Engaging Contractors
- Introduction
- Selection of Contractors
- Engaging contractors
- Role of the “University Representative”
- Starting work
- Fire and Emergency Procedures
- Permits to work
- Supervision and monitoring
Introduction
As controller of premises, Canterbury Christ Church University has both legal and social duties to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of all its employees and must also ensure that its activities do not expose others to risks to their health and safety. It is common practice for individual departments to independently engage contractors to carry out work within the University and where this is the case, the following guidelines should be applied. Observance and implementation of these guidelines, which reiterate existing policy, should assist individual departments in compliance with the above duties.
Selection of Contractors
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Limitations on work which may be done.
Departments may not engage contractors to work on plant and services which are not their responsibility, e.g. fixed lighting and power installations, lifts, heating and ventilation systems, central computing systems, telecoms, buildings, fixtures and decoration. These are all the responsibility of the Estates Department.
Work in and access to the University’s duct network can only be authorised by the Estates Department.
Any work which potentially comprises the safety systems built into the buildings e.g. breaking through fire compartments (particularly in ceiling voids), or restricting free passage through fire escapes etc. can only be authorised by the Estates Department.
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Departments should consider health and safety as an integral part of the selection process when planning to engage an outside contractor.
Departments should aim to assess a contractor’s commitment to health and safety by consulting the contractor’s health and safety policy document. It is advisable to obtain a copy of this document before engaging a contractor and where major work is concerned also to request a method statement which should detail how the contractor plans to carry out the work. These documents may be of particular importance when selecting contractors who have not been previously engaged by the Department or who are not listed on any University Approved Contractor List.
Engaging contractors
Departments must ensure that they make the necessary health and safety arrangements to satisfy the legal requirements when engaging a contractor to work within their department. Before work commences, should provide the selected contractor with a copy of the University Safety Policy and also with a copy of their own Departmental Safety Policy. This not only demonstrates the University’s and Department’s commitment to health and safety but also outlines a basic health and safety framework in which the con tractor is expected to work.
Role of the “University Representative”
In all cases, health and safety will be dependent on the establishment of good communications between the contractor and his point of contact with the University, who will normally be the person named on the official order or the nominated Project Officer . This point of contact is described as the “University Representative” who may be a departmental superintendent, safety officer or other full-time member of staff.
The “University Representative” should co-ordinate the work where necessary and will be the first point of contact through whom the contractor can communicate any queries or problems. Where the work may affect other departments, the “University Representative” should ensure that the heads of these departments receive clear information as to the nature and timing of the work and adequate time to implement the necessary health and safety arrangements before the work commences.
Lines of communication should be maintained with the contractor and other departments for the duration of the work so that the relevant persons can be informed of any changes or problems that may require implementation of additional health and safety arrangements. These departments should similarly be informed when the contract work has officially been completed.
The “University Representative” must advise the contractor of any additional or replacement Departmental Representative(s) who has been designated as an authorised point of contact during the work.
Starting work
Before work commences on each contract, the “University Representative” must check that the appropriate health and safety arrangements have been made. In addition, the “University Representative” and/or authorised departmental personnel should, where necessary, liaise with the contractor to determine whether any additional or special health and safety arrangements are required e.g. for work in ducts, confined spaces or laboratories.
Fire and Emergency Procedures
The “University Representative” must inform the contractor of the department’s fire and emergency plan before the contract commences so that his employees can be made aware of;
The nearest means of escape in the event of a fire or emergency.
The location, type and method of operation of the nearest fire fighting appliances.
The location and method of operation of the nearest fire alarm. The fire and emergency plan should be detailed in the Departmental Safety Policy Document and the “University Representative” must confirm that the necessary arrangements are in place before the work begins. The “University Representative” should additionally inform the contractor to whom he and his employees must report in the event of a fire, emergency or evacuation drill.
Permits to work
Where work involves particularly dangerous hazards e.g. radio-active materials; heat or flames; toxic, corrosive or flammable materials; entry into confined spaces, liquids or gas under pressure, or where contractor’s operations need to be co-ordinated with those of the University to ensure health and safety, then operations must be controlled by means of a formal “Permit to Work” system.
The “University Representative” should draw the contractor’s attention to the University Permits to Work system and explain the University’s requirements for this system in advance of the relevant work. A “Permit to Work” should be issued by the relevant department, where necessary, through the “University Representative”.
Supervision and monitoring
The level of supervision and monitoring necessary will vary considerably, according to the nature of the work. Where appropriate the “University Representative” or authorised Departmental personnel may need to periodically check the progress of the work and the health and safety arrangements. Contractors who are not complying with statutory requirements and the provisions of the Code of Safety Practice for Contractors should be immediately reported to the “University Representative” and the University Health and Safety Advisor so that the appropriate action can be taken.
Contractors who deliberately or repeatedly ignore the statutory requirements of current health and safety legislation may be asked to leave the site and should not be re-engaged.
In any case of doubt regarding the application of these guidelines or in any circumstances affecting safe working practice not covered by the code, advice should be sought in the first instance from the University Health and Safety Advisor.
