Keeping Safe in Construction – Who Does What?

And we all have to pitch in to keep things safe – from clients to workers on the ground.

Whatever hat you wear, there’s always something you can do. Here are some of the ways you can help out:

If you’re a client:

• Clients don’t get to wash their hands of H&S – you’re just as important as the rest of the team. If you’re having work done, you’ve got proper responsibilities under the CDM regulations.
• Make sure everyone you employ is competent. Don’t be afraid to ask for evidence to confirm this.
• Give pre-construction info promptly. Don’t hang around – you’ll only cause yourself grief.
• Make sure there are arrangements in place to cover all H&S requirements.

If you’re a principal designer / designer:

• Your client’s paying you a pretty penny to make sure you do your job right. You need to make them aware of their duties too – before you start work.
• Are you competent? Don’t just assume anything. Check your CDM competency first.
• Avoid risk. As the principal designer, you’ve got the crystal ball to spot any hazards before they happen. It’s called risk management – do it!

If you’re a principal contractor:

• Project management’s a sexy name for making sure you plan, implement and review everything properly.
• Draw up the rules – make sure you’ve got appropriate site rules for the area set up.
• Notification – you’ve got to have all the correct formal notices on display on site – no exceptions!

If you’re a small builder:

• Set realistic lead times, and allow lots of extra time for planning and prep.
• Restrict site access – many an unfortunate accident was caused by idiotic kids wandering in for a dare. Make sure no unauthorised persons can get in.
• Provide info and training – your workers are looking up to you – literally. So give them all the training and knowledge they need. 

If you’re a construction worker:

• Stay competent – always refresh your training and make sure you know how to do things safely
• Remove hazards – spotted something dangerous? Don’t be a plonker – get it out of the way! Or at least tell someone about it.
• Follow the rules – they’re there for a very good reason.
• Report any problems – a problem shared and all that… but it also means that if there are risks, they can be properly addressed.

Your takeaway points

• Clients need to make sure that everyone you employ is competent and that you give important information in time.
• Designers need to identify risks and take them into consideration during design.
• Contractors better draw up proper rules – and make sure everything is properly notified.
• Small builders – need to give all the necessary training and keep the site secure.
• Workers should tackle everyday hazards and most importantly – notify someone of any issues.

Where do you fit into the construction picture? Are you doing everything you can to keep the workplace safe?

Let us know your thoughts below!

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