I am the facilities manager at a university. We have policies and procedures in place stating that only trained contractors come onto site on our behalf. However, we have no control over contractors who visit the site at the request of the various departments within the university. Who is responsible for the contractors if they have an accident?
Answers and solutions:
The simple answer, which will come as a relief to some and as no surprise to others, is that there are a number of people who could be responsible, but unless it was the facilities manager who directly caused the accident, it is unlikely to be he or she.
All responsible facilities managers will have systems in place to ensure that only approved and properly inducted contractors are employed by them to carry out any works on site. These contractors should, as part of their approval, provide evidence of their health and safety competence.
There should also be a permit to proceed system in place for many works undertaken on site. This will ensure that all contractor staff members have been given site induction and are aware of the relevant control measures identified by specific risk assessments etc.
Contractors employed by facilities managers will be aware of site procedures, permits to proceed, signing in and out and so on. Unfortunately, it is possible that the university department staff will not implement the same stringent procedures.
As facilities manager, you obviously have no control over contractors employed by others and therefore no direct responsibility. However, under a general duty to protect the health, safety and welfare of others, you might wish to discuss this issue with the university. It might then introduce procedures for the approval and monitoring of contractors brought on site by departments, or, better still, insist that all contractors must go through the facilities manager.
Source
The Facilities Business
Postscript
Michael Wood, operations manager at environmental health consultants Perry Scott Nash Associates
