Hello. Your procedure for the control of contractors seems ok at a basic level. It is essential however to periodically monitor the work carried out to ensure that it is in accordance with site rules, PTW, risk assessments, method statements etc. It is good practice to record this monitoring and checklist type forms are common across industry. When and how often monitoring is required is proportionate to the level of risk involved with the task.

It sounds about right to me too. Constant supervision can't be expected unless there is a specific need for it (for some high-risk or complicated jobs and for new contractors there might be). Periodically checking they are OK and doing what they should sounds like adequate supervision for most cases but as already said you could go further by recording this.

Katie, your post suggests that the contractors are issuing and completing their own Permits and that you (as employer) are checking what they have said, unless I have misunderstood. It is normally the employer (ideally a senior manager who "owns" the work area or place) who issues a permit to do hazardous work, specifying who, how, where, when and any required controls, which is accepted by the contractor. Thus the contractors are given permission to do their dangerous work, under controlled conditions, by the people who may be affected if it goes wrong.

My past experience has been that as part of the risk assessment / permit the company issueing authority has visited the work location with the contractor and discussed the risks in the area and those associated with the work that they are going to conduct. Any foreseable hazards which could arise during the completion of the work should be covered by the risk assessment and as long as controls and procedures are in place to prevent or deal with this it should not be a problem. As long as they are aware of the risks, dont deviate from their permit and have visitied the work site with your permit issuer / risk assessor then they should be ok to conduct the work on their own without supervision. Obviously exceptions can apply as stated above, and it should be important to emphasise to those doing the work that their safety is more important than getting the job done, so dont rush and if they have any concerns they should stop and come and ask you or the permit issuer. Des

The NICEIC Complaints Procedure does not deal with where applicable, complaints about scope of work that is outside the Approved Enterprise scope of NICEIC approval. NICEIC Approved Contractor- NICEIC Scheme (competent contractors, assessed against a specific set of competency requirements) mostly domestic installations unlikely to pass PIR, commercial, industrial installations, PAT etc (core work activity- if a business cannot offer full range of electrical installation work for evaluation (technical capability), it may be offered enrolment on the basis of Define Approval- if fail specific set of competency requirements- www.niceic.com, find a electrician). NICEIC bum is covered by there NICEIC Approved Contractor- NICEIC Scheme (UKAS 118)! NICEIC Approved Contractor- NICEIC Scheme (competent contractors, assessed against a specific set of competency requirements- UKAS 118): Industrial Installations Commercial Installations Domestic Installations Non-Domestic Fire Alarms Emergency Lighting Periodic Inspection Reporting Maintenance of Electrical Installations Portable Appliance Testing Standby Power Systems HVAC Control Systems Industrial Control Systems Energy Management Systems Street Lighting Call Systems Data Wiring Security Systems NICEIC Approved Contractor, with Approved Enterprise scope of NICEIC approval eg domestic installations only! Do issued NICEIC certificates for ELC/ PIR etc for domestic/ commercial/ industrial installations. Customer/ client wants a failed electrical enterprise (cheap price) and client forgets about there fire risk assessment eg competent person (UKAS product certification 118), H&S at work act etc 1974. Client forgets (cheap price) they have a duty under the EWR 1989 to ensure safe system of work.

Stuff4blokes The Contractor never signs his own permit we have designated representatives who meet Contractors and complete permits with the Contractor Sorry if i confussed you. Thanks Katie