Introduction to Fire Safety Management

Figure 8.28 Site rules poster
The client can then judge the response from the contractor
to make the fi nal selection and award of the contract.
The considerations during the fi nal selection process will
be based on the information provided by the contractor
which should include, as necessary:
➤ Safety plan for the project
➤ Risk assessments for the project works
➤ Method statements for the project works
➤ Response to the issues raised by the client
➤ Evidence of the resources to be allocated to the
project, such as:
➤ Plant and equipment
➤ Access procedures/equipment
➤ Materials
➤ Safety equipment
➤ Numbers and skills of personnel and
subcontractors
➤ Employment procedures
➤ Emergency equipment and procedures
➤ Time allocated for completion of the works
➤ Nominated project management personnel, including
health and safety responsibility
➤ Procedures for checking the competence of
subcontractors
➤ Defi ned safe systems of work
➤ Permit to work systems
➤ Specifi c emergency procedures.
8.4.11 Managing the contract
Once the contract has been awarded and the work commences,
the client will still need to exercise adequate
control over the project works to ensure the contractor
Causes and prevention of fi re
does, in fact, maintain the health and safety standards
required.
In order to do this the client would need to establish
joint management procedures with the contractor. The
nature and degree of control required must be kept in
proportion to the size and complexity of the project, and
will depend on the extent of risk involved in the work
and the nature of the work site.
The management procedures should be determined
at the planning stage of the project and form part of the
conditions of the contract.
The areas that will need consideration will include:
➤ Management of the project:
➤ Contractors procedures
➤ Client procedures
➤ Joint procedures.
➤ Project monitoring procedures for the contractor
and client are held jointly and require agreed protocols
for:
➤ Communication and reporting procedures
➤ Procedures for dealing with non-compliance
issues
➤ Suitable welfare arrangements
➤ Emergency procedures for fi re, medical and
other emergency.
8.4.12 Safety conditions of the contract
In order to make these conditions enforceable through
the contract, any joint management arrangements and
specifi c requirements for site controls should be detailed
in the contract specifi cation, either as specifi c conditions
included in the contract or by referring to standard
safety conditions in a separate document.
Failure to notify the contractor of such details, which
may have a cost element, could result in confl ict during
the contract works and, possibly, claims for additional
payment at a later date.
The type of safety conditions or rules which could
be imposed include:
➤ A requirement to comply with all legal obligations
➤ Restrictions or controls on the activities of the
contractor
➤ Provision for access and egress – client and contractor
staff
➤ Specifi c site rules, e.g. management of fi re doors,
smoking, etc.
➤ Working times/hours
➤ Site services and facilities to be provided by the client
or the contractor, in particular safety critical systems
that must be maintained during the contract,
e.g. fi re detection and alarm systems
➤ Security arrangements
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