HSE banner

Construction Infonet - April 2007

Welcome to the latest edition of Construction Infonet.

Construction Infonet is a free e-Bulletin from the Health and Safety Executive to provide a regular update on health and safety issues for all in the construction industry.

In this issue

F10 Notifications

HSE is planning to introduce an interactive electronic F10 form in June 2008. In the meantime, a new downloadable F10 form is available on the HSE website: HSE F10 form

The position regarding notification of a construction project and signing and displaying the F10 form has not changed since 6 April 2007, when the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007 came into force. However HSE has produced the following guidance in response to queries received about the new form.

Notifying a Construction Project and Signing the F10 Form

  1. Form F10 encompasses the particulars contained in Schedule 1 to the CDM 2007 Regulations, i.e those to be notified to HSE. The last of these is "A declaration signed by or on behalf of the client that he is aware of his duties under these Regulations."

    Two declarations are provided on this form, i.e. one to be signed by the client if he/she completes the F10 form; and the other to be signed by the CDM Co-ordinator if he/she completes the form. Each declaration is marked with an asterisk, and Box 15 on the form clearly states (*delete as appropriate). It is not necessary for both the client and the CDM co-ordinator to sign the form

  2. Ideally, the client (or someone from their organisation) would sign the F10 form.
    However, the crucial issue is that the client is aware of their duties under the Regulations. Notifiable construction projects require the appointment of a CDM Co-ordinator. Recognising the practicalities involved, and the fact that it is the Co-ordinator's duty to give the client suitable and sufficient advice and assistance to enable them to help them comply with their CDM 2007 duties, the Regulations actually place the notification duty on the CDM Co-ordinator.
  3. It follows that in many instances the CDM Co-ordinator will be the person who signs the F10 form on behalf of the client. It is important to be aware, however, that regardless of who signs the F10 form, the client retains their CDM 2007 duties.
  4. Any CDM Co-ordinator appointed for a particular project or projects should be competent to discharge their particular duties under CDM 2007. Their particulars will be given on the F10 notification, and it is their legal duty to notify HSE of the project and to make the client aware of their duties.
  5. There is no CDM 2007 requirement for a separate letter of authorisation relating to completion of the F10 form.
  6. For the time being, old-style F10 forms or the website version can also be submitted to HSE.

    Displaying the project notification

  7. The principal contractor's duty to display the project notification is contained in regulation 22 (k) of the CDM 2007 Regulations. It says:
    "(k) ensure that the particulars required to be in the notice given under regulation 21 are displayed in a readable condition in a position where they can be read by any worker engaged in the construction work."
  8. The Approved Code of Practice (ACoP) ‘Managing health and safety in construction’ states that it is the principal contractor’s duty to display the project notification.
  9. A common-sense approach would be useful by all concerned, i.e. if the F10 is used to notify the project, the simplest thing is to display that at the site - whether it is 2 pages long or 6. If some other means of notification is used, then display that. As it says in the Regulations, it is the required information that needs to be provided or displayed - not any particular form. The F10 is provided as a convenient aid to simplify matters. Once the new interactive electronic F10 form has been introduced, it will produce a suitable copy of the form to be displayed at the construction site.
[back to top]

Falls and trips in construction – HSE inspection initiative 2008

The full results of the Falls and Trips Inspection Initiative are now available. As reported last month HSE Inspectors found that approximately 1 in 3 sites and 1 in 4 contractors inspected were found to be working below the acceptable standard.

HSE will continue to take enforcement action where unacceptable standards are found on site.

Have a look at some of the conditions found on site by our inspectors:
HSE guide to good and bad practices in the construction industry

There are some common sense measures which can be taken to minimise the risks of working at height and keeping sites in good order. Find out what simple precautions you can take to improve safety standards on your site:
HSE guide to falls and trips 2007/08

[back to top]

HSE urges construction industry to do more to prevent deaths

Early unvalidated figures from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) suggest that around 69 construction workers were killed in 2007/08. This points to a 10% improvement on the previous year’s figures but HSE warned the construction industry not to be complacent.

Read the Press Release in full:
HSE press release on preventing construction related deaths

[back to top]

Working in great britain from overseas

HSE has produced a new website aimed at helping overseas workers and their employers understand their roles and responsibilities under British health and safety law.

If you are an employer, this website will help you find out about:

If you are working here from overseas, this website will help you:

The website can also be translated into a wide number of languages:
HSE website translated into various languages

[back to top]

Shattered lives campaign

HSE is continuing its latest industry wide campaign on slips, trips and falls in the workplace.

‘Phil was two months into a build and felt he knew his site pretty well, so he was confident that he was safe on the job. Unfortunately he experienced a bad fall after the scaffold loading bay was left unguarded…’

Find out what happened to Phil and how to avoid a similar accident shattering your life:
HSE Shattered lives campaign website

There is still time for your organisation to get involved - there will be further activity over the next few months and new case study materials will be added to the campaign website soon.

For more information please email: tony.almond@hse.gsi.gov.uk

[back to top]

Recent enforcement activity

Read details of some recent HSE prosecutions in the construction sector and find sources of relevant advice.

Work at height

12 March 2008: HSE has reiterated its warning to companies that they must control the risks from falls in the workplace. This follows the Court of Appeal's decision to turn down a company's appeal after they were fined £260,000 and ordered to pay £80,000 by Nottingham Crown Court in October 2007. The case involved the death of an employee after fell ten metres after leaning on an unsecured handrail on the mezzanine area of a cold store under construction.

Further information:

HSE guide to working at height

Temporary Traffic management

14 March 2008: HSE is urging construction companies to ensure they carry out proper planning, inspection and maintenance programmes of their projects while construction work is in progress. Road builder Alfred McAlpine was fined £250,000 following the HSE investigation into the death of a motorcyclist at a roadworks site in August 2005.

Further Information

Crossing high-speed roads on foot during TTM:
HSE guide to high-speed roads on foot

Highways Agency: http://www.highways.gov.uk/aboutus/700.aspx

Electricity at work

19 March 2008: HSE warns employers and workers about the dangers of working with plant or equipment with the potential to come into contact with overhead powerlines. The warning follows the prosecution of a company involved in a major road resurfacing project:
HSE press release on COI website regarding electricty at work

11 April 2008: HSE warns of the need to manage the risk from live electricity cables on construction sites after two workmen suffered serious burns after a cable explosion:
HSE press release on COI website after incident

Further information

Electricity in construction: HSE guide to electricity in construction

Workplace Transport

12 March 2008:  HSE reminds employers of workplace transport risks after 18-year old building apprentice killed:
HSE press release on COI website following workplace transport death

Further information

Managing workplace transport risks:
HSE guide to vehicles at work

[back to top]

HSC/HSE merger

The Health and Safety Commission (HSC) and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) were originally established as part of the 'Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974' as two separate Non Departmental Public Bodies.

From 1 April 2008 there will be a single national regulatory body responsible for promoting the cause of better health and safety at work.

The ‘new’ HSE will retain its independence, reflecting the interests of employers, employees and local authorities.

There is no change in health and safety requirements, how they are enforced or how stakeholders relate to the health and safety regulator - no health and safety protections will be removed.

Contact HSE

Infoline - Health and safety information and advice: Call 0845 345 0055 or visit:
http://www.hse.gov.uk/contact/index.htm

Report an accident: Call 0845 300 9923 or visit:
http://www.hse.gov.uk/riddor/index.htm

Feedback

We issue e-Bulletins on a regular basis and would welcome your feedback and views as well as any suggestions/contributions for future articles.

Thank you to those who provided feedback on the previous editions - we have tried to incorporate as many of the suggestions as possible.

You can contact us at: construction-manager@bulletins.hse.gov.uk

You can view all of the past e-Bulletins at:
http://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/ebulletins/index.htm

News on support for the e-Bulletin and how to sign up:
http://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/infonet.htm

Sign up for other HSE e-Bulletins:
http://www.hse.gov.uk/new/ebulletins/