Posted By Ralph Different organisations seem to adopt various methods of assessing contractor's health and safety competency prior to using that contractor. I have recently completed a review of contractors health and safety policies, part of our select list review. It has proved interesting as the standard of health and safety policy was very variable. As policy is a basic element of a health and safety management system, perhaps improving contractors' understanding of the importance and purpose of policy may be a way to reduce accidents and ill-health further in construction and related sectors. I came across arboriculturalists with no mention of chain saw safety in their health and safety policies, electricians with no mention of electrical safety and an licensed asbestos removal contractor whose policy said little more than asbestos should be removed by a specialist contractor. I also found very similar policies turning up again and again, obviously written by the same consultant. I also had cases where contractors had submitted policies that looked like they had been written for another firm. References to the original firm left in the text of the document is a bit of a giveaway (and I did check for a name change). Another giveaway is the front page bearing a firm's name in a different font from the rest of the document with an obvious black line around it where the label had been struck on. Not conclusive but, when combined with references to post holders that you know the contractor does not have, it is strong evidence that the policy was not written for the company submitting it. I also came across some very small firms with excellent policies, clearly written and obviously tailored to the firm in question and the work they undertake. This was really encouraging. Some re-submitted policies had improved dramatically and this shows that the firms in question had given thought to health and safety as a result of the evaluation process. Less encouraging was the response of some firms. I had phone calls asking just what it was that I wanted. It is not what I want that is important it is what the law requires. I had a construction firm re-submit the same policy, single sheet of A4, together with extensive documentation on their ISO 9002 quality system (9002 does not cover occupational health and safety). I have also had revamped copies of firms health and safety policies sent direct to me from their health and safety consultant (draw your own conclusions). The conclusion that I draw from this exercise is that there are a number of firms who do not realise the importance or purpose of a health and safety policy, other than as something to keep HSE Inspectors and the odd inquisitive client happy. The HSE view on the purpose of policy (from A Guide to the Health and Safety a Work Act) is "… to ensure that the employers think carefully about the nature of the hazards at the workplace and what should be done to reduce those hazards…" and "… to increase employees' awareness of the employer's policy and arrangements …". It seems that some firms in the construction and related sectors have a way to go. What do you think? Regards, Ralph

Posted By Adrian Watson Dear all, It's worthwhile to remember that the HSWA requires that the HS Policy includes a statement of policy and the organisation and arrangements for implementing that policy. In many ways the HS policy document is a worthless document, if the company believes in HS then they will be doing it and the HS policy will be incorporated into all its policies and procedures, otherwise its a meaningless piece of paper expressing platitudes that the company neither believes in nor takes seriously. Regards