Health & Safety


Health & Safety Policy

TC&D Construction take on the role of Principal Contractor on the majority of our projects and we have successfully delivered all of our projects since our foundation in 2006.

We have built up an organization with the necessary expertise to carry out projects safely and to comply with all regulations including the CDM regs.

We inform our site team and trades what is expected of them and details how the project should be run so that work is carried out in a safe manner by trained operatives wearing the appropriate protective clothing.

We have developed a Health and Safety Management System, copies of which can be made available.

The system contains a generic plan on which to base the project-specific health and safety plan which covers every risk to people working on or visiting site, and to the general public nearby. The plan also details back-up systems and procedures which support it.

Health and Safety ultimately relies on the vigilance of our management team and trades on site. This is encouraged through a highly health and safety-aware culture within our company, based on values such as:

  • Ownership of issues and solutions to avoid risk
  • Evaluating the risks which cannot be avoided
  • Honesty and trust
  • A hands-on management style to combat risks at source
  • Dedication to the goal of an accident-free project

Safety is everyone’s responsibility and we encourage an ethos of safe working and get everyone to participate. Creating awareness prevents problems and that is why each and
every person entering one of our sites undergoes a stringent induction outlining potential hazards and the measures we have taken to minimize them. The way we work is constantly changing and evolving. We are a dynamic company that embraces new working practices so in order for us to maintain our own high standards we employ the services

of an independent health and safety consultant to keep us abreast of any changes in legislation or training requirements and who also conducts regular site safety inspections to supplement our own weekly in house inspections.

Everyone is responsible for Health and Safety at project level. We provide Health and Safety Induction training for everyone wishing to work on the project.

Trade contractor selection

We ensure that only competent operatives who can demonstrate the right experience and skill levels are considered for projects. At the end of every project, the trades’ overall performance including their skills and approach to Health and Safety is assessed and fed back into our database. This information is then used when compiling subsequent bid lists.

Trade contractors with poor health and safety records are identified though our works contractor database and are not invited to tender. It is vital that the trades are made fully aware of the hazards on site and of their duties to their operatives and to others working on site.

Training

The team are specialists in their field and can demonstrate that they possess the skills to operate professionally. Each of our managers has an annual performance assessment and Health and Safety performance is one of the areas reviewed. Any skills updates or shortfalls are identified and corrective action implemented in the form of training.

Risk assessments

Regulation 3 of the management of health and safety at work regulations 1999 requires employers to identify hazards involved in their work, and carry out an assessment of risks and implement suitable and sufficient control measures – a risk assessment. This is crucial to all planning of health and safety.

Prior to works starting, the sub-contractors appointed will carry out risk assessments for their scope of works. These will be job specific and specific to the project and site conditions.

The project manager will ensure that all sub-contractor risk assessments are reviewed before works commencing using the safety document review form. When reviewing risk assessments the 5 steps above should be referred to. If necessary sub-contractor risk assessments can be carried out on the TC&D Construction risk assessment form.

Risk assessment will be carried out in 5 stages:

1. Identify the significant hazards – the sub-contractor should consider the job, how it will be done, where it will be done and what equipment, materials and chemicals are going to be used

2. Decide who might be harmed and how – the sub- contractor should consider the operatives carrying out the task, other employees, other sub-contractors, members of the public, site visitors etc

3. Evaluate the risk and decide on what action to take - the sub-contractor should ask if somebody is likely to be harmed. Where there is a risk of harm, then the sub- contractor should consider:

  • Can the hazard be removed completely?
  • Can the job be carried out in a different way?
  • Can the harmful substance be substituted?
  • If the risk cannot be eliminated can it be controlled by applying control measures?
  • Can protective measures be taken that will protect people?
  • Record the findings – the findings of steps 1, 2 and 3 will be recorded on the Risk Assessment form.
  • Review the findings – all risk assessments will be reviewed as site conditions may change, improved systems of work may be developed and the control measures identified may be inadequate

Method statements

Methods statements are not required by law, but have proved to be an effective method for identifying safe systems of work and adequate arrangements for health and safety of those undertaking the works.

The method statement will set out how a job or process
will be carried out, making reference to the risk and control measures highlighted on the risk assessment.

The project manager will ensure that all sub-contractors submit method statements prior to their works starting. Sub-contractor method statement should answer the question: How is this activity going to be undertaken safely?

It will contain at a minimum:

  • Name of the task for which method statement relates to.
  • Location of the works
  • A clear description of the works including duration
  • Full sequence of the works
  • Access / egress requirements
  • Details of plant and equipment being used, including Leads, lighting, and hand tools
  • Training requirements
  • Third party considerations
  • Requests such as isolations, relocation of access routes etc. • Supervisors name
  • Permit requirements

Project manager will ensure that all sub-contractor method statements are reviewed. Method statements will be passed onto other sub-contractors if the works affects them.

All comments that the site team makes onto sub- contractors method statements and risk assessments will be communicated to the sub-contractor clearly, and recorded these will be incorporated prior to their works starting.

IMPORTANT: Works will not start unless an approved risk assessment and method statement are in place. The site manager will also make checks to ensure that the sub-contractors are communicating the contents of their method statements and risk assessments to their operatives.

Following a reportable incident (as defined by RIDDOR Regulations) or a near miss, the relevant Health and Safety advisor will be contacted and a Damage, Incident, Accident and Loss Report form will be completed immediately and sent to the Health and Safety department.

Any reportable accident (as defined by RIDDOR) will be reported to HSE within 10 days of the incident. We are concentrating on reducing our major injury occurrences by analysing each injury to spot any trends. Slips, trips and falls are still the largest category of accidents on our sites. We are working to increase awareness of the causes.