Health and Safety Project Co-Ordinator (HSPC)
The Health and Safety (Management in Construction) (Jersey) Regulations 2016 came into force on the 1st of October 2016. The regulations set out a number of detailed requirements for ensuring health and safety in the construction industry, by requiring risks to be systematically identified and controlled.
The regulations deal with the planning, organisation, control, monitoring, and review of health and safety throughout the whole construction process, from initial concept and design through to eventual demolition of a building or structure.
On all major construction projects (a project that will last 30 working days or involve more than 500 person days) the client must appoint a Health and Safety Project Coordinator. [Client's Duties, Regulation 7] The Health and Safety Project Coordinator's (HSPC) duties under Regulation 8 are clearly defined.
The role of the HSPC is to provide the client with a key project advisor in respect of construction health and safety risk management matters. Through early involvement with clients and designers, the HSPC can make a significant contribution to reducing risks to workers during construction and to those who work in or on the completed structure.
The HSPC must:
- As soon as possible after appointment, notify the Health & Safety Inspectorate of the construction project in accordance with Regulation 9. Where necessary the HSPC must also update notifications.
- Advise and assist the client in order to help them comply with their duties. The level of advice and support required will depend on the knowledge and experience of the client and the complexities of the project.
- Co-ordinate the health and safety aspects of the design work to check that appropriate design risk management procedures have been used to eliminate or reduce hazards during the design process, and that the different design elements work together without causing danger.
- Facilitate effective communication, and manage the flow of information between the client, designers and contractors.
- Facilitate effective cooperation and coordination between all parties involved in the project.
- Liaise with the principal contractor regarding any ongoing aspects of the design and ensure that sufficient information has been provided by the designer on any significant residual risks, which will need to be managed during construction.
- Identify and collect the relevant pre-construction information and advise the client if any specific action needs to be taken eg. commissioning and asbestos survey, etc., to fill any significant gaps. Pass on any parts of the pre-construction information to those involved with the construction phase of the project that are relevant to their work.
- Prepare and update a relevant, user friendly health and safety file suitable for future use once the construction phase has finished.
COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS
What the HSPC is not responsible for:
- The management of health and safety during construction work.
- Coordination between all parties.
- Health and safety issues on and off site.
- Identifying hazards and/or preparing design risk management information.
- Providing pre-construction information
- Health and safety aspects of the design, including the function and operation of the structure and it's components.
- The collateral warranties and insurance against the specification of deleterious materials.
The HSPC is not required to:
- Carry out site inspections and safety checks.
- Review the construction risk assessments and method statements.
- Monitor health and safety during construction.
- Visit site to check that the welfare facilities are provided and compliant.
- Approve the appointment of designers, principal contractors or contractors.
- Approve or check designs.
- Approve the principal contractors construction phase plan.
- Supervise implementation of the construction phase plan.
Since the introduction of the MiC Regulations in 2016, Please also note that directors have acted in the capacity of HSPC on circa 400 projects ranging in value from 25k to 40 million.
The projects have included;
- Extensions & renovations
- New build domestic dwellings
- Historic buildings
- Large scale demolition & remediation
- Commercial fit out
- Schools
- Hospital
- Prison
- Social housing
- New Build office blocks
