WHAT THE CLIENT NEEDS TO DO

Projects and the Regulations
The Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 and the Safety Health and Welfare at Work (Construction) Regulations 2006 ensures that Health & Safety becomes an essential and integral part of the planning and management of all construction projects. The intent is to ensure that everyone works together to reduce risk to the Health & Safety of those who work in the industry, who may be affected by such work, or who will use the end product once completed.

So whenever construction works are contemplated – for new buildings or alterations, extensions or demolition of existing properties, the Regulations place a number of specific duties on the client.

The extent of these duties varies with the type of project but the Regulations apply to all projects and therefore most clients may need to appoint an adviser to assist. On larger projects, and before significant detailed design work starts, the client is required to appoint a “Project Supervisor” who can advise on and, if required, assist with these duties.

The Duties of a Construction Client

On ALL projects the client must:

  • appoint, in writing before design work starts, a project supervisor for the design process (PSDP) who has adequate training, knowledge, experience, and resources;
  • appoint, in writing before construction begins, a project supervisor for the construction stage (PSCS) who has adequate training, knowledge, experience, and resources;
  • be satisfied that each designer and contractor appointed has adequate training, knowledge, experience, and resources for the work to be performed;
  • co-operate with the project supervisor and supply necessary information;
  • retain and make available the Safety File for the completed structure. The Safety File contains information on the completed structure that will be required for future maintenance or renovation
  • provide a copy of the safety and health plan prepared by the PSDP to every person tendering for the project. The Safety Plan documents how health and safety on the project will be managed up to project completion;
  • notify the Authority of the appointment of the PSDP where construction is likely to take more than 500 person days or 30 working days
  • These duties do not apply to you if:
  1. you commission or procure a project in relation to your domestic dwelling; and
  2. The project is not for the purpose of a trade or other undertaking.

Davis Langdon Services

Project Supervisor duties are conducted from our regional offices by, or under the direct supervision and control of, senior staff who have qualified as Individual Members of The Association of Project Safety.

All appointments are conducted in accordance with the procedures prescribed by the Davis Langdon System of Best Practice which are being developed to achieve Quality Assurance certification and to exceed the UK standards imposed by BS/EN/ISO 9001.

Our recent experience of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005, the Safety Health and Welfare at Work (Construction) Regulations 2006 and associated legislation when they undertook work for the three GLAs including the Commissioners of Irish Lights: working throughout Ireland as well as the UK, The 02 Arena, Bord Gais National Distribution Control Building, A|Wear, Kerry Technology Park and Trinity College Dublin.

As Project Supervisor Design Phase, we would take account of the Safety Health and Welfare at Work (Construction) Regulations 2006 and fulfil those duties as specified including:

  • Identification of hazards arising from the design or from the technical, organisational, planning or time related aspects of the project and where possible, eliminate the hazards or reduce the risk
  • Communicate necessary control measure, design assumptions or remaining risks to the PSCS so they can be dealt with in the Safety and Health Plan
  • Ensure that the work of designers is coordinated to ensure safety
  • Organise co-operation between designers
  • Prepare a written safety and health plan for any project where construction will take more than 500 person days or 30 working days or there is a Particular Risk and deliver it to the client prior to tender.
  • Prepare a safety file for the completed structure and give it to the client
  • Notify the Authority and client of non-compliance with any written directions issued

In order to ensure that high standards are maintained throughout the life of the project, we will also give support and assistance to the Project Supervisor Construction Phase in the performance of his duties including:

  • Assist in the identification of hazards, their elimination or reduction, during construction
  • Review the Safety and Health Plan before construction commences
  • Review the implementation of the construction regulations and check safe working procedures through compliance with the Plan
  • Ensure Notification to the Authority before construction commences where construction is likely to take more than 500 person days or 30 working days
  • Ensure coordination and cooperation regarding the collation of necessary information for the safety file