Control of Contractors: The Role of the Contract Administrator and Site Contact

1. Control of Contractors: The Role of the Contract Administrator and Site Contact

2. Welcome checklist • Start and End times / breaks • Location of toilets / refreshments • Non-smoking building • Location of first aid / nearest phone • Fire alarm / Fire exit / assembly point

3. University Health and Safety Advisor • Don Cross – CMIOSH, CSP • Contact Details – e mail: • don.cross@canterbury.ac.uk • health.safety@canterbury.ac.uk • Tel ext. 2447 • Mobile: 07809 586 022

4. What is changing? • New arrangements effective across all sites from 04.05.10. • Introduction of Contractor’s Authorisation to Enter University Premises. • Log of all Contractor’s Authorisation to Enter forms issued. • Higher risk activities will require ‘method statements’ and/or ‘risk assessment’. • Contract Administrators in all contracting departments to manage contractors. • Site Contacts at campuses and buildings allow contractors to enter University premises.

5. Why the change? • To increase control over contractors, particularly those who undertake ‘Higher Risk’ activities. • To clarify roles and responsibilities in commissioning departments. • To clarify the limit of responsibility of campus personnel acting as site contacts. • To capture necessary information for all parties on a single form.

6. Trials of new System • Various trials have been in operation since January 2010 • The previous permit to work form has now been replaced by the Contractor’s Authorisation to Enter University Premises form • Logging of forms – there is now a live spreadsheet on the Facilities drive called ‘Register of Work Issued’

7. Who are the main players? • Heads of Department. • Contract Administrators. • Site Contacts. • Contractors.

8. Responsibilities of Heads of Department • Ensure appropriate arrangements are in place to identify when Contractors and proposed work complies with the University’s health and safety policies. • Ensure Contractors are competent to carry out the work before being appointed, and they are appropriately insured. • Ensure Contract Administrators are appointed to coordinate the work of Contractors and are appropriately trained to discharge their responsibilities. • Ensure after completion, the work is inspected for quality prior to the payment of the final invoice and relevant records updated.

9. Competence & other guidance • If unsure about what constitutes a contract, brief guidance will shortly be available on the Health & Safety website and ‘Blackboard’. • If unsure about the competence of a contractor, contact the relevant department for advice and/or check their accreditation with official bodies. • If unsure on the requirement for insurance, brief guidance will shortly available on the Health and Safety website and ‘Blackboard’.

10. Payment of completed work • After completion, the work must be inspected for quality prior to the payment of the final invoice. • If an order has been raised in P2P (Agresso) prior to commencement of the work: It is important ‘not to complete the Goods Received’ section in P2P before the work has been inspected, as the invoice might be paid before the work is effectively signed off.

11. Contract Administrators • Co-ordinate the arrangements for contractors. • Ensure contractors undertake appropriate risk assessments and have in place appropriate method statements. • Have a clear understanding of ‘Suitable and Sufficient’ Risk Assessments and Method Statements. • Convey to contractors that they are expected to comply with the relevant health and safety requirements. • Ensure arrangements are in place to provide induction. • Organise a Site Contact for the period of work. • Inform Building Wardens(and others who may be affected) of the proposed work. (Updated list of wardens on website) • Liaise with Contractors regarding vehicle entry and parking requirements.

12. Site Contact • Will normally be security or reception, but can be the Contract Administrator or other suitably trained staff. • Fulfills the following: • liaises with contractors on arrival, and signs them in. • issues a relevant pass and any keys. • briefs the contractors on the site = essential induction (smoking policy/ evacuation / first aid location etc..) • collects keys (on completion of work). • oversees departure from the site. • The ‘Site Contact’ is NOT responsible for the work of the contractor. Do not sign the work off unless agreed with the Contract Administrator.

13. Contractors • Ensure all work carried out on University premises is carried out in accordance with current health and safety legislation. • Produce, where required, suitable and sufficient risk assessments and method statements to satisfy the Contract Administrator. • Keep the Contract Administrator advised of the employment of ‘Sub Contractors’. • Ensure their employees and subcontractors conduct their activities safely and carry the Authorisation Form as they may have to show it if challenged.

14. The CCCU Format

15. Content of Form • Location and nature of work. • Duration – a maximum of 7 days. • Contact details of contract administrator, contractor and site contact. • Description of work. • Whether high risk work is authorised – with the backup paper work (Risk Assessment, Method Statement) kept by contract administrator • Check list to prompt site contact • Work signed off by the Contract Administrator – not the Site Contact (Can use your username as signature)

16. Completing the Form • Template is in Word Format (Any printed copies will be regarded as “non controlled”). • Completed form to be emailed to all parties i.e. contractor, site contact, security or reception, building warden and others. • Sections 1 – 6 and 10, 11 to be completed for low risk activities and for service providers (e.g. photocopier repairman). • ALL sections to be completed for ‘Higher Risk’ activities (work requiring risk assessments / method statements).

17. How to access it and where? • In the Facilities drive in the folder Control of Contractors: Use the link below to map yourself to it: http://www.canterbury.ac.uk/support/learning-teaching-enhancement-unit/cct/vista/intermediate/manual_intranet_version/vista_intermediate_eurp46.htmOr you can put map a drive in Search the Website on the top right hand side of staffnet (If you have any problems obtaining access to this drive please contact Veronica Cousins). • Brief guidance is issued with the form as it is a locked-editing form, called “Summary-access to form”.

18. Log of the authorisation to enter • Each authorisation is logged on the spreadsheet hosted by Facilities (“Register of Work issued”) • Log the following: • form number and date. • the contract administrator details. • the contractors. • the campus location. • the nature of the work. • whether it is ‘higher risk’. • services isolated.

19. Why log the work • To act as a record of the authorisations given. • To generate management information concerning: • departmental activity. • Contractors. • nature of work undertaken. • prevalence of higher risk work. • To inform training programmes. • To provide the basis for auditing purposes. • IT IS ESSENTIAL FOR THE FORM TO BE COMPLETED.

20. For how long? • The form is only valid for 7 days. • The Site Contact is to keep a copy of the blue section for one year. • When the work has been signed off, the Contract Administrator is to keep a copy of the form, risk assessments and method statements for six years.

21. Support and Training • Principal professional contact is the University Health and Safety Advisor – especially where ‘Higher Risk’ activities are involved. • Ongoing ‘in house’ training on process and procedures. • Training in further aspects of the system – especially for Contract Administrators will be provided, such as insurance requirements, etc..

22. Additional Guidance • ‘Summary-Access to form’ • ‘Quick reference guide’ – Control of Contractors • Summary for Contract Administrators • Summary for Site Contacts • Flow chart for Low/ or High Risk activities The above are available in the Facilities Drive in the Control of Contractors folder/ Information-Guidance and on ‘Blackboard’.

23. QUESTIONS