Eddie The PC pursuant to the CDM Regs is responsible for site safety which includes mandating site rules and PPE requirements. So yes, the PC can dictate to you what PPE your personnel must wear on site. Notwithstanding this, it does seem a bit churlish for the PC to mandate a lower standard of PPE than your existing standard. I can only presume the PC does not wish to spend the money providing their own personnel with hi-vis trousers. Your options are to comply, argue the toss, or seek the intervention from the client. Good luck. Ray

Are you the PC's client, or a subcontractor? If you're the client, you can require whatever you like, just write it into the contract. If you're a subcontractor, the PC can't reasonably stop your operatives wearing hi-vis trousers. They surely aren't going to eject operatives from site for wearing too much hi-vis. So I'm not sure what the problem is.

achrn, The situation is a bit complicated. The sites I am talking about are Toll Plaza's on motorways. I work for the toll management company responsible for the management of the toll plazas. The PC is responsible for the major maintenance of the structures and plaza. Both of us report to the client. Both companies undertake general maintenance and minor repairs which are not classed as CDM works although any major works refurbishments/modifications will be. The situation I am trying to avoid is to have two standards of PPE depending on whether or not the work carried out is considered as coming under the CDM Regs., as this would be confusing to the staff of both companies and especially the plaza supervisors. You mentioned client, one of the reasons I started this thread is to gain a broader understanding of the powers of the PC ready for a meeting with the PC and Client next week. Cheers

Eddie, As I said, on the public highway then I would always strongly recommend full head to toe, and I agree with that. As far as the idiots turning round on the motorway & using the coned off area, this is a perfect example of why. Can't you get these people prosecuted by the Police? As far as the suitability goes, I have a good friend whose company policy has changed to wearing these sorts of trousers, but they are not yellow Hi-Viz, they are an anti puncture type, and blue with the reflective stripes. However, he is also mandated to wear a boiler suit over the top. Management will not move on their decision, so he now physically struggles to undertake his work. Unbelievable, but his bosses etc. are intransigent, to the extent that he was told if he did not wear them underneath his boiler suit, he would be disciplined! Can't quite see how the hi-viz reflective stripes will help when covered with a boiler suit, which does not have reflective stripes! As they are puncture resistant, and his boiler suits, provided by the employer are not, it seems this is their reason. Will they change the boiler suits... No, they won't, so he has to suffer. I realise that this is not your situation, but, it is one of the reasons, for my comments about suitability of PPE!

I've recently worked as safety manager for a PC at a toll tunnel in Merseyside, a 12 month project, the Client laid down their PPE rules before we started and we kept to their standard, not a problem at all.

achrn, I agree about watering down my assessment which is why I am surprised that the PC wants to try to enforce their lower standards at the plaza. If they are successful then the PPE worn will depend on the company you work for and the tasks you are undertaking, although all work is on the plaza with the same level of residual risk. As stated in the first post they are threatening that if I don't change the PPE requirements they will override me and enforce theirs!! However this will only be applicable to their staff and contractors and not my staff.

You have to be very clear on the master/servant relationship here, i.e. who is in charge and who's workplace this is. There's no 'compartmented' CDM Project here and the PC is working in YOUR workplace - so YOUR rules apply. If I might draw a parallel with Railway works - any contractor attempting to diminish the standards established by the track owner would be off site very quickly!

Hi Eddie W, This isn't rocket science. When the other contractor is appointed as PC under CDM, his site rules will apply, end of. That said, he can dictate what PPE he requires you to wear within the areas under his control, BUT he cannot dictate that you cannot wear additional PPE if your company requires you to wear it. It is as simple as that.