During 2007, Safety Expectations briefings were held in every region by the regional and SHEQ director for key subcontractors. The briefings highlighted to subcontractors our safety expectations when working on Balfour Kilpatrick sites. Each subcontractor was required to demonstrate competence and adherence to regulations, for example, how HAVS is controlled in their company. The primary focus was to establish how our subcontractors were coping with changes in safety legislation and other corporate issues and how we as a business could assist them in setting higher goals. Following one session we offered the opportunity for them to attend IoSH Working Safety course that was facilitated and run in house, at no cost to them. We are increasingly committed to using only suppliers / subcontractors if they have the right safety culture.
An innovations checklist focuses minds on prefabrication and modularisation on every project, to identify opportunities for prefabrication and modularisation. Early involvement and collaboration with our supply chain to maximise can benefit safety by eliminating/reduces some of the risks associated with manual handling.
We have produced a DVD to promote the benefits early involvement can have for opportunities to prefabricate, and also developed our own modularisation software.
HAVS – we’re working with Hilti to raise awareness and prevent incidents of hand and arm vibration syndrome (HAVS) with a booklet reviewed and re-launched in 2007.
The online database ‘@ Height’ has been launched to aid with the selection of ‘Working at Height’ equipment. Supporting our principal of using ‘Steps as a last resort’ and the Working at Height regulations, an in-house online database has been devised, supported by input / feedback from Balfour Kilpatrick staff and operatives.