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Below are a number of posts containing useful tips and insights from the Directors of Auxil Limited, acknowledged industry experts and trusted advisors in the fields of Health & Safety and Human Resources, which will hopefully trigger some thoughts or ideas. 
 
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Posts tagged “Construction Safety”

Working with electricity on construction sites requires the correct precautions to be taken by both site manager and operatives in order to ensure a safe and sufficient system of work for all involved. 
While electrical equipment can be useful in site activities, it presents just as much risk of harm and even death if it is not assessed before use. 
 
It is important when working with electrical equipment that the system is isolated and turned off when not in use, as doing so reduces the risk of accidents involving electricity. An electric shock can vary from a minor injury to fatal, especially depending on whether low or high voltage is used. A risk assessment and a safe isolation procedure must be put in place before any work with electrical systems are conducted. 
The storage of fuel on construction sites must be secured at all times, as all fuel is flammable and even combustible depending on the particular fuel substances and requirements needed for such a reaction. 
 
Fuel on site can be flammable liquids, which can spill or leak out and could result in fires and Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapour Explosions, and flammable gases that can result in a confined or unconfined explosion. 
 
All fuel must be kept away from all hot works or other activities that could introduce heat to the canisters and thus help to create a fire or explosion. This would include screens for hot works and keeping fuel away from cables which could result in electrical arcs in equipment. Bowsers and tanks are to be typically used for storage of plant fuel, with bowser to be sufficiently grounded so that there is no risk of an imbalance and toppling over, thus reducing the potential hazard of damage to the environment. 
The HSE website states that asbestos can be found in buildings erected before the year 2000 and causes up to 500 deaths per year. 
The release of asbestos fibres can cause a great deal of damage to those exposed to it. Emergency procedures must be put in place to limit the potential damage caused. 
 
The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 is specifically designed to handle the management and working with asbestos in the workplace in order to reduce its severity to all workers in the area. Regulation 15 outlines the arrangements to deal with any accidents, incidents and emergencies pertaining to the accidental release of asbestos fibres. 
 
Should an accidental release occur, the employer must make sure that procedures have been put in place for such an emergency, such as the use of safety drills. Information pertaining to the emergency must always be made available for everyone on site and put into effect in an emergency. 
The development of a construction site may interfere with the presence of any plant and animal life in the surrounding area. 
There are species of plant and animal life in England including their habitats which are protected by law. What can or cannot be done in relation to this can vary. 
 
Protected species are provided with the highest level of protection. This includes: all species of bats; beavers; great crested newts; hazel or common dormice; otters; natterjack toads; some species of reptiles; some species of protected plants; large blue butterflies and sturgeons. 
 
Doing any of the following towards protected species would be considered breaking the law: 
The HSE states that first aid in the workplace can mean life or death depending on how immediate the securement of first aid is and its implementation in an accident or incident. 
 
This is outlined in the Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981 which places it as the employer’s duty to provide the relevant, adequate and appropriate equipment, facilities and personnel for which to treat injured employees in the event of an incident. 
 
A first aid assessment must be carried out in order to ensure that the necessary equipment and responsibilities are provided in the worksite. 
A first aid box must be provided onsite at all times with the necessary tools and contents needed in accordance with the first aid assessment. The number of first aid boxes will vary on the size of the site. Their contents must be sufficient and appropriate to the work performed. 
Contents may include: 
• A leaflet providing guidance to general first aid 
• Sterile plasters 
• Sterile eye pads 
• Safety pins 
• Triangular bandages, preferably sterile 
• Disposable gloves 
• Medium and large sterile unmedicated wound dressings 
The HSE website states that all varied waste on work sites must be segregated to ensure the health and safety to all personnel on site. 
There are laws enforced by the Environment Agency and Local Authorities regarding the proper disposal of waste, including the categories that they fall under. In general, “all waste produced can also present a real safety hazard to workers on site if it is not properly managed throughout the project”. 
 
Before work starts, the management of waste disposal must be decided “in a timely and effective manner”, as well as who will be responsible regarding the collection and disposal of the specific types of waste, providing that the company and individuals are fully aware of these duties. All workers must be made aware of the types of waste, the hazards from mixing them and the proper means of segregation. 
The HSE states that “Accidental contact with live overhead power lines kills people and causes many serious injuries every year. People are also harmed when a person or object gets too close to a line and a flashover occurs. Work involving high vehicles or long equipment is particularly high risk”. 
It is therefore important to implement necessary safety precautions as identified on risk assessments, even when working near power lines for a short period of time. 
 
Where it has been identified that power lines are within or immediately next to a site or across any access routes, contact is made with owners of the lines to discuss safety precautions. It may be necessary that power lines need to be diverted or made dead. 
 
Risks from power lines can be eliminated by: 
 Avoidance – can work be undertaken away from power lines? The HSE provides the following advise 
“Make sure materials (such as bales or spoil) are not placed near overhead lines, and 
temporary structures (such as polytunnels) are erected outside safe clearance distances”. 
 Diversion – make arrangements for overhead lines to be diverted away, made dead or isolated before 
work begins. Ensure that work is planned and time is given to arrange diversion of power 
lines. 
The HSE website states that “There is other legislation governing the proper disposal of waste, ranging from low-risk waste through to hazardous waste. These laws are enforced by the Environment Agency and Local Authorities. 
 
However, all waste produced can also present a real safety hazard to workers if it is not properly managed throughout the project.” 
 
Managers/supervisors therefore need to decide: 
 
How waste produced during building work will be managed; and 
 
Who is responsible for collecting and disposal of waste? Problems arise when company and individual duties are not made clear before work starts. 
 
Top tips for waste management on smaller projects: 
 
Flammable materials - make sure that all flammable waste (such as boxes, packaging and timber offcuts) are cleared away regularly to reduce fire risks; 
Work areas - make clearing waste a priority. Check that everyone is aware of what is required and that it is completed; 
If you own or run a construction company, you will no doubt be aware of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM 2015). Our blog this month provides clarity on the basics of what you need to know. 
 
According to the HSE “a principal contractor (PC) is the contractor with control over the construction phase of a project involving more than one contractor. They are appointed as early as possible by the client (commercial or domestic), before construction starts, to plan, manage, monitor and coordinate health and safety during this phase”. 
 
A principal contractor cooperates closely with the client and the principal designer and influences how the risks to health and safety are managed during the construction project. The PC ensures that requirements are understood and implemented. To do this the PC should: 
Principal contractor in Greater Manchester sentenced for putting lives at risk. 
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has prosecuted a principal contractor for failing to safely manage a large, deep excavation during the construction of a dwelling in Greater Manchester. The defendant was Mr Matib of Bradford who was sentenced to sixteen weeks imprisonment suspended for twelve months, ordered to carry out 200 hours unpaid work and pay costs of £5,673. 
 
The inspectors reported that Mr Matib, who had employed several groundworkers, was found to have supervised unsafe excavation which put workers at risk and rendered the neighbouring property unstable. 
 
In addition, the defendant had failed to prepare a construction phase plan, with risk assessments and method statements, failed to appoint a site manager with suitable skills, knowledge and experience to manage the work. 

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