method Statements • Construction Risk Assessments • Site Access Arrangements • Temporary Fire Egress Arrangements • Construction Drawings • Only Relevant Information The Health and Safety File • Issued to Client by CDM Coordinator • Live Document – Constantly Updated • Kept on Site • Issues re Electronic Issue • 2 Copies • Important Document But Often Is Omitted or Delayed Transport and Materials Movement • Can Be a Critical Element • Time-Critical Operations • Health & Safety • Specialist Planning Required • Liaison With Local Authorities/Police Materials Movement – At The Site • Access Arrangements & Scheduling • Temporary Roads & Protection • Removal of Fencing & Barriers • Use of Banksman • Detailed Method Statements Fire Egress Planning • Part of Construction Phase Plan • Linked and Complementary to Full Building Plan • Communicated to All Workers • Publically Displayed • Tested – Fire Drills • Alarms Tested Regularly • Fire Risk Assessment Health and Safety Planning Summary • Planning Can Help Foresee Problems • Knowledge is Power • Most Problems Can Be Solved if Identified • No Surprises • Statutory Compliance • Avoidance is Better Than Management
Inhaled Particles VI: Proceedings of an International Symposium and Workshop on Lung Dosimetry Organised by the British Occupational Hygiene Society in Co-Operation with the Commission of the European Communities, Cambridge, 2–6 September 1985