Episode 8 - Contractors and Construction

What's this podcast episode about?

Key takeaways:

You and your Contractor share the duty of their health and safety while on farm.

Induct your Contractors

Ask your Contractor for their documentation

Contractors and Farmers both share a duty of care once the contractor enters the property. Contractors are responsible for their health and safety through their actions, but Farmers are responsible for them on their property.

You still have a duty to the contractor as an employee through an exchange of information. For example, you must communicate to them any known hazards at the site their working at. This could be how to enter the area, any public walkways or overhead powerlines to look out for. These are important for contractors to know to plan their health and safety on the job.

Through an exchange of information on known site hazards, your contractor should send back the Risk Assessment Mission Statement (RAMS). You then need to be satisfied that the health and safety arrangements are suitable. This should communicate how Contractors will deal with the site hazards.

What documentation should you ask your contractor?

Health and Safety Policy

Copy of Liability Insurance

Risk Assessments

QWualififcxation of Training (themselves and any workers with them) 

These are crucial to be kept up to date as training and licenses lapse.

Inductions for Contractors

A great place to start is:

Where do they go?

How do they enter?

Any site-specific hazards?

Informative Links

Contractors and visitors

NAAC NFU Safety Partnership Checklist

Using contractors - A brief guide

The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015

Managing health and safety in construction