Keeping safe in construction

Think health and safety is some other lucky bugger’s responsibility?

Think again.

In construction, everyone gets to have a slice of the pie, from clients to workers on the ground.

Whatever hat you wear, there’s always something you can do. Here are some of the ways you can demonstrate due diligence:

If you’re a client:

•   Clients don’t get to wash their hands of Health and Safety – you’re just as important as the rest of the team. If you’re having work done, you’ve got responsibilities under the regulations
•   Make sure everyone you employ is competent. Don’t be afraid to ask for evidence to confirm this
•   Give pre-construction info promptly
•   Make sure there are arrangements in place to cover all safety and environmental legislation requirements

If you’re a designer:

•   Your client’s paying you a pretty penny to make sure you do your job right. You need to make them aware of their duties too – before you start work
•   Avoid risk. As the designer, you’ve got the crystal ball to spot any hazards before they happen. It’s called risk management – do it!

If you’re a principal contractor:

•   Project management is about making sure you plan, implement and review everything properly
•   Draw up the rules – make sure you’ve got appropriate site rules for the area set up
•   Notification – you’ve got to have all the correct formal notices on display on site, no exceptions!

If you’re a small builder:

•   Set realistic lead times, and allow lots of extra time for planning and preparation
•   Restrict site access
•   Provide information and training – your workers need to have task specific training. ISOsafe can help with this!

If you’re a construction worker:

•   Stay competent – always refresh your training and make sure you know how to do things safely
•   Remove hazards – spotted something dangerous? Don’t be a plonker – get it out of the way! Or at least tell someone about it
•   Follow the rules
•   Report any problems

Partner with ISOsafe to manage your workers health and safety. Get in touch with one of our team members to learn about our services for businesses.

Heavy vehicle national laws and business owners

The Roads and Maritime Services (RMS, formerly known as the RTA), enforces the Chain of Responsibility heavy vehicle laws in New South Wales. The RMS has announced that it is actively targeting all parties up and down the supply chain.
The concept of Chain of Responsibility is fully integrated into the Heavy Vehicle National Laws, meaning all parties in the road transport supply chain may be held responsible for their actions and inactions for breaches of:
•   Road transport
•   Fatigue
•   Speed
•   Mass
•   Dimension
•   Load restraint laws
Each party in the chain, including the consignor, consignee, packer, loader, employer, operator, scheduler, loading manager, unloader and prime contractor, must take all reasonable steps to ensure that breaches do not occur.
This may include obligations on one party in the chain to monitor the chain of responsibility policies and compliance of other contracting parties in the chain. ISOsafe can assist in the preparation of policies, procedures, forms and driver handbooks needed for your workplace to maintain compliance.
If road transport is used for any part of your business' operations, you need to know about Chain of Responsibility legislation. Our Heavy Vehicle National Law & Chain of Responsibility awareness courses, will provide you and your employees with the skills to manage duties at each level, so you can work with your contractors to avoid causing or contributing to a costly breach and being held personally responsible under Chain of Responsibility.

Setting up a health & safety procedure in a new business

Health and safety is a necessity for all new businesses, but it doesn't have to be a complicated process. Working out a simple and efficient approach that complies with legislation and consistently ensures the safety of employees can make managing your business easier. Good practice in health and safety can positively influence your business by:
•   reducing staff absences and sick leave
•   maintaining a positive reputation
•   reducing the costs associated with accidents
•   improving staff motivation levels
•   boosting productivity and profits

Get equipped
Looking after your employees is a high priority when it comes to setting up a new business, and there are a number of facilities you can provide and procedures you must consider to ensure their safety. This includes:
•   toilet facilities
•   good ventilation
•   suitable lighting
•   somewhere to rest and eat meals
•   a suitably stocked first-aid box
•   a reasonable work temperature
•   appropriate waste containers

Manage the risks
The first stage in managing your business's potential risks is to identify what can harm people by taking a walk around the workplace and looking for any hazards. Common activities that could cause harm in the workplace include working at a height, and working with chemicals, machinery, gas, electricity and asbestos. For each hazard, you should think about:
•   the risk of somebody being harmed
•   who can be harmed
•   how serious the harm will be
You can also ask your employees if they have noticed any potential risks, as they may have noticed hazards that aren't obvious to you. In addition, involving employees in the process shows you're serious about their safety, and allows them to raise concerns and influence decisions directly.
Once you've highlighted potential hazards, consider what should be done to reduce or eradicate the risk, and put the appropriate measures in place.

Write a health and safety policy
A health and safety policy is the best way to let your staff and others know that you are committed to providing a safe workplace. Writing a policy doesn't have to be time consuming, but should clearly outline:
•   what you want to achieve
•   what you are going to do
•   who is responsible for specific actions
A written policy is a legal requirement for companies that employ any number of people.

Provide training
Once you've written your health and safety policy it is important you relay the information to your team, so everyone working for you knows what they are expected to do. Training should be provided on the risks they face, what measures are in place to deal with hazards and how to follow emergency procedures. You should also record when training has been carried out to keep track of when refresher sessions might be needed.
It is also necessary to display the workers compensation law poster in an easy-to-read position, so details of the policy are always available. 

Keep up to date
It is important that you keep a record of any accidents that take place in the workplace, so you can keep your health and safety procedures up to date. Recording injuries, incidents and cases of work-related illnesses will allow you to identify patterns and introduce effective measures to remove or reduce any future risk. In addition, your insurance company might want to see your records if an employee makes a claim for compensation.

Appoint someone to help
If you're not confident in your ability to manage all aspects of this side of the business, don't worry, you can appoint one or more people to help you meet your firm's requirements. This person must have the ability to work under pressure and make tough decisions, as well as have the knowledge and expertise to do the job effectively, and can be an employee or an external consultant. 
Health and safety may not be the first thing on your agenda as a start-up, but it's something that needs to be considered early on. It will make your business easier to manage, and help you avoid paying out compensation for accidents and penalties.
ISOsafe are health and safety specialists with decades of experience. Get in touch with one of our team members to learn about our services for businesses and their owners.

Why quality management is essential for your small business

With ever-increasing demands for small and micro-businesses to deliver on quality, price and service, the most effective way to enhance the confidence of your customers is through a structured certificated Quality Management System (QMS). For small businesses, this is not as daunting as it might appear, as it should always be based on how your business systems currently operate.

You can manage quality, whatever the size of your business, with a standard that’s recognised the world over. With ISO 9001 Quality Management you can:

•   save money

•   increase profit

•   win more business

•   satisfy more customers

The ISO 9001 Quality Management Standard is the foundation for:

•   A real opportunity for increasing business, and thereby profitability, by being able to pursue contracts with those customers for whom certification is a contractual requirement.

•   Providing you with the opportunity to gain a clearer understanding of your business through the information that the QMS gives you. A QMS will facilitate customer focus, enhanced risk management, increasing efficiency, productivity, cost savings, and reducing and overcoming product or service problems.

•   Developing a system which provides the building blocks a small or micro business needs to progress in that it enhances the recognition of your team members through involving them in considerations, development and implementation. This in turn significantly improves communication and understanding together with a faster response in resolving any issues that arise. All of this is achieved through your confidence that the system provides reliable, recorded information and data to base potential improvements on.

Adopting a QMS should be seen as a business development opportunity, regardless of your business size

Benefits of working with an ISO expert

There are nearly twenty thousand standards covering everything from manufactured products and technology to food safety, agriculture and healthcare.

Use of the standards aids in the creation of products and services that are safe, reliable and of good quality. The standards help businesses increase productivity while minimizing errors and waste. By enabling products from different markets to be directly compared, they facilitate companies in entering new markets and assist in the development of global trade on a fair basis. The standards also serve to safeguard consumers and the end-users of products and services, ensuring that certified products conform to the minimum standards set internationally.

On paper, it can look an onerous task to be able to meet these standards. In practice, it can mean many hours finding, creating and pulling everything together. For many, the time is well spent with accreditation or certification awarded. But, there can also be disappointment. Just when you thought you had jumped the final hurdle, you find there are many more to come.

How can an ISO consultancy company such as ISOsafe help?

There are many advantages to investing time and money with an ISO expert:

•   Important for your business – receiving an ISO certification can have a huge positive impact on your business. It can open many new doors and present your company with a wealth of exciting opportunities. Working with an ISO expert company can help to reach this important milestone faster.

•   Fresh perspective – you know your systems inside and out. You know that your environmental policy is robust, and your quality management systems are all in place. But, do they reach the standard? Are they as robust and versatile as you need and want them to be? Can they really withstand the pressure of interstate and international business? The perspective provided by a fresh pair of objective eyes will make a huge difference.

•   Actionable advice – gaining ISO certification is not rhetoric. They are important business standards that speak volumes about your business's ability to deliver your product or service. When something is so important, you need clear, actionable advice and guidance.

•   Invest for great rewards – when budgets and operating margins are tight, it can be counter-intuitive to pay for a service that essentially, you may think, you can do yourself. It just means slaving away over your desk… but support, guidance and advice from a company who works daily in the fast-paced world of ISO standards will save you time, and money.

Your business is everything. Gaining accreditation and certification such as ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015 will speak volumes to your trade partners, as well as propelling you beyond the reach of your competitors. Why not speak to ISOsafe today on 1300 789 132 or email enquiries@isosafe.com.au to see how much easier gaining certification is with an expert by your side