A topic for discussion!

kngc · Post by **kngc** » Thu May 12, 2016 1:13 pm

Scenario:

You have works on your site that are to be completed by a contractor. You receive their RAMS and your are more than happy with them. The necessary documentation is supplied to you and you are now in a position to start works (big or small).

How many of you then produce your own risk assessment covering these works (be honest)?
How many of you just use the RAMS supplied by the contractor?
Do you believe or wholeheartedly agree that clients should be required to produce risk assessments for others works?

Just interested in your thoughts!

GavGregson · Post by **GavGregson** » Thu May 12, 2016 1:27 pm

You have works on your site that are to be completed by a contractor. You receive their RAMS and your are more than happy with them. The necessary documentation is supplied to you and you are now in a position to start works (big or small).

How many of you then produce your own risk assessment covering these works (be honest)?
yes for all non routine work ( ad hoc)
systems in place for contractual annual visits etc
How many of you just use the RAMS supplied by the contractor?
if new to our business , I will invite in and go through their information.if they are long standing, I will meet and dicuss my findings with there foreman on the day/night to discuss my RA

Do you believe or wholeheartedly agree that clients should be required to produce risk assessments for others works?
yes, if you are on my site, you play by my rules in terms of what I require to see and also what additional work need to be done, either separate or partnership working.
ultimately not all contractors are big businesses, they wont or don't have the resources available, we still have a duty of care, and if 30 minutes is needed to highlight concerns or provide additional information ( such as RA, etc) that is what I will do.
also I will complete site inductions and all the hand-outs, to all new contractors,

kind regards
gav

dekomp · Post by **dekomp** » Thu May 12, 2016 4:12 pm

I'm with gav, on this one . depending on the perceived danger of the task when I produce the work permit , I will also add in the proposed SSOW after a briefing so there are no misunderstandings.

Zman · Post by **Zman** » Thu May 12, 2016 4:15 pm

Depends on your policy/procedure/permit systems.

If the supplied RAMS is deemed adequate for the task, why repeat it!

The control would then be one of contractor induction, compliance with acceptance criteria and checking they do as they say.

Intervention would be required if the contractor is not compliant with agreed standards.

Post by **jonsi** » Fri May 13, 2016 1:24 pm

If we're getting Contractors in to carry out a task it's because we don't have the necessary expertise to carry it out in-house. Provided that the RAMS satisfy me that the methods and practices they're going to employ are suitable and sufficient I would not then see the need to produce a further Risk Assessment. I would carry out a Site Induction covering the basics I would appoint a site Contact to check on their work and I would also look in on them to see that they were obeying their own MS & risk procedures.

Ardbeg · Post by **Ardbeg** » Mon May 16, 2016 2:04 pm

Hi

Agree with Jonsi & Zman completely.

How many of you then produce your own risk assessment covering these works (be honest)?
No, we don't. If they are suitable and sufficient, why repeat them? Before work commences, we issue site rules, have a site induction (for new contractors), highlight any particular measures we require to be taken so our staff/visitors/children are not affected (the contractor would include these in their RAMS) and our Estates Manager is the main POC for the duration of the works.

How many of you just use the RAMS supplied by the contractor?
Yes, we do. Again, if they are up to scratch and comply with our site rules etc

Do you believe or wholeheartedly agree that clients should be required to produce risk assessments for others works?
No. We need to control our contractors. Part of that control is ensuring that they are working safely, with all the correct measures in place and implemented.

Cheers

stretch3144 · Post by **stretch3144** » Thu Jan 04, 2018 8:19 am

I have a contractor in to do some machinery removal work for the next two weeks. He will be on site with one other person carrying out the work.
Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 Regulation 3 states he must carry out a suitable and sufficient risk assessment of the work hazards, however as he employs less than 5 people doesn't need to record them.
From my perspective, I have provided a site induction and given them the site rules. I have received his construction phase plan and method statement, but not seen any risk assessments yet.
My question is, do I need to show documented evidence of his risk assessment, under my obligation for control of contractors?
The risk assessment information on HSE website is clear as mud.

ssmith65 · Post by **ssmith65** » Thu Jan 04, 2018 9:17 am

Here is how its managed where I work, firstly we only use contractors that are on a pre-approved list so we know that they are currently CHAS and construction line registered this helps to weed out the chaff so to speak.

In my experience when we have a visiting contractor on site they tend to have a very generic RAMS for the task whatever that will be. We have a meeting before works starts which we call the Hazard exchange process, this enables me to look over the contractors RAMS and then make the contractor aware of any hazard that our buildings might present to them doing the work, the main one being asbestos. so they then cannot claim they didnt know about any Hazards the building presents to them in the effort they do something stupid. The process then allows us to provide the contractor with specific site info during the meeting, like parking arrangements, first aid arrangements, building operation times, waste. Essentially its llike a mini construction phase plan.