| Legislation
imposes a comprehensive duty of care on all parties associated with, or involved
in, construction projects, regardless of description, magnitude, location or constraints.
To this end Greencore Group will establish, so far as is reasonably practicable,
Safe Systems of Work. This procedure is intended to assist our Staff, Sub-Contractors,
Self-Employed Persons and others present in the worksites under our control, to
be aware of and comply with the general Occupational Health and Safety standards
currently operated. The
controls affected by our procedures are minimum standards
which must
be reflected in all our work activities. LEGISLATION The
contents of this procedure have been checked against all relevant current UK Legislation
at the time of writing and at each amendment stage. However current Legislation
should be checked, specific to the particular application and context,
each time the procedure is used, to ensure its continuing validity.
RESPONSIBILITY The
Managing Director has overall responsibility for ensuring that the requirements
of this procedure are met. The Competent Person and Departmental Managers are
responsible for drawing up Safe Systems of Work, within their own departments/areas
of responsibility. The
Competent Person is responsible for approving and reviewing Safe Systems of Work,
at the intervals stipulated, to ensure their effectiveness. #9; All employees
must ensure that their own health and safety is not put at risk by adhering to
all stated Safe Systems of Work. They have a duty to report any problems relating
to Safe Systems of Work immediately, to their line manager or an appropriate member
of the Company management team. METHODOLOGY
Components of Safe Systems of Work The
main components of safe systems of work may be categorised as follows:
a) Task Assessment.
b) Hazard Identification.
c) Definition
of Safe Systems.
d) System Implementation.
e) System Monitoring.
Task Assessment The
Task Assessment must cover all aspects of the task and the associated hazards
to which the safe System of Work is to apply. In particular the following should
always be defined:
a) What is involved in the task in terms of plant, materials, machinery and
substances?
It should identify foreseeable incidents such as accidental operation
or failure of machinery or plant and possible use of incorrect methods.
b) The
personnel involved in the task, their responsibilities, what training is required,
their reaction to emergencies and foreseeable human errors.
c) Where the
task is performed, including the hazards associated with the immediate work environment,
eg work at height, confined space, adverse weather or work over water.
d) How
the task is performed, including current procedures, potential failures, non-routine
or infrequent work.
e) Emergency situations. Hazard
Identification For
all the hazards identified, a risk evaluation similar to that carried out in General
Workplace Risk Assessment, should be carried out to determine/prioritise the controls
necessary to reduce the risks where the hazards can not be eliminated. It is very
important to involve the persons who will actually carry out the task at this
stage. Definition
of Safe Systems Once
the Safe Systems are identified as necessary, they must be defined, in an appropriate
way, and brought to the attention of all relevant employees. This may be anything
from a simple verbal instruction to detailed permit to work. See our Permits to
Work Procedure. The following points should always be considered:
a) The preparation, authorisation and definition
of all responsibilities
necessary to start the task.
b) The provision of a clear planned sequence
of events.
c) The specification of safe work methods,
including access,
egress and emergency escape routes etc.
d) Procedures for completing and
leaving the task. System
Implementation Satisfactory
implementation of the Safe System of Work requires the staff involved at all levels
to understand why the Safe System of Work is necessary, what the necessary procedures
are, and their precise roles in the Safe system of Work. Training is also required
to be given to all relevant personnel in a style which is readily comprehensible.
Where
a complicated task is being undertaken, which may involve the use of plant, equipment
and several different trade disciplines, the implementation may involve extensive
briefings and training sessions before work commences.
System
Monitoring Monitoring
of Safe Systems of Work ensures that they continue to be workable, effective
and safe and continue to meet the intended aim. It also ensures that changes
which take place to the task are taken into account. The monitoring of Safe Systems
of Work is to be carried out by the Departmental Manager/Supervisor concerned
at the intervals prescribed at the time of carrying out the Safe Systems of Work
Evaluation. The periodicy of these checks is dependent upon the usage, and the
content of the Safe System of Work itself. Component
Parts of Safe Systems of Work The
following components of Safe Systems of Work are identified for guidance:
a) Co-ordination of the work of different departments and activities.
b) Use of plant machinery and materials for special tasks.
c) The correct
and safe method of using plant, machinery and hand tools.
d) The method
of carrying out particular processes.
e) The instruction of trainees and
inexperienced workers in particular tasks outside their normal experience.
f) The sequence in which the work is to be carried out.
g) The provision
of warnings, notices and the issue of special instructions in particular cases.
h) The procedure for introducing changes into normally accepted routines
and practices, including explanations why the changes are necessary in this instance.
i) A contingency plan to cover foreseeable emergencies.
j) A method
of audit and review to validate the Safe System of Work. SAFE
SYSTEM OF WORK The
Competent Person will ensure that Safe Systems of Work / Method Statements are
prepared for all tasks, processes and operations where there may be a risk of
injury or occupational ill-health. The following processes will always require
formalised method statements:
a) Tasks allocated to lone workers - see our Lone Workers Procedure.
b) Work
in confined spaces - see our Confined Spaces Procedure.
c) Work at night.
d) Working at height.
e) Commissioning, testing or de-commissioning
of pressurised systems.
f) Any work of a non-routine nature which
has a safety connotation.
g) Emergency response and preparedness.
The safety management element of the method statement may incorporate references
to and details of permit to work controls, procedures, risk assessments task safety
analyses or safety critical events. APPROVAL
AND REVIEW OF SAFE SYSTEMS OF WORK
The Greencore Group Safe Systems
of Work All
Greencore Group written Safe Systems of Work are to be evaluated and approved
by the Departmental Manager/Supervisor concerned; using the Safe Systems of Work
Evaluation and Subsequent Review, before any work is carried out. The Competent
Person and Departmental Manager concerned are to check each of the elements on
the "Activity" list and assess whether they have been satisfactorily addressed
in his opinion. He will tick off each activity as being acceptable, unacceptable,
partially acceptable or not applicable to the process to which the Safe System
of Work applies. He is to give guidance in the "Corrective Action" column as to
what changes or adjustments he expects to be carried out to rectify any deficiencies.
The back of the form may be used to continue the guidance where the list is extensive.
The guidance should include a timescale within which the document has to be returned.
When returned and found to be acceptable, the Departmental Manager/Supervisor
sign off and date the form in the spaces provided at the bottom.
Sub-Contractors’
Safe Systems of Work Where
the Safe System of Work has been produced by a Sub-Contractor, the Competent Person
and Departmental Manager concerned are to merely check that the sub-contractor
has addressed each of the relevant elements on the "Activity" list on the form.
The completion of satisfactory Safe Systems of Work by sub-contractors is a
legal responsibility which cannot be delegated. The Competent Person should
therefore not comment on whether the Safe System of Work is satisfactory, but
merely satisfy himself that it is complete, and in accordance with Greencore Group
OHS Standards, Operational Practices, Procedures, Safety Policies, etc.
Ongoing
Review of Safe Systems of Work Where
a Safe System of Work is to be used over a long period of time, the Competent
Person is to decide at what intervals the Safe System of Work is to be reviewed.
He/she is to enter the details in the appropriate box, and review the document
at the prescribed intervals, to ensure its continuing adequacy in the case of
changing circumstances, such as legislative changes, personnel changes and changing
work practices. The form is to be signed off and dated as each review takes place.
Register of Safe Systems of Work Safe
Systems of Work are to be allocated a sequential number, and a register is to
be maintained, which should also indicate when each review is to take place.
TRAINING
Suitable information and training is to be provided to all employees
who are required to carry out the preparation of safe systems of work and method
statements. Training needs will be identified and reviewed by the Safety Advisor.
Refresher training is also to be given at appropriate intervals.
RECORDS Safe
Systems of Work Evaluations are to be retained, together with the Register of
Safe Systems of Work (Form.S59) in a file maintained for that purpose. Details
of all Safe Systems of Work induction, instruction, information and training,
given to employees and sub-contractors are to be kept on Form.S46 and on the individual's
Training Record Form (Form.PP40). | 
