Jersey Safety Council

End Users Scaffolding Seminar

The Jersey Safety Council

Who we are

The Jersey Safety Council is an independent body part funded by the States of Jerseymade up of local business people who give up their time voluntarily to engage andassist the various industry sectors in health and safety awareness and best practices.

The Council is tasked with raising awareness to health and safety issues and activelyreducing accidents and ill health within the workplace.

The Council remains active in the provision of specialist training courses across thebusiness sectors allowing businesses access to courses that may otherwise not bereadily available locally.

The Council’s website, www.jsc.je is available to offers employers and employeesaccess to articles and links to relevant subjects and resource tools to assist themimprove health and safety.

Seminar ObjectivesIn early 2014 the JSC became involved with the implementation and hosting of theSTAR scaffold training to the scaffold industry allowing their employees to be trainedlocally to set standards acceptable to the HSI.

This initiative has been driven by an increase in scaffolding companies and theinconsistent approach to scaffold installations noted across the Island.

The objectives of this seminar is to offer specifiers and end users assistance inunderstanding their duties and responsibilities and along with those of the supplychain.

We have also included section on when scaffolding should be considered over othermeans of access, such as ladders.

We are pleased to welcome Colin Myers from the HSI to offer a overview of thelegislation and how this can affect you should it go wrong.

We also welcome Jonathan Vibert from the Parish of St Helier and Carl Dodd from TTSwho will advise you on the requirements set by the Parish and TTS.

Kevin McGlone of the soon to be formed Jersey Association of Scaffolding Contractors will also advise you on the membership criteria and likely timeframes.

Seminar Format

•Introduction

•Legal & Enforcement

•Best Practice & Guidance

•Parish of St Helier & TTS Requirements

•JASC

•Questions

Scaffolding industry targeted.

Why?

Colin Myers - Health and Safety InspectorHealth and Safety Inspectorate (HSI)

Introduction

During 2012-2013 the scaffolding industry were targeted by the HSI as part of an Initiative

Why?

• High risk industry

• Repeated incidences of poor performance

Examples

Examples

Examples

What did the Inspectorate do?

• We visited erected scaffolds to look at the standards of the scaffold

• We visited every scaffolding company to review their management ofhealth and safety in respect of the scaffolders and members of thepublic.

This included reviewing:

– H&S policies

– Risk assessments and method statements

– arrangements for designed scaffolds, if required

– the training of scaffolders

What happened as a result of the Initiative?

• We identified a significant variation in the validity and quality oftraining

• This highlighted the need to clarify the required standards of trainingthat the HSI would accept under:

– Health and Safety at Work (Jersey) Law,1989, Article 3

– Construction (Safety Provisions) (Jersey) Regulations, 1970, Regulation 55

What happened as a result of the Initiative?

All scaffolders should undertake a formal accredited assessment/training such as:

– UK Construction Industry Scaffolders Record Scheme (CISRS)

– or an equivalent scheme, such as the Scaffold Training &Registration Scheme (STARS) - available locally in both Jersey andGuernsey

Any training undertaken 5 or more years previously is consideredout of date

How does this affect me as a scaffolding end user?

Commercial ‘end users’ have general duties under the Health andSafety at Work (Jersey) Law 1989 and the Construction Regulations1970.

If you contract a scaffolding company you should ensure:

– They are competent and have adequate resources for the task

– You provide a clear brief

– A design is used, if required

– Request a hand-over/ thorough examination certificate prior touse – and keep it on site

…In practice?– They are competent and have adequate resources for the task:You do not need to be an expert in scaffolding but you do need to demonstrate that youhave requested and received sufficient evidence as to the scaffolding contractor’scompetence

• check their training qualifications– although training along does not guarantee competence but it provides an

indication• request copies of their method statements and risk assessments

– Does the method statement make sense? Will there be an impact on othertrades on site? Scaffold contractors with <5 employees may not have a writtenRA, but they should be able to demonstrate/ explain how they control the risks

– You provide a clear briefBe aware that during the course of the work, your scaffolding requirements may change, sodiscuss the potential options up front with the scaffolding contractor so that they canensure the scaffold is appropriate, as far as reasonably practicable

– A design is used, if requiredAsk whether a design is required and check all the quotes to see if a design is required.There is guidance on the HSE website about which types of scaffold require a specialistdesign - you want the job to run smoothly and not have HSI stop work because there isn’t adesign when it’s required!

– Request a hand-over/ thorough examination certificate prior to use – and keep it on site

What are we checking for?

Best Practice and Guidance

Paul Richardson

Chairman of the Jersey Safety Council

Clients - Working at HeightsBest Practice and Guidance

Some questions which you need to ask about the tasks to be undertaken are:

Is there is a risk of a fall from height?

If the answer to this question is ‘yes’ then a fixed scaffold or other means of safe access oredge protection such as lightweight tower scaffold or access platform will be required.

When is a scaffold required and who decides?

Every job is different so a risk assessment should be undertaken by a suitably experiencedperson and this will allow the correct approach to the works to be established. This maydepend on your knowledge and experience, (i.e. Construction professionals should be moreaware than others).

If you are instructing the work via a builder or decorator then ask then if they haveconsidered the use of scaffolding to reduce the risks of working at height.

If you believe that you are not deemed to be competent or have concerns about the advicefrom your contractor then you should seek advice from the HSI or a Health and Safetypractitioner.

Contractors Assessment of the RisksSome key questions which need to be asked of your contractor prior to works commencing asit is all too common to see contractors working from ladders or poorly installed lightweightscaffold in a dangerous manner.

Ladders should be deemed as a primarily means of access only; The top of the ladder should be correctly secured to prevent sliding; A second operative should be present to foot the ladder; Lightweight scaffolding should be installed by suitably trained operatives only.

When are ladders not deemed to be an acceptable working platform?

When identified by the risk assessment; When the task being undertaken will require you to have less than 3 points of contact at all

times; If a method of securing the ladder cannot be achieved.

What activities / tasks are being undertaken?

Undertake a risk assessment to establish what the risk actually are, don't leave it until theworks starts or an accident or dangerous occurrence happens, it may be too late.

You can consider alternatives to fixed scaffolding such as access platforms, lightweightmobile scaffolding to establish which provides the safest solution.

Clients / ContractorsSelecting my Scaffolding Contractor

What should I ask from my chosen contractor?

Confirmation of competency which should take the means of the following:

Current certificate of completion of the Managing Safety in Scaffolding. Current certificates of STAR or equivalent training for the operatives. Insurance documents including the exclusion sheet.

It is good practice to ask for a risk assessment to be provided before the works starts to allowyou to understand how the scaffold installation and removal will be undertaken.

If a scaffold forms part of a larger package with a building or decorating contractor you shouldstill ask for this information so you can understand the implications, i.e. Access restrictions androad closures.

Is it true that only companies with suitably qualified operatives can construct complicatedscaffold structures such as temporary roof structures?

Yes, depending on the training level of the scaffolding operatives the level of scaffold theycan install will be restricted. For advanced or complicated scaffold structures yourcontractor will need to have Advanced level trained operatives engaged on the installation.

Under no circumstances should complex scaffolding be installed by operatives withoutformal qualifications or designs being in place.

Once the scaffolding has been installedWhat should I expect from my contractor?

Once the scaffold has been installed you should be supplied with a ‘Certification of thoroughExamination of a Scaffold’ from the scaffolding contractor stating that the scaffold is fit forpurpose prior to it being used. This document also stipulates the expected use and restrictionon loads etc. If you have not received this document do not allow access to the scaffold underany circumstances.

If the scaffold is incomplete then scaffolding tags should be installed advising youthat the scaffold is incomplete.

Whilst the scaffold is in use your appointed contractor is required to have weeklyinspection undertaken by a suitably qualified person. This allows the scaffold to remainsafe for use.

Scaffolding left for long periods of time do not require weekly inspection but should bechecked after high winds or snow. All scaffolding should be checked prior to being broughtback into commission.

The scaffold checks are recorded on a scaffold register which is unique to each project andshould be held on site if at all possible so inspection can be undertaken easily.

Never rely on contractual documentation alone to manage the installation and usage ofscaffold – Review and challenge your contractor.

Other Considerations

What other requirements might there be?

You will require a permit prior to installing a scaffold on the public highway or pavement.These permits can be sourced from your Parish or Public Halls and will stipulate therequirements imposed upon you.

Should the installation of scaffolding affect the safe use of the road or pavements thenapproval will also need to be sought from the Parish or TTS as other requirements may beimposed.

In many cases your selected scaffolding contractor will source the permit for you.

The Parish of St Helier & TTS have more onerous requirements due to the complexities ofworking within town and Jonathan Vibert of the Parish of St Helier and Carl Dodds from TTSwill expand on these for you shortly.

Parish of St Helier & TTS section

Jonathan Vibert – Streets Inspector for the Parish of St Helier&

Carl Dodd – Street Works Manager for TTS

Scaffolding on Highway

• Current Legal Situation - Highway (Jersey) Law 1956– Law to control the placing of things below, on or above the road – Licence required from highway authority– 13 highway authorities (TTS and Parishes) – TTS delegates regulatory function to Parish in St Helier

• General Highway Authority Priorities – Scaffolding should not create new ‘un-managed’ risks for road users.– Scaffold should not cause undue nuisance or disruption to road users.

• Current Highway Authority Concerns– Lack of co-ordination with highway authority– Lack of common standards for highway based scaffolding– Lack of safe highway working knowledge– Poor traffic management and pedestrian awareness

• TTS and POSH Response to Concerns to Date– Approved ‘Highway Scaffold’ list (administered by POSH) – Jan 14– Standard Licence application form and Terms & Conditions – Jan 14

Scaffolding on Highway

• New ‘Jersey Guide to Scaffolding on the Highway’ – A Code of Practice (Jan 15?)

– Draft consultation (2014)

• Road Works and Events (Jersey) Law 201_ (States in 2015)

– New duty to co-ordinate with highway authority

– New safe working duty on highway

– Option of introducing highway qualification

• Other Possible Future Developments

– Common online application process….. (2016?)

An introduction to the proposed Jersey Association of Scaffolding

Contractors

Kevin McGlone – JASC Spokesman

JASC

JASC• Due to the enforced improved standards within the industry the local scaffolding

contractors have combined to create an industry body to regulate standards and training of member companies;

• The JASC will be the local equivalent of the NASC operating successfully in the UK;

• Supported by the HSI, JeCC & the JSC;

• The JASC is hoped to become recognised as the local trade body for scaffolding in the Island.

• Members of the JASC will be regulated to ensure a continuous high standard of scaffolding practice with audits being undertaken by external examiners on a regular basis.

• By engaging with a JASC member you can expect to obtain a high level of reassurance that you are making an informed decision, you know what to expect, your expectations are met and of course ultimately you are making the right choice.

• Further details on the formation of the JASC will be circulated in the near future.

Other Important Questions & AnswersWhat PPE should my scaffolder be using? All the usual PPE such as safety boots and hard hats as well as

specialist equipment such as harnesses.

When should my scaffolders wear harnesses? During the construction of all scaffolding.

When should the harnesses be checked? Before and after use.

Who should check the harness? A suitably trained person, ideally the user.

Do you need special training to use a harness? Yes.

When should sole / treada plates be installed? They should be used on all surfaces other than solid concreteor granite where a treada pad should be used, (the use oftimber sole plates in town centre works can be difficult dueto trip hazard issues, but treada pads should be used in thatinstance). The sole / treada plate should always be installedflat with the scaffold base plate touching evenly.

What are the requirements for the protection of standards on walkways and pavements?

All standards on the public highway or where they can beimpacted by members of the public should be protected.Double length base standards are available for this verypurpose.

When should debris netting be installed? On scaffold on a pavement or precinct where the risk ofdebris falling is present.

What are the requirements for double handrails? The SG4 and TG20 regulations both quote double guardrails.Cuplok (system) scaffolding, by manufacturers designs shouldalways be installed with a double guardrails.

Questions

To find a copy of the seminar and for more information please visit

us at www.jsc.je