We are an Office fit-out company. Due to numerous failed attempts to get labour only subbies to read and sign the various risk assessments that we put in place to cover the work they will / may be doing when they get to site I am trying a new tack. I have create a booklet containing 25 (generic) Risk Assessments covering most of the works they are likely to undertake on site. I am posting it to all the subbies on our subbies list and asking them to read and sign each of the RAs. I know there are limitations to generic RA and I also appreciate that if I get my booklets returned and duly signed there is no guarantee that they will have actually been read but I looking for a workable solution in an imperfect world. Any resposes greatly appreciated. Andy Does anyone else use a system like this.? What kind of system do you use to ensure that subbies who may be on one site on day and another the next have read the relevant RAs ?

I agree with Chris, although it has to be said that making sure they adhere to the control measures is another job entirely.I too have considered (am still considering creating a booklet with generic RAs , Coshh assessment on commonly used substances and other relevant information in it for operatives. I cant decide if this is a good idea or not and would welcome any feedback

it sounds like the subbies are managing your business as against the other way around and its a criminal offence not to cooperate; so I advise that your business starts managing as if your controlled [I am thinking that you manage them as against they do their own thing?] subbie has an accident you will need all the evidance you can get to mitigate any enforcement/claims If subbies will not cooperate change them; as they will have broken their contract with you

Thanks for all your responses. Just to clarify a few points - I'm talking about "labour only" subbies - usually self employed individuals. These people are not going to be writing their own Risk Assessments, and if they did I wouldn't trust them to be any good. We use many of them time and again and know a good percentage of them quite well. As I mentioned, I know the draw backs of generic Risk Assessments but in our line of work many tasks are repetitive, i.e. erecting a stud partition in building A is much the same as doing it in building B. There will obviously be site specific issues but these will be dealth with at the site induction. My booklet is about 50 pages long - 25 RAs. I don't want to ask these guys to have to read all these RAs on every job they go to, especially as they'll be very similar for each job. Bob - I know what you mean. Steve L - I see where you're coming from but I'm not going down the "do it or else" route. I've written an explanatory letter explaining our duty to them and their duty to themselves and other and our need to satify our client's requirements. I've expressed my willingness discuss any issues anyone might have.