Regular contributor to ATF Professional Michelle Pitkin, Chair of IOSH’s Fire Risk Management Group, emphasises the importance of delivering relevant safety details in line with the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. The focus is on ensuring everyone receives the appropriate information for their role, location, and circumstances without overloading them with unnecessary details.
Providing health and safety information to workers, visitors and contractors is required under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 – legislation explained (hse.gov.uk), however whilst information must be provided it is not a case of needing to inform them of every hazard and every risk on site; it is about balancing the hazards and risks in relation to their role and the information which is given. The right information should be given at the right level for the right person.
Consideration should be given to:
- Who requires the information: employees, visitors, contractors?
- What information do they need to know? What are the hazards, risks, and controls?
Everyone on site should know:
- How / where to sign in and out of the
- What welfare facilities are available?
- What to do in an emergency; how to raise the alarm/ seek assistance and where to go once they have evacuated site, if required (Fire Assembly Point).
Employees will also need to know and understand the hazards and controls relevant to their working area. Those who work within an office environment will need to be aware of the hazards, risks and control measures for their area just as much as someone who works within an active yard, but what if an employee were to enter another workspace; what information would need to be given? Information should be given on the key safety information for the area you are entering or working in; this can include specific information on:
- Access / egress.
- Significant hazards within the area.
- Control measures such as area procedures, additional / alternative PPE.
- Emergency arrangements, which may be different to / in addition to the main site procedures.
Remember, you are a visitor to someone else’s workspace. Just because you may know the person, it does not mean that you know their working environment or working pattern.
Example induction forms for the different types of employee can be found below:
All visitors to the site should be given an induction when they arrive and before they are permitted to start work. Consider:
- Is the visitor / contractor to be escorted around the site, or are they authorised to be on-site unsupervised?
- Is this a new visitor / contractor or someone who has been to the site before?
If they are escorted, they will need to know the same level of information as everyone on site, but they will not need to know specifics as a member of staff will be with them at all times.
If the visitor is to be left unsupervised, they will need to have a higher level of information, in addition to that which everyone requires, such as:
- Their point of contact and how to contact them.
- Hazards specific to the area in which they are working.
- Required control measures need to be taken for their working area.
- Permitted / unauthorised areas.
A visitor induction form example is available here.
Contractors will need to have a higher level of information due to their work on-site. You will need to ensure that they:
- Are aware of their point of contact and how to contact them.
- Are competent to carry out the work for they have been brought in for.
- Have suitable and sufficient risk assessments and method statements (RAMS).
- Have communicated the RAMS to all workers.
- Are aware of access / egress arrangements.
- Are aware / have been allocated parking.
- Are aware of any permits to work requirements.
- Are aware of their responsibilities.
- Are aware of the general working requirements of the site, including behaviour.
- Are aware of permitted / unauthorised areas.
You will also need to ensure you are Managing contractors following best practice guidance.
An example contractor form can be found here.
If they are returning visitors or contractors, they will not require a full induction but should be briefed on any changes since their last visit. This will ensure that they have up-to-date site information and are fully aware of any new dangers.
You can connect with Michelle via LinkedIn.
Read some of Michelle’s previous articles on ATF Professional:
- The Vital Role of Secure Information Boxes (SIBs) in Premises Management
- Maximising Safety through Site Layout: A Continuous Review Approach
All images: credit – Envato Elements
