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  - Who is responsible for the health and safety file?
    
    In 1994, the Construction Design and Management (CDM) regulations added another legislative string to its bow: the health and safety file. The health and safety file is a powerful tool that, when properly employed, can protect those working on construction projects.
    
    The health and safety file is a legal requirement. But who does it protect, who looks after it, and what should or shouldn’t it include?
    
    Ownership and responsibility
    
    Since its introduction by the CDM, the health and safety file has been prepared by the principal designer. It is only required for projects that involve at least two contractors. Therefore, any projects involving less than two contractors do not require a health and safety file.
    
    The principal designer must prepare a file that anticipates the needs of the project and which ensures the safety of those involved. It is also their duty to review and update it in line with any changes that might be implemented.
    
    But the principal contractor also has a duty of care. They must provide the principal designer with key information for the health and safety file - as must other designers working on the project.
    
    The purpose of the file
    
    The health and safety file protects anyone working on a future construction project. Only information relevant to safeguarding the wellbeing of those working on-site should be included.
    
    Overall, the file ensures appropriate arrangements are made in respect of planning, control, organising, monitoring, and reviewing - so that contractors are not put at risk while conducting their duties on-site.
    
    The measures described form part of the HSE’s Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, Regulation 4, and are a legal requirement.
    
    What goes in the file?
    1. Information about cleaning or maintenance equipment
    2. A short overview of the work required
    3. Descriptions of any remaining hazards
    4. The location of important services
    5. Any hazardous materials used
    6. Plans of the building
    What doesn't go in?
    1. Risk assessments (i.e, COSHH) used during the project
    2. Details about contractors and designers
    3. Data relating to demolished structures
    4. Statistics about construction accidents
    5. Information duplicated elsewhere
    6. Contractual documentation
    The above points aren’t exhaustive and are intended for guidance only. Visit the HSE’s website for further information.
    
    The role of the principal contractor versus the subcontractor
    
    Everyone is responsible to some degree for health and safety when working on a construction project - although the level of responsibility will shift depending on the seniority and role of the person in question.
    
    Therefore, although principal contractors and subcontractors have different responsibilities, each worker is classed as a person conducting business or undertaking (PCBU). As a general rule, responsibility is proportionate to how much influence and control a person has.
    
    The principal contractor also has a duty of care. They must provide the principal designer with key information for the health and safety file.
    
    Principal Contractors
    
    The principal contractor plays an integral role during the initial health and safety phase of a project. It is their responsibility to liaise with the Principal Designer to obtain key data to create a Construction Phase Plan, for example.
    
    It is down to the principal contractor - in line with CDM2025 regulation 13 - to plan, coordinate, and monitor work during its vital early stages. Afterwards, they revert to becoming a normal contractor and must fulfil their job duties accordingly.
    
    Subcontractors
    
    A subcontractor might be a specialist hired to fit electrics or lay screed floors. When performing their role, there will be an element of risk - both to them and those around them. .
    
    The subcontractor will:
    - Need to talk to the principal contractor before starting work to learn what the job will entail and discuss potential risks
    - Have to fill out a Site Specific Health and Safety Agreement, Site Job/Hazard Register, and Hazardous Products and Substances Register
    The three different types of subcontractors on a project
    
    Domestic
    
    It is the responsibility of the principal contractor to appoint the domestic sub-contractor.
    
    Nominated
    
    In this instance, it is the client that will make the selection. They will also agree on a price with the nominated sub-contractor - after which they will tell the principal contractor (as per the previous process) to appoint them.
    
    Named
    
    This is someone selected from a list of pre-vetted sub-contractors drawn up by the client.
    
    Responsibilities of the subcontractor at the end of the project
    
    The main responsibility of the subcontractor at the end of a project is to provide operations and maintenance data.
    
    This would include providing information for documents like:
    1. The scope of work - a file that functions as a log and agreement of the products and services to be delivered as part of the project.
    2. Important attachments - including, but not limited to, certificates, test results, and any built drawings.
    3. Manufacturer schedules, incorporating user guides and technical datasheets.
    Cloud-Based Solutions
    
    Pulling together information for this many documents will be time-consuming for the sub-contractor if they’re following a manual process. Using a cloud-based digital O&M template instead will save them time, money, and stress - now and for any future projects they work on.
    
    With Dokkit:
    - Values only need to be added once (the system will pull data through in future iterations)
    - You can create templates for specific types of documents - including health and safety files, handover documents, and user guides.
    - Customer or stock data can be imported before project kick-off.
    As if that wasn’t enough, you can even brand your documents - which will impress your clients and make them more likely to work with you in the future.
    
    Learn more
    
    To find out how Dokkit could save your construction business time and money - or to book a free demo - contact our friendly team.
- simPRO Version
  - The construction industry hasn’t digitised as quickly as other sectors. But it’s catching up. Day on day, month on month, year on year, new technology is being introduced that improves compliance, health and safety, productivity - and, of course, profitability.
    
    But why is digital transformation so important to the construction sector? Why this sudden focus - and investment in - technology? In this guide, we’ll look at the rationale behind these changes - and why they’re essential survival tools in an economy changed forever by the recent global pandemic.
    
    Cloud computing
    
    Businesses are no longer limited by the hardware on their computer. The internet is a supercharged highway that allows companies and organisations to share data and documents at lightning-fast speeds.
    
    Cloud computing isn’t new. But it has only recently been appropriated by the construction industry - partly because its processes and workflows weren’t optimised to suit the industry’s specific needs.
    
    Here are a few reasons the construction industry is making cloud computing part of its digital transformation strategy.
    
    Realtime views into jobsites
    
    The recent global pandemic made physical site visits challenging. And yet the only way to check the statuses of projects was to travel to the relevant location - a process that was time-consuming, expensive, and which jeopardised employees health.
    
    The cloud removes the need for site visits. Using powerful SaaS platforms, construction companies can view sites in real-time - whenever and wherever they want to.
    
    As far back as 2019, 85% of construction companies in the U.S alone were using (or planning to use) cloud-based solutions to manage their projects. Meanwhile, the global market is set to grow to $832.1 billion globally by 2025.
    
    Construction companies that fail to implement cloud-based solutions will become the minority, fall behind, and become unprofitable.
    
    Secure, fully accessible data
    
    Some construction companies still cling to archaic methods of document storage - retaining physical versions only. In the event of fire or theft, this data would be lost forever - jeopardising projects, profits, and customer relationships.
    
    Tech-savvy companies back up their data to the cloud instead. They can store as much information as they like - and take comfort from the fact it’s secure and can be accessed 24/7 from any global location.
    
    BIM (Building Information Modelling)
    
    Many construction companies are making BIM part of their digital transformation planning strategy. But what is BIM and why has it grown in popularity in recent years?
    
    BIM creates virtual replicas of projects that can be used as theoretical models by engineers - who can then anticipate how well building materials will fare over time.
    
    The benefits of implementing BIM for construction companies are numerous. The most obvious is cost. Problems can be spotted before they become expensive issues to fix, improving the longevity of building materials.
    
    Information can be shared faster too, speeding up the decision-making process, and ensuring everyone who matters is kept in the loop.
    
    With something in the region of 70% of construction companies using BIM within Europe, this technology will soon become an industry norm.
    
    Those companies that fail - or refuse - to implement it will fall behind and lose contracts to their more technically-minded competitors.
    
    Project management software
    
    Although digital transformation is changing how constructors manage projects, not all are implementing the right software solutions. Instead of using a single application, many are using a handful of programs for different tasks - such as time management, job costing, or work orders.
    
    That’s fine if apps link together seamlessly. But if they’re poorly integrated, operational errors and inefficiencies will creep in. That’s why leading construction companies are shifting their gaze to all-in-one modularised systems.
    
    Constructors that implement all-in-one project management software as part of their digital transformation strategy benefit from technology that centralises their data - without the need to worry about integration. You can even choose which modules you want to include and add more later when required.
    
    The rise of digital documentation
    
    Paper-based systems are becoming obsolete in the construction industry. Creating and managing a physical library of documents is time-consuming, inefficient, and expensive - tying up vital human resources that could be better deployed elsewhere.
    
    There’s also a risk, that physical documents can be stolen, damaged, or lost. Even then, finding information quickly is next to impossible, with team members having to hunt through boxes of indexed files to find what they’re looking for.
    
    Start adding data from day one
    
    Constructors are catching on to the benefits of cloud-based digital systems and making them part of their digital transformation strategies. Using a program like Dokkit, they can start working toward paper completion from the moment a project begins.
    
    Digital document tools are cloud-based and template-driven - empowering customers to create digital O&M manuals, health and safety files, user guides, and much more - quickly and in just a few steps. They can also be professionally branded, creating better first impressions with clients.
    
    Overall conclusion
    
    The construction industry is rapidly modernising through the appropriation of pivotal digital technologies. In part, these changes are driven by fear: constructors are keen to ‘pandemic proof’ their business models - in part to safeguard their workforce, but also to ensure continuation in the event of another lockdown.
    
    There’s also the fear of missing out. Digital transformation is placing pressure on constructors to adapt to keep pace with their competitors. Those that fail to invest in the latest digital technology will struggle to win new clients and could even go out of business.
    
    And let’s not forget the bottom line. There’s a clear correlation between efficiency and profit. It’s in the best interest of constructors to modernise - because it will make their businesses profitable.
    
    About Dokkit
    
    If you want to digitally transform your business, talk to us today. We’d love to help with your next project.

Why is construction going digital?

Day: September 21, 2021

Digital Construction

Why is construction going digital?

The construction industry hasn’t digitised as quickly as other sectors. But it’s catching up. Day on day, month on month, year on year, new technology is being introduced that improves compliance, health and safety, productivity – and, of course, profitability. But why is digital transformation so important to the construction sector? Why this sudden focus

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Health and Safety

Who is responsible for the health and safety file?

Who is responsible for the health and safety file? In 1994, the Construction Design and Management (CDM) regulations added another legislative string to its bow: the health and safety file. The health and safety file is a powerful tool that, when properly employed, can protect those working on construction projects. The health and safety file

Read More No Comments

Dokkit provides businesses in the construction sector with a cloud-based, digital O&M manual template system. Fast, easy and affordable.

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