Posted By Crim
Under the existing CDM Regs. one of the duties of a Planning Supervisor is to produce the Health and Safety File at the end of a construction project.

I have been asked by one of my clients, who is Principle Contractor on a current construction project, to produce the health and safety file. The project is nearing its conclusion and hands over 15th December. I provided the Construction Phase Plan and they now expect me to provide the H & S File.

This is a little annoying to me as the Planning Supervisor is being paid by the Client and I would expect him to fulfil all duties as per CDM Regs.

Please can I have some thoughts about this as I feel inclined to refuse the work on the grounds that the Planning Supervisor should do it but I do not wish to upset my client as I may lose future work.

Many thanks for your input,

Posted By Richard Mathews
As Dave says it is the Planning Supervisors responsibility to ensure that the file is produced, this doesn’t necessarily mean that they have to produce it. On our projects we always put it in the contract that the Principle Contractor has to actually produce the file.

Richard

Posted By Jeff Manion
The health and safety file should include information about all of the following topics, where these may be relevant to the health and safety of any future construction works. The level of detail should be proportionate to the risks likely to be involved in such works.

(a) A brief description of the works carried out and completed.

(b) Residual hazards and how they have been dealt with (for example, surveys or other information such as buried services).

(c) Key structural principles incorporated in the design if the structure (i.e. bracing, sources of substantial stored energy – including pre- or post-tensioned members) and safe working loads for floors and / or roofs, particularly where these may preclude placing scaffold or heavy machinery there.

(d) Any hazards associated with the material used (for example, hazardous substances, lead paint, special coatings that could be burnt off”).

(e) Information regarding the removal or dismantling of installed plant and equipment (such as lifting arrangements).

(f) Health and safety information about the equipment provided for cleaning or maintaining the structure.

(g) The nature, location and marking of significant services, including fire fighting equipment.

(h) Information and as-built drawings of the structure, its plant and equipment (i.e. the means of safe access to and from service voids, fire doors and compartments).

This information has been taken from the publication “Managing health and safety in construction “Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 1994”” Approved code of practice, issued by the ‘health and safety executive’ which came into effect February 2002.