A CDM update
The Health & Safety Executive, the policemen of the CDM safety scheme, have decided that all concerned with health & safety on the construction site have had sufficient time to undertake their learning curve. Prohibition orders bringing site work to a halt until compliance is achieved are becoming more commonplace, and even prosecutions are starting to take place. Owners, developers, or the agents acting on their behalf, are still not fully aware of their responsibilities. Designers are not fulfilling their role by informing the clients of their responsibilities, and the planning supervisors are not being advised in sufficient time of the start of new jobs to execute their role, which involves advising the Health & Safety Executive before site work begins. We are insistent upon this aspect, and we will not take on a planning or supervisory role if a job has already been started. We will go as far as to give limited advice, but no more than that.
Since the CDM regulations were introduced to an unsuspecting industry almost four years ago, there has been a certain amount of awareness and understanding, but there still remains a considerable lack of knowledge on all sides. It is now becoming obvious that it is going to take considerably more time for clients in all forms to fully understand what is expected from them and just how important they are within the framework of the regulations. Generally, the larger contractors with good training resources can provide better standards of documentation, and implement quality safety procedures on the construction site. Smaller contractors possibly have the least awareness of the regulations, but it must be remembered that even a project where there may be five people on site at any one time, or the job is going to last more than 30 days, then it falls within the scope of the regulations.
The Association of Planning Supervisors was set up to raise standards and provide guidance and consistency to individuals and companies involved as planning supervisors. The Association, which now has a membership of about 5000, is carrying out an extremely useful role on the operational side providing guidance and advice. It has developed a standard fee base to eliminate bucket shop tactics, but maintain standards and price consistency across the industry. The fee structure has been based in relation to the cost of the project and its complexity. The Association is also able to provide lists of planning supervisors to clients expecting to embark upon a construction project, to enable them to call in the supervisor at the earliest possible stage.
Over the past four years the Health & Safety Executive has also provided assistance, advice and guidance on problems in areas where in the past they had never played a significant role. Now the Health & Safety Executive has a duty to ensure that CDM regulations are implemented. They accept that the regulations have created additional paperwork (it has been equated very much to the QA activity) but this very paperwork, and the creation of an audit trail, forms the basis of the prosecutions that may be made by the HSE.
We believe that it is the issuing of prohibition orders should be used to an even greater degree than they are now, and where there is a flagrant disregard of the regulations, then prosecutions should be undertaken. CDM is good for industry as the level of injuries and loss of life was at unacceptable levels. The fact that there has been a dramatic decrease in the number of site injuries since the introduction of CDM gives weight to this argument. The only concern is that while CDM legislation emanates from Europe, only the British appear to be attempting to implement it.
Contact FHP ESS.