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Health & Safety
Health and Safety legislation requires the adoption of best practice by everyone in your organisation. We provide a full range of health and safety services to meet the ever-growing demands of our clients to ensure total compliance with current legislation. These services include: carrying out assessments on fire risk, noise and COSHH; accident reporting; independent Health and Safety audits; planning supervision; writing policies; providing training, and Safety advice to employers. Our track record in Health and Safety is enviable and our client portfolio is testimony to our success.
Accident Investigations
Our company Health & Safety provide a rapid response following an accident on a client’s premises or construction site. Accident investigations are carried out by fully qualified health and safety professionals who will visit the scene to obtain the basic facts including details of any injured persons and those at the scene of the accident. Witnesses are interviewed and statements taken. The information is used to establish the events leading up to incident and identify the immediate and underlying causes. Existing management systems and risk assessments are reviewed as part of the process and will be revised where necessary to ensure that the control measures remain effective. The report provided to the client will assess the risks against the existing safeguards and identify preventive the measures to be taken.
Asbestos Policy & Procedure
Employers have a legal duty to prevent the exposure of their employees to asbestos. Clients also have a duty to provide the planning supervisor with information about the state or condition of any premises at or on which construction work is intended to be carried out, which will include identifying asbestos on the site. A new duty to manage asbestos in non-domestic premises is included in the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2002 in force from 21 May 2004. This places a legal duty on persons who own, occupy, manage or have responsibilities for non-domestic premises that may contain asbestos to manage the risk from this material or co-operate with whoever manages this risk. Our company Health and Safety will review the existing procedures and revise these as necessary or provide the client with a new policy.
Construction Site Inspections
Our company Health & Safety provide a comprehensive site audit and inspection service to review the principal contractor’s health and safety management systems on site. This service is provided in addition to the planning supervisor role and ensures that contractors are implementing the management procedures detailed in their construction phase health and safety plan and complying with the Construction (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations and other relevant health & safety legislation. The site manager is informed of any significant hazards on the day of the inspection and advised of any control measures that need to be implemented. A written report is issued to the client immediately following the inspection. Photographs are taken where necessary to highlight any non-conformances or unsafe practices. The report can be presented at site safety meetings if required to ensure that the findings are communicated directly to the contractors involved.
COSHH Assessments
The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 provide a framework which helps to protect people in the workplace from hazardous substances e.g. chemicals, dust, fumes, etc. The Regulations apply to virtually all hazardous substances except asbestos and lead, which have their own regulations.
A schedule of hazardous substances used on the client’s premises is drawn up and assessments carried for each substance. The assessments take into account the properties of the materials or substances being used, the persons likely to be exposed and the control measures to be put into place to prevent exposure or manage the risks. Any persons that may be affected will be advised of the relevant findings of the assessments and the control measures and the control measures.
DSE Workstation Assessments
Employers must carry out an assessment of the workstation for display screen equipment users and operators to ensure that they are suitable for the persons using them and for the type of work being done. Our company Health & Safety carry out comprehensive workstation assessments in accordance with the requirements of the Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992. The assessments cover the display screen equipment, including keyboard, chair, monitor, etc. the work environment, electrical supplies, the interface between the DSE and the user/operator, and the management systems and procedures in place. Information and training is provided to each DSE user/operator during the course of the assessment. Home worker assessments can also be carried out. A full written report is issued to the client upon completion of the assessments.
Fire Risk Assessment
Fire risk assessments must be carried out even if there is an existing fire certificate for the premises. Our company Health & Safety carry out a fire safety audits and fire risk assessments that focus on the client’s duties and responsibilities under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations, the Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations and the Fire Precautions Act. The audit checks the documentation required to be kept on the premises, (fire certificate, fire precautions log book) and information required to be on display in each workplace, (fire safety signs, fire action notices), emergency procedures, means of detecting fire and raising the alarm, means of escape, staff training, means of fighting fire, etc.
The fire risk assessments identify the hazards, (combustible, flammable materials and sources of ignition), identify the people at risk, staff, visitors, etc. and evaluates the risk, (taking into account existing control measures)
A written report is issued to the client following the audit/assessment detailing the action that should be taken to minimise fire hazards in the workplace.
H&S Policy & Procedures
Employers have a legal duty under the Health & Safety & Work Act 1974 to prepare a health & safety policy and where more than five people are employed this policy must be in writing. Our company Health and Safety will review the existing health & safety policy, including the organisation and arrangements for health & safety and revise these as necessary or provide the client with a new policy. This can be carried out as a stand-alone service (if there is an existing policy and procedures in place) or following a health & safety audit of the premises. The health & safety policy should be monitored and reviewed at least annually unless there are significant changes that would necessitate an earlier review. Advice will be given in respect of this. Our company Health and Safety can also be retained as a health & safety advisor to continue providing advice and information to the organisation if required.
Planning Supervision (CDM)
Our company Health & Safety carry out the role of planning supervisor under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 1994. We have a strong core of professional staff with substantial expertise and experience in the health and safety field. All planning supervisors within the company are full-time, qualified, health and safety professionals and have a wide range of experience.
Once appointed as planning supervisor and information regarding the nature of the project has been received from the client, the initial F10 notification is issued to the local Health & Safety Executive office.
We will confirm that the client has been made aware of his duties under the CDM regulations and provide advice as necessary.
We will issue an additional F10 notification when the Principal Contractor has been appointed for the project.
If requested by the client, we will undertake a review of the designers’ competence and allocation of resources for health and safety. We will take all reasonable steps to ensure that the designers carry out their duties under the CDM Regulations.
The planning supervisor will monitor the design process to ensure that the designs have been assessed so that any elements with the potential to create a hazard or risk have been identified and eliminated or controlled so far as is reasonably practicable. This may involve inspecting documentary evidence or holding design team meetings, depending on the size and nature of the project.
During the pre-tender stage we will continue to monitor the process established above. Based on the information provided, together with any additional enquiries we consider necessary, prepare the pre-tender health and safety plan, which we will issue in support of the tender documentation.
During the design and planning stage, we will discuss with the client and designers, the content and layout of the health & safety file. We will liase with designers regarding the suitable clauses to be incorporated into the tender documents to advise the prospective principal contractors of their obligations and in particular those relating to the preparation of the health & safety file.
Once the principal contractor has been appointed we will request that the construction phase health & safety plan is prepared and a copy provided to the planning supervisor for evaluation at least 14 days before the start of the construction phase. If requested, the planning supervisor will advise the client if the plan has been sufficiently developed to allow the construction phase to start.
Following a final audit by the planning supervisor, the health and safety file will be delivered to the client at project completion.
Workplace Safety Audits
Our company Health & Safety provide a comprehensive workplace safety audit and inspection service to review the client’s health and safety management systems for their own premises. This service reviews the client’s compliance with their duties under the Health & Safety & Work Act 1974, the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 and the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) regulations 1992 and other relevant health & safety legislation. The client is informed of any significant hazards on the day of the inspection and advised of any control measures that may need to be implemented. A written report is issued to the client immediately following the audit. Photographs are taken where necessary to highlight any non-conformances or unsafe practices. The report can be presented at safety meetings if required to ensure that the findings are communicated directly to the key staff. Where necessary, risk assessments can be carried upon request following the audit.
Insurance Evaluations
Services include property damage assessment, scope of work recommendations, review and re-inspection of claims, risk management, closing assistance, mediation and arbitration. In the worldwide arena, the quantity surveying profession provides the principal support for loss adjusters and large insurance corporations preparing reconstruction cost appraisals for buildings and structures damaged by any manner of catastrophes and natural disasters.
On specific property damage, we can provide analytical assessments and an unbiased consultation to the insurance company and the policyholder, reducing the time a claim remains open and effectively minimizing administrative expenses.
Land & Mineral Surveying
Our company Sheffield team comprises dedicated Mining Surveyors, Chartered Minerals and General Practice Surveyors, Chartered Geologists and Civil Engineers. Our team of Surveyors and Engineers provide an efficient, cost effective service designed to meet client demand. We are leading consultants to the Coal Authority on mining subsidence damage investigation. Our mining surveyors can deliver a comprehensive interpretation of past coal mining and can provide a risk assessment to assist Solicitors, Lending Institutions and Insurers.
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