BUILDINGS, MAINTENANCE & REFURBISHMENT Time management
Unless building compliance manager is your job title, statutory compliance forms a little piece of a varied and diverse job for a school business manager. So much so, it can get forgotten about as alluded to earlier. Consequently, it is extremely important not to let other day to day tasks overshadow the importance of building compliance.
Record-keeping
Have a system in place. Whether that’s your own internal filing system or an online premises management software. The system should record when services were last completed and next due with the report being readily available. Health & safety audits are a regular occurrence so it’s imperative that all information is at hand. These systems are crucial for an efficient and effective solution when managing compliance in a school building.
Remedial works
• Lack of training. • Poor management. • Poor service from suppliers.
Ultimately there is no excuse when it comes to legislation. The HWSA places a general duty of employers to “ensure so far as is reasonably practicable the health, safety and welfare at work of all their employees”
Regulation 5 of the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 also states:
“5.—(1) The workplace and the equipment, devices and systems to which this regulation applies shall be maintained (including cleaned as appropriate) in an efficient state, in efficient working order and in good repair.
(2) Where appropriate, the equipment, devices and systems to which this regulation applies shall be subject to a suitable system of maintenance”
In addition to these regulations, there are also Approved Codes of Practice (ACOPs), Health and Safety Executive guidance (HSE) and British Standards to consider. Whereas these are not regulations in themselves, failure to observe an ACOP/British Standard can be used in evidence should an incident occur. Furthermore, and if there was an unfortunate incident, one of the first things an inspector would ask for is the inspection/service records.
The solution
Whereas the task at hand shouldn’t be underestimated and there are complexities, managing school building compliance is a relatively straightforward task considering the following components:
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The actual service/testing visit is the first step towards compliance. Following the service work, it’s quite common for remedial works to be highlighted. It’s extremely important to assess these remedial works to maintain compliance. Some remedial works are of a proactive nature and to prolong the condition of a certain piece of equipment or asset. These are good practice and for when the budget allows. However, some remedials can be classed as more pressing i.e. presents a health and safety issue. If so, the contractor should communicate this to the school during the visit and are required to be undertaken to remain compliant.
A key example being the ‘Electrical Installation Condition Report’. Following the testing, the electrical installation will be either rated ‘satisfactory’ or ‘unsatisfactory’. If rated as unsatisfactory, it will be seen as non-compliant and repairs required to bring the installation up to satisfactory standard.
Again, reports should be retained to demonstrate that issues have been remedied.
Contractors
Schools must ensure that any appointed contractor is competent and qualified to complete the required works. For example, Gas Safety Register or NICEIC for work in connection with
gas and electrical installations respectively. The contractor should also have relevant Insurance and be able to provide risk assessments and method statements prior to their visit. It would be highly advised for a School to prepare their own ‘Pre-Qualification Questionnaire’ (PQQ) for a contractor to complete prior to commencing any works at the school. The PQQ would request evidence confirming their insurance status, level of competency, qualifications etc…
On-site checks
Usually delegated to the site manager and/ or caretaker. There are a whole host of daily, weekly, monthly and termly checks to be completed. This can range from daily playground checks, weekly fire alarm checks to monthly fire extinguisher checks. The key being that each check is recorded.
Understanding
Under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 (MHSWR) employers need to appoint one or more competent persons to assist in undertaking the tasks necessary for compliance. A person is deemed to be competent if they have an adequate combination of training and experience or knowledge. Whereas health and safety in a school is wide ranging and diverse, to assist with statutory compliance, please download our Free Compliance Checklist here or visit our website at u
https://casserlypm.co.uk/
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