H & B has a turnover of £5.5m
When did you first take safety seriously and why?
We have always taken safety seriously because we started out in the oil refinery industry, where the safety requirements are very strict. So we have grown up in a safety-conscious environment as a company. But we have been very active in terms of safety in the last two years, which is why I was employed as a full-time safety officer.
Have you ever had a near-death experience due to scaffolding?
No.
What have you done in the last 12 months to improve safety?
We provide all our employees with personal protection equipment such as harnesses, boots and hard hats. We do a draw every month for £100, and if someone is seen not wearing their equipment, they don't go into the draw.
We have also improved our risk assessments and method statements, so we are very aware of the potential dangers, and we have implemented a structured accident reporting and assessment system.
Our entry for the NASC award is a set of procedures for rescuing someone who has gone over the top of the scaffolding wearing a harness. You have 12 to 20 minutes to get someone down before the toxins in their body (which build up due to the harness restricting the flow of blood) reach a fatal level, which isn't enough time for the fire brigade to get there. So we have produced procedures for different situations and how they can be rescued.
Has it worked?
We have had a good response from clients on our risk assessments, and our employees do wear their equipment now.
Why should you win the NASC award?
It would highlight the problem, and the contingency plans have the potential to be used nationwide and, hopefully, to save someone's life.
Why should a main contractor hire you?
We are one of the safest scaffolding companies around and we take a proactive approach to safety. I carry out twice-weekly inspections at our sites in London, and I see so many other sites with scaffolders not wearing harnesses or hard hats. We don't put our employees at risk, they don't put others at risk and they are all CITB-trained. We put a lot of money into safety and training, so we are not a cheap company to hire, but we do a high-quality job.
Ronald Ash, director of RR Scaffolding Services, based in Nottingham.
RR has a turnover of £849,000
When did you first take safety seriously and why?
I have been in the scaffolding industry since I left school and have always tried to look after myself. As a company, it really hit home when the Health and Safety Executive prosecuted us in 1985. It was only a minor violation, but after having to stand up in court and admit that we had done wrong, I thought "I am never going to let that happen again".
Have you ever had a near-death experience due to scaffolding?
No.
What have you done in the last 12 months to improve safety?
We have introduced a scheme whereby gangs and individuals are awarded or deducted points based on their safety performance. For example, not wearing a hat or a harness means you will be marked down. Putting up the correct signage gains you points. The top team is given a cheque roughly every month.
Has it worked?
Yes. Awarding money works more effectively than a pat on the back. And we take a structured approach to safety. If someone is seen not wearing a hard hat, for example, they will be given three levels of warning before they face a full disciplinary hearing and dismissal if they continue to offend. Everything is recorded, from the slightest breach upwards.
Why should you win the NASC award?
I am a stippler for safety, and our record is impeccable. We have had no reportable accidents or HSE prohibition notices in the last 10 years. We seem to be able to get over to our workers that we take no risks.
Why should a main contractor hire you?
We are professional, we don't overtrade, we are always available and the experience we have is second to none.
Gary Gallagher, operations director at Glasgow-based scaffolder Turner Plus Eight
which has a turnover of £5m
When did you first take safety seriously and why?
We have always been a company that has taken safety very seriously. For instance, we were one of the first companies to bring harnesses into use about 10 years ago, long before the SG4:00 guide that the NASC brought out last year. We were also the first company in the scaffolding sector to gain the Investors in People award that recognises high training standards in the infustry. We are very safety-aware and it's fair to say that our business is led by safety practices.
Have you ever had a near-death experience due to scaffolding?
Not me, but my son did. He was on a flat roof that had a Victorian balustrade, and as he leaned over to measure the distance from the roof to the ground, he leaned on the balustrade and it collapsed. It left him with serious lasting injuries. He had been ROSPA trained and that still happened.
What have you done in the last 12 months to improve safety?
We hold safety reviews every four weeks, more often if necessary. We have also produced an erection guide for the Plus Eight system that incorporates harnesses.
Has it worked?
Yes. We implement suggestions from the reviews, and companies worldwide use Plus Eight, so it is potentially very useful.
Why should you win the NASC award?
We should only win if the guide we have created is of use to the industry, which I think it will be. A training programme for scaffolding systems is being developed, and our guide could contribute to that.
Why should a main contractor hire you?
We are a high-quality, safety-led company, and we use the latest systems.
Des Daley, safety adviser for Daniels Services, based in Gravesend, Kent.
Daniels has an annual turnover of £5.5m
When did you first take safety seriously and why?
About three years ago the company really began to realise the benefits that could be had from high-quality health and safety. Clients were beginning to ask more about health and safety and so the role of safety advisor was created. So it was partly through commercial reasons, but also moral ones. We have made safety part of our management system.
Have you ever had a near-death experience due to scaffolding?
No, fortunately.
What have you done in the last 12 months to improve safety?
We have adopted the NASC's SG4:00 guidance on harnesses and it has been a big step forward for us. All our employees have been issued with a harness and receive training on how to use them.
Has it worked?
We have had no deaths or falls, so it must be working! We have a much safer industry now. It is unusual to see a large construction site where the scaffolders are not wearing harnesses.
Why should you win the NASC award?
We created a training and skills database, which enables a company to get a quick overview and to analyse its employees' skills and training requirements. Training is integral to health and safety.
Why should a main contractor hire you?
We are a member of the NASC and have adopted its best practice. We are active participants in health and safety on site, we are proactive about safety in general and and we audit our processes.
Source
Construction Manager
