Contents
- What skills, knowledge and experience does a contractor need?
- How can I demonstrate my health and safety skills, knowledge and experience?
- What do I need to do as a contractor on a project?
What skills, knowledge and experience does a contractor need?
A contractor must be able to demonstrate that they have the skills, knowledge and experience and organisational capability to carry out the work safely and without risk to health.
Similarly, when a contractor employs or appoints an individual to carry out construction work, they must make sure the individual has the skills, knowledge, experience and training to carry out the work in a way that secures health and safety, or is in the process of obtaining them.
The required level of skills, knowledge and experience (and training where required) should be proportionate to the complexity of the work and the range and nature of the risks involved.
How can I demonstrate my health and safety skills, knowledge and experience?
- Records of continuing professional development (CPD) including training records
- Membership of professional bodies (e.g. BALI)
- References from previous construction work
What do I need to do as a contractor on a project?
- Plan, manage and monitor all work carried out by your workers, taking into account the risks to anyone who might be affected by it (e.g. members of the public) and the measures needed to protect them
- Check that your workers have the skills, knowledge, training and experience to carry out the work, or are in the process of obtaining them
- Make sure your workers have a suitable, site-specific induction, unless this has already been provided by the principal contractor
- Provide appropriate supervision, information and instructions to workers under your control
- Do not start work on site unless reasonable steps have been taken to prevent unauthorised access
- Ensure suitable welfare facilities are provided for your workers, and maintain them throughout the work
In addition to the above responsibilities, contractors working on projects involving more than one contractor must also:
- Coordinate their work with the work of others in the project team
- Comply with directions given by the principal designer or principal contractor
- Comply with parts of the construction phase plan relevant to their work