| Improving small contractor competency in risk assessment and risk control |
Description
On many sites a significant amount of work, including maintenance tasks, is being undertaken by contractors. The size of the contractors varies from large organisations to small one or two man operations.
Not all the contractors were able to generate high quality risk assessments and risk control procedures. A significant number of smaller contractors do not have the support and resources to ensure full competency in this area. Some of the smaller contractors had become reliant on Lafarge employees to generate their assessments for them. This was considered unacceptable.
It was decided to invite a number of small contractors within Southern Asphalt area to take part, with Lafarge employees, in risk assessment (RA)/safe system of work (SSOW) training, thus utilising the training expertise of the company’s in-house HSQE team, enabling the company to deliver to small contractors the same level of competency in generating RAs and SSOWs. The training consisted of both classroom learning and on-the-job assessments to demonstrate and practice the knowledge gained.
As a result, small contractors have been trained to the same high standard as Lafarge personnel and fully understand their duties and responsibilities in relation to risk control thus increasing their competency.
The session was so successful that a training day was held at Mountsorrel Quarry for small contractors only. As well as the general RA/SSOW training and practical exercises, there was an opportunity for the contractors’ current RAs and SSOWs to be reviewed with the Lafarge HSQE manager to give feedback and advice on areas of improvement.
Since this session, there has been a marked improvement in the quality of RA and SSOW being generated by the small contractors with reduced reliance on direct assistance from Lafarge personnel, demonstrating the increased competency of the small contractors in this field. A programme of further small contractor training days is being developed with the aim of holding
further training days across the whole business.
Benefits
1. Increased competency in risk assessment and risk control by small contractors at no cost to them
2. Small contractors received the same high standard of training as Lafarge employees
3. RA/SSOW review and advice session with HSQE department.
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