TC&D Construction has taken on the role of Principal Contractor within a majority of our projects, successfully delivering all of our projects since our establishment in 2006.
Our company has been able to do so by:

1. Building up an organisation that has the necessary expertise required to carry out projects safely and in compliance with all regulations, including the COM regulations.
2. Informing our site team and trades what is expected of them as well as detailing how the project should be run so as to ensure work is carried out in a safe manner by trained operatives wearing appropriate protective clothing.
3. Developing a Health & Safety Management System – copies of which can be made available.

The system contains a generic plan from which the project’s specific Health & Safety plan can be based off of. It covers every risk for individuals who are working on or visiting the site, as well as the general public near the area. The plan also details back-up systems along with the procedures that support it.

Health & Safety ultimately relies upon the vigilance of our management team and trades on site which we encourage through a well-informed and attentive Health & Safety culture throughout our company, based on values such as:

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

Health & Safety is everyone’s responsibility, therefore we encourage an ethos of
safe-working as well as encouraging everyone to participate in ensuring the safety of a project. Teaching awareness prevents problems so that is why each and every individual who enters one of our sites undergoes a strict and detailed induction that outlines potential hazards in addition to the measures we have to minimise them.
Much like the world, the way we work is constantly changing and evolving – we are a dynamic company that embraces new working practices. In order for us to maintain our own high standards, we employ the services of an independent Health & Safety consultant to keep us level with any changes or adjustments in legislation and training requirements. They also conduct regular site safety inspections alongside our own weekly in-house inspections.

Trade Contractor Selection

We guarantee that only competent operatives who demonstrate the right skill level and experience are considered for our projects. When concluding a project, the trades’ overall performance (including their skills and approach to Health & Safety) is assessed and fed back into our database. This information is then used when compiling subsequent bid lists.

Our works contractor database identifies trade contractors with poor Health & Safety records, who are consequently not invited to tender. It is vital that trades are made fully aware of the hazards on site in addition to their duties to their operatives and others working on the site.

Training

Our team are specialists within their fields who are able to demonstrate that they possess the skills to operate professionally. Each of our managers have an annual performance assessment within which their Health & Safety performance is reviewed, alongside other areas. Any update or shortfall in skill is identified and corrective action is implemented in the form of training.

Risk Assessments

Regulation 3 of the Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations 1999 requires employers to identify hazards involved in their work, carry out an assessment of risks, and implement suitable and sufficient control measures – such as risk assessments. This is crucial to all planning of Health & Safety.

Before any work begins, the appointed sub-contractors will carry out risk assessments for their scope of work. Such assessments will be specific to the job, project, and site conditions.

The project manager will ensure that all sub-contractors’ risk assessments are reviewed prior to any works commencing by using the Safety Document Review Form. When reviewing these risk assessments, the five steps listed below should be referred to. If necessary, sub-contractors’ risk assessments can be carried out using the TC&O Construction Risk Assessment Form.

Five Stages of Risk Assessment:

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/chemicals are going to be used.
2. Recognise who may be harmed and how • The sub-contractor should consider the operatives carrying out the task, other employees and sub-contractors, members of the public, site visitors, etc.
3. Evaluate the risks and decide upon what action to take • The sub-contractor should ask if somebody is likely to be harmed. Where there is a risk of harm, the sub-contractor should then consider:

• Can the hazard be removed entirely?
• Can the job be carried out differently?
• Can the harmful substance be substituted?
• If the risk cannot entirely be eliminated, can it be controlled by applying control measures
• Can protective measures that safeguard individuals be taken?

4. Record the findings. The findings of steps 1, 2, and 3 must be recorded on the Risk Assessment Form.

5. Review the findings • All risk assessments must be reviewed as site conditions may change, improved systems of work may be developed, or the control measures identified previously may be inadequate.

Method Statements

Method statements are not necessarily required by law but have proved to be an effective method for identifying safe working protocols and adequate arrangements of Health & Safety for those undertaking the works.

The method statement sets out how a job or process must be carried out, referencing the risks 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. A sub-contractor’s method statement should, most importantly, answer the question: How is this activity going to be undertaken safely?

At a minimum, it must contain:

• Name of the task the method statement relates to
• Location of the works
• A clear description of the works, including duration
• A full timeline of the works
• Access and exit 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
• Supervisor’s name
• Permit requirements

The project manager will ensure that sub-contractor method statements are reviewed. The method statements will be passed onto other sub-contractors if the work affects them.

All of the comments that the site team has for a sub-contractor’s method statement and risk assessment will be communicated to the sub-contractor clearly and recorded • this will be done prior to their works starting.

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

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

Any reportable accident (as defined by RIOOOR Regulations) will be reported to HSE within 1 0 days of the incident. We are focused on reducing our major injury occurrences by analysing each injury in order to spot any trends that may be present between them. Slips, trips, and falls are still the most frequent type of accidents on our sites. We are working to increase awareness of the causes of such accidents.