| Induction and management of contractors |
Integrating contractors with employees was the objective behind this initiative. The culture of one team is promoted from all levels within site staff, and everyone is encouraged to become involved.
Only approved contractors are allowed to work on the sites. They are entered into a database once they have provided documentation, such as insurance policies and Health and Safety, quality and environmental policies. They are then taken through the induction process, which includes familiarization with local site issues and procedures, such as emergency procedures, traffic routes and parking arrangements.
Once contractors begin working on the site, they are closely monitored by site personnel though workplace inspections, the encouragement of near miss reporting and regular review meetings. Contractors are also encouraged to become involved with toolbox talks, inspections, risk assessments and so on.
An increase in foreign lorry drivers at this site caused some health and safety concerns, particularly surrounding PPE and traffic routes, which were difficult to resolve because of language barriers. As a result, the site rules were translated into 15 different languages and issued to drivers on arrival at the weighbridge. The documents are now available to other WBB Minerals sites via the company intranet.
Any contractors employed to operate the company’s fleet of Volvo A30D dumpers are expected to meet the same standards of competency as site staff – to be fully trained in the operation of the vehicles and to have gained an EPIC certificate of competence. To achieve these high standards, the site management put together a comprehensive induction program for various agencies. This was followed by a site visit to the production areas of the quarries and the bulk storage bays.
The operation of mobile plant also has various standards
Another large area of operation within the site is the operation of mobile plant, with engineers from mobile plant manufacturers being based on site at Preston Manor. Working with these types of contractor requires another aspect of contract management. The WBB Minerals approach is to draw up Service Charters with the contractors concerned at the initial stages of the contract. This service charter is a working document, being constantly updated by all parties concerned as a result of review meetings. The document details all aspects of the way in which the contract is managed including Health & Safety, Finance, Production, etc.
Another aspect of mobile plant contract management is the close monitoring of machine operation. This is carried out by machine data logging facilities, producing high quality machine specific reports on a six monthly basis. These reports include machine performance and driver techniques, which aid site management together with operatives to optimize operating techniques. The criteria reported include machine utilization, gear change techniques, engine shutdown techniques and fuel consumption. These reports are then discussed with the machine operatives concerned by way of toolbox talks, with any concerns being discussed.
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