Guide For Contractors And Project Supervisors

Guide for Contractorsand Project SupervisorsCarrying out Construction Work on Private Domestic DwellingsSafety, Health and Welfare at Work(Construction) Regulations 2013

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INTRODUCTIONThis guidance is for contractors who undertake construction workon private domestic dwellings.Under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Construction) Regulations 2013,a Client is a person for whom a construction project is carried out. This now includesa person having construction work carried out on their own home.The Client’s duties under the regulations include: Appointing competent persons to carry out the construction work Appointing Project Supervisors for the Design Process and for the ConstructionStage where necessary Keeping a Safety File Sending notification of the works to the Health and Safety Authority wherenecessaryThese changes will affect contractors, as the Client is now required by law, subjectto the criteria below, to appoint, in writing, Project Supervisors for their constructionwork.Part 1 of this guidance document explains the duties of contractors under theregulations.Part 2 explains the duties of Project Supervisors.Published in 2013 by the Health and Safety Authority, The Metropolitan Building, James Joyce Street, Dublin 1.

What must a homeowner do?Is construction work beingcarried out? NODUTIESNOYES Is there more than 1 contractor?NOYES YES No Projectect SupSupervisors are required– Hire competent contractors2APPOINTPROJECTSUPERVISORSSU Will the workk last more than 30ys (500 person days)?daysNO Is thereha particular risk?NOYESGuide for Contractors and Project SupervisorsCarrying out Construction Work on Private Domestic DwellingsNOTIFYNOTTHE HSA– AF1 FORM

Part 1: Duties of ContractorsA contractor is an employer whose employees carryout or manage construction work. This includes selfemployed contractors, sole traders etc. Thefollowing are some of the duties of the contractor: Identify and eliminate hazards, and reducerisks during construction Work in a safe manner and take measures toprotect workers, the homeowner and theirfamily from the potential dangers of theconstruction work Ensure that relevant employees have a safetyawareness card and a construction skills cardwhere required Provide employees with site-specific induction Monitor compliance and take corrective action Co-operate with the Project Supervisor for theConstruction Stage (PSCS) Provide the relevant extract of your safetystatement and relevant information to the PSCS Promptly provide the PSCS with informationrequired for the safety file Comply with directions of project supervisors Report accidents to the Health and SafetyAuthority and to the PSCS where an employeecannot perform their normal work for more thanthree days Comply with site rules and the safety andhealth plan, and ensure that your employeescomply with same Facilitate the Site Safety Representative Appoint a safety officer where there are morethan 20 on site or 30 employed Consult employees and Safety Representativeson safety related issuesThe new additional duties on contractors underthe regulations are:1. Demonstrate competencyThe contractor must demonstrate to the Client thatthey are competent to complete the work and willallocate adequate resources to complete it safely.The contractor must be able to demonstrate thatthey can work safely and can manage the risks totheir employees and to the homeowner and theirfamily.Example 1:An electrician is engaged as a contractor torewire a domestic house. The electriciandemonstrates to the Client that they arecompetent by telling the Client of theirexperience and training.Example 2:A contractor is engaged to build a singledetached domestic dwelling and also to take onthe role of Project Supervisor ConstructionStage. They demonstrate to the Client that theyare competent to complete both tasks byproviding the Client with a safety statement,evidence of training and references from previousclients, etc. They demonstrate that they willallocate adequate resources to complete thework safely by explaining their intentionsregarding provision of competent personnel,safety management systems (e.g. plannedsupervision, regular audits etc.) and safetyequipment (e.g. scaffold, PPE etc.).Guide for Contractors and Project SupervisorsCarrying out Construction Work on Private Domestic Dwellings3

Part 1: Duties of Contractors2. Inform homeowner of their dutiesIf a contractor is not aware of the appointment ofproject supervisors, the contractor must promptlyinform the client of the client’s duties underRegulation 6.Example 1:A contractor is engaged to build a singledetached domestic dwelling. As the work willtake longer than 30 days and involve more than1 contractor they inform the Client that it is theclient’s duty to appoint Project Supervisors. Inthis case the contractor demonstrates theircompetency to the Client to undertake the role ofPSCS and is appointed by the Client. The Clientalso appoints the architect as PSDP.Example 2:A groundworks contractor is engaged to dig outfoundations for a new domestic dwelling. He isaware that the work will take longer than 30 daysand will involve a number of contractors. He isnot aware of the appointment of a PSCS. Hemust inform the Client that they have a duty toappoint Project Supervisors for the designprocess and for the construction stage.4Part 2: Project SupervisorsWhat is a Project Supervisor Design Process andwhat duties do they have?A Project Supervisor Design Process (PSDP) is aperson or company appointed by a Client underRegulation 6 of the Safety, Health and Welfare at WorkRegulations 2013. Under the regulations, they havevarious duties relating to the design of the project. Inmost projects on domestic homes this role will beundertaken by the architect or engineer. The followingare some of the duties of the project supervisor: Identify hazards arising from the design or fromthe technical, organisational, planning or timerelated aspects of the project Where possible, eliminate the hazards or reducethe risks Communicate necessary control measures,design assumptions or remaining risks to thePSCS so that these can be dealt with in theSafety and Health Plan Ensure that the work of designers is co-ordinatedto ensure safety Organise co-operation between designers Prepare a written Safety and Health Plan on apreliminary basis for any project whereconstruction will take more than 500 person daysor 30 working days, or where there is a ParticularRisk, and deliver it to the clientGuide for Contractors and Project SupervisorsCarrying out Construction Work on Private Domestic Dwellings

Part 2: Project Supervisors Prepare a safety file for the completed structureand give it to the client Co-ordinate the checking of safe workingprocedures The PSDP may issue directions to designers,contractors or others where they feel safety isbeing compromised Co-ordinate measures to restrict entry on tothe siteWhat is a Project Supervisor Construction Stageand what duties do they have?A Project Supervisor Construction Stage (PSCS) is aperson or company appointed by a Client underRegulation 6 of the Safety, Health and Welfare atWork Regulations 2013. They have various dutiesunder the regulations relating to co-ordinating healthand safety on site, including the following: Co-ordinate the provision and maintenanceof welfare facilities Co-ordinate arrangements to ensure thatcraft, general construction workers andsecurity workers have a Safety Awarenesscard, e.g. Safe Pass and a ConstructionSkills card where required Provide all necessary safety file informationto the PSDP Monitor the compliance of contractors andothers and take corrective action wherenecessary Develop the Safety and Health Plan providedby the PSDP prior to commencingconstruction work (see Appendix 1 for SafetyPlan Template) The PSCS may issue directions to designersor contractors where they feel safety is beingcompromised Co-ordinate the implementation of theconstruction regulations by contractors Ensure that traffic and pedestrian routes arein place to ensure safety when constructionvehicles are in operation Organise co-operation between contractorsand the provision of information Co-ordinate the reporting of accidents to theHealth and Safety AuthorityFurther Information: Notify the Authority before constructioncommences where construction is planned totake more than 500 person days or 30 workingdays using form AF2 (see Appendix 2). This canbe completed online at www.hsa.ie or byregistered post to Health and Safety Authority,6th floor, Metropolitan Building, James JoyceStreet, Dublin 1 When there is more than 20 workers on site,facilitate the appointment of a SafetyRepresentative and provide the necessaryinformation to the site safety representativeto fulfill their roleFurther guidance on the Safety, Health and Welfare atWork (Construction) Regulations 2013 are available atwww.hsa.ie.The Health and Safety Authority Workplace ContactUnit can be contacted on 1890 289 389.The Construction Safety Partnership SMP20 safetymanagement pack for small contractors is a usefulresource and can help to satisfy the contractor andPSCS duties under the regulations. For furtherinformation, see www.csponline.ieGuide for Contractors and Project SupervisorsCarrying out Construction Work on Private Domestic Dwellings5

Appendix 1:This appendix provides a template of a Safety and Health Plan for a domestic project. The aim of the template isto assist Project Supervisors in the development of a Health and Safety plans at design and construction stage.This Safety and Health Plan template is designed to be completed by the PSDP on a preliminary basis andfurther developed by the PSCS for the construction stage.If the PSDP has already developed a plan, the relevant information can be transferred to the template orattached to this template. This can then be further developed by the PSCS.The plan comprises of four parts:Part 1Project InformationPSDPPart 2Particular RisksPSDP/PSCSPart 3Principles of PreventionPSDP/PSCSPart 4Site RulesPSCSMore detailed guidance on Safety & Health Plans is available at www.hsa.ie and should be read prior tocompleting this template.This is not a statutory form; other formats of Safety and Health Plans are accepted. The template may beamended as required for the particular project. The plan should be developed taking account of Section 20 ofthe Act in regards to Safety Statements.6Guide for Contractors and Project SupervisorsCarrying out Construction Work on Private Domestic Dwellings

Part 1: Project Information (Completed by PSDP)CONSTRUCTION SAFETY AND HEALTH PLAN(Template for domestic project)Project Supervisor Design Process (PSDP):Indicates to be completed by ProjectSupervisor Design ProcessIndicates to be completed by ProjectSupervisor Construction StageProject Supervisor Construction Stage (PSCS):Dutyholders:(include name,address andClient:PSDP:H&S Co-ordinator Design (where appointed):contact details)PSCS:H&S Coordinator Construction (where appointed):GeneralDescriptionof Project:Duration ofProject (includebasis on whichthis isestablished):Other Workactivities on site:Guide for Contractors and Project SupervisorsCarrying out Construction Work on Private Domestic Dwellings7

Part 1: Project Information(Completed by PSDP)Is there an existing Safety File, site survey or other safety related records?YesNoIf yes, what part affects the Design Safety?If yes, what part affects the Construction Safety?If no records are in place then an assessment / site survey of on-site hazards may need to be undertaken.Drawing Register:Dwg No:Existing Services8Safety Reference:Location on siteGuide for Contractors and Project SupervisorsCarrying out Construction Work on Private Domestic DwellingsDwg No.Reference (whereapplicable)