1.7 The Principles Of Assessing And Managing Contractors (links To 1.4)

Question 1

What are some of things to consider when pre-selecting a Contractor

Answer 1

• Ideally, selection should be made from a list of approved contractors who have demonstrated that they are able to meet the clients needs
• Do they have an adequate health and safety policy
• Can they demonstrate the person responsible for the work is competent
• Can they demonstrate that competent safety advice will be available
• Do they have a system to assess the hazards of a job and implement appropriate control measures
• Will they produce a methods statement which sets out how they will deal with significant risks
• Do they have guidance on health and safety arrangements and procedures to be followed
• Do they use trained and skilled staff who are qualified where appropriate
• Can they produce good references indicating satisfactory performance

Question 2

• The Management and Authorisation of contractors is essential since accidents tend to happen more easily when the work of the contractor is not properly supervised or the hazards of their job have not been identified and suitable controls introduced
• What should contractors be made aware of?

Answer 2

• The health and safety procedures and rules of the organisation
• The hazards on your particular site particularly those associated with the project
• Any special equipment or personal protection equipment that they need to use
• The emergency procedures and the sound of the alarm
• The safe disposal of waste

Question 3

The Scale of Contractor use is increasing as companies turn to outside resources to supplement their own staff and expertise.

What are some of the reasons for this?

Answer 3

• The advantage of the flexibility of contractors in uncertain economic times is the main reason for there increased use
• Demand for products or services are uncertain
• Contractors are used when more flexibility is required
• The financial overheads and legal employment obligations are lower
• Most of the costs associated with increasing and reducing employee numbers as product demand varies do not relate to contractors