In our last blog post, we talked about implementing quality control in construction projects with ISO 9001 so now, let’s talk about the most important considerations – Health and Safety policies in construction.
Health and safety policies in construction, where do you start? If you tender for work you’ll know that you are asked to provide evidence of your health and safety practices and policies, the pre-qualifying questionnaires can be lengthy and time-consuming if you don’t have consistent procedures in place. ISO 45001 can make the PQQs a lot easier to fill out by having a structured yet flexible policy document that covers all the risks your employees could face at work.
45001 is the internationally recognised standard for occupational health and safety and works by requiring the commitment of leadership roles to embed the ISO values throughout the organisation and create a safety mindset. The goal is to identify all potential risks and implement strategies to avoid accidents and document any issues as they arise.
Those who use subcontractors for work are required to consider the risk factors – this responsibility lies with them, not with the subcontractors. This way of implementing safety controls also provides the potential benefit of lower public liability insurance costs and a significant reduction in the likelihood of an accident occurring and the potential compensatory costs that would come with it.
All ISO standards require external audits to retain certification and internal audits to ensure consistent implementation. Through regular checks, you can be reassured that your health and safety practices are up to date and working well.
British Standards Body or BSI creates the standards to be used here in the UK and within each one, emphasis is placed on continual improvement. It’s not enough to just have a health and safety policy in place, it needs constant reviewing, updating and revising to ensure you and your workers are protected. Construction projects can be complex and busy, it is essential to keep an eye out for all risks that could come up and mitigate them wherever possible.
Candy Management Consultants offer a vast range of health and safety services, not just ISO Standard implementation, make sure to check them out!