Contractor control May 2008
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CONTRACTOR CONTROL
INTRODUCTION
When a contractor comes to carry out work at the University, both the contractor and the University have responsibilities for the health and safety aspects of the work. The extent of the responsibilities of each party will depend on the circumstances. We need to
o Consider the health and safety implications of the job we want done;
o Select a suitable contractor to undertake the work (e.g. the contractor must be competent and must carry adequate insurance);
o Let the contractor know what health and safety standards we expect and let the contractor know about any dangers on site which might be encountered during the work;
o Find out about any dangers which the contractor might introduce during the work which could affect our staff and students;
o Agree how the work will be carried out safely.
The more impact that a contractor’s work could have on the health and safety of anyone likely to be affected, the greater the responsibilities of the University to ensure that the work is carried out safely. The repair of an autoclave or a large guillotine is likely to require more of our attention than, say, the servicing of a photocopier.
We need to consider what might go wrong, the likelihood of it happening and the
consequences. How much we then need to do to control the work is something which should be considered case by case. The questions and comments below are intended to help Schools do this. They are not part of a detailed and prescriptive procedure for control of contractors. It is left to Schools to apply the guidance in a manner proportionate to the risk of the work and their knowledge of particular contractors. The purpose is not to create paper trails and a bureaucracy around contracted works. Rather it is to make sure that those who bring contractors to the University to undertake work, have a level of control over the work which is proportionate to the risks.
CONTRACTOR SELECTION
o How do we know the contractor is competent to carry out the work to the standards which we require? The person approving the purchase order for the work is responsible for ensuring that an assessment of a contractor’s competency has been carried out. See Appendix 1 for a list of matters which might be considered when selecting contractors. STANDARDS FOR SAFE WORKING
o Is there a member of staff responsible for liaising with the contractor while on campus? o Do we know when the contractor’s staff are on campus and where they are?
o Do we know what the contractor will be doing and how the work could affect our staff and students?
o Have we told the contractor what our staff and students are doing which might affect the contractor’s staff?
o Have we given approval for work to commence?
o How will the contractor let us know when the work is complete?
See Appendix 2 for a list of matters which might be considered when determining how contracted works will be undertaken safely.
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o Having agreed with the contractor how the work will be carried out, what checks will be carried out by us to confirm the contractor is working as agreed? Who will carry out these checks and how frequently?
o If there are concerns about the contractor’s performance, how will they be addressed? o What are the arrangements for reporting accidents and near misses involving contractor’s
staff?
ESTATES CONTRACTORS
Estates remain responsible for their contractors at all times. They are not the responsibility of the School/Support Service which occupies the building where the works are taking place. However both contractors’ staff and Estates own staff must always obtain permission before carrying out work in a laboratory. If contractors staff or Estates staff are ever found working in a laboratory without first having obtained permission, they should be asked to stop work immediately and seek instructions from the person in Estates who asked them to undertake the work.
CONTRACTORS SELECTED BY PROCUREMENT
If the contractor has been selected by Procurement for a particular programme of work, Procurement will provide guidance on
o The assessment which has already been carried out on the contractor’s competency; o Any instructions and guidance which the contractor has been given on how the work
should be undertaken (these will always include a requirement for the contractor to obtain approval from a named contact in the School/Support Service before starting work in a particular location);
o Any matters which the School/Support Service will need to agree with the contractor before the work begins.
Contractor control May 2008
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MATTERS WHICH MIGHT BE CONSIDERED DURING CONTRACTOR SELECTION
o Has the contractor been made aware of the health and safety standards which we require before setting the price and agreeing to do the work?
o What experience have they in the type of work we want done? Have they worked for use before?
o What are their health and safety policies and practices?
o Have we considered their recent health and safety performance (number of accidents etc)?
o What qualifications and skills do they have?
o Will sub contractors be used? If so, what are their selection procedure for sub-contractors;
o Have we seen their safety method statements?
o What health and safety training and supervision will they provide?
o Do they have any independent assessment of their health and safety competence? o Are they members of a relevant trade or professional body?
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MATTERS TO CONSIDER WHEN DETERMINING HOW CONTRACTED WORKS WILL BE UNDERTAKEN SAFELY
Matters the Contractor may need to know about
o The name of the person with whom the contractor should liaise while on site;
o Name of the person in each work area who must give permission for the contractor to enter the area and start work;
o Who should be informed when the work is complete and who should be advised if the contractor needs to leave the site without having completed the work;
o Hazards already present in the work area (e.g. chemical hazards, biological hazards, radiation hazards);
o Possible contamination present in, on or near the work area and how the work area will be made safe for contractors staff or the special precautions which contractor’s staff must take;
o Other work ongoing in the work area; o Presence of asbestos;
o Prohibition on carrying out work which disturbs or affects the fabric of the building (including, for example, the raising of ceiling tiles);
o No hot works without a hot works permit from Estates;
o Where equipment needs to be isolated from power or steam supplies, the isolation must be secured by lock-off using unique padlocks;
o Fire evacuation arrangements while in the building;
o Presence of smoke detectors in the work area and activities which could cause false alarms (e.g. generation of steam or dust);
o Prohibition on creating trip hazards by running cables across pedestrian routes.
Matters which the University may need to know about o How the work will be carried out;
o What chemicals will be used;
o What risks there might be to staff and students while the work is in progress;
o How staff/students will be prevented from using, or trying to use, the equipment while the work is in progress;
o How the work area will be segregated from other activities in the vicinity;
o Whether there will be any “live working” involving electricity (i.e. where there are exposed live conductors) and if so, the precautions which will be taken;
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PROCUREMENT CHECKLIST
o Who has assessed the contractor as having the necessary health and safety competences to undertake the work and how did they do this?
o Does insurance cover need to be checked?
