Construction and building work is by its very nature a high-risk occupation. Persons involved in this sector have to work in arduous conditions, often exposed to the elements, in a constantly changing workplace, which is taking form and shape as a result of their activities.
[NEW] Construction (Design and Management) Approved Code of Practice 2020
- The Committee for Employment and Social Security approved the Construction (Design and Management) Approved Code of Practice, which comes into force on 2nd December 2020.
- The Approved Code of Practice can be found
by following this link [1Mb].
1996 Construction Approved Code of Practice
- The 1996 Code of Practice was withdrawn on 1st December 2020.
- There is a transition period until 31st May 2021, where existing projects can continue to follow the 1996 ACoP. New projects should use the Guernsey CDM ACoP 2020.
Notification of Project
- Follow this link to notify a construction project online.
- You must notify all projects covered by the Approved Code of Practice. The Principal Contractor is required to give the Health & Safety Executive 14 days' notice of all construction works on projects
- a. Where the number of persons working on site (whether it be employees, subcontractors or self- employed contractors) exceeds 5 and the duration of the contract is more than 30 days.
- b. If the work involves demolition or dismantling of a structure regardless of duration or numbers on site.
- c. Where work is of short duration but is expected to involve at least 500 man-days of input.
- The form should be completed and sent to the HSE office covering the site where construction / demolition work is to take place. You should send it as soon as possible after the safety co-ordinator is appointed to the project.
Passport to Safety
- It is not yet a legal requirement for construction workers to be 'ticketed' to work in Guernsey. They do however have to be able to prove their competency to their employer.
- The aim is for the Passport to Safety (Guernsey's equivalent to CSCS) ticket to become a legal requirement in the future.
- Likewise, Supervisors do not have to hold 'tickets' but prove that they are competent to do the job, either through experience or other qualification, and for their employer to be confident that they can undertake the role.
Protecting the public
- As well as protecting your employees, you must ensure that construction work does not put other people at risk, including other contractors, neighbouring businesses and the public.
- All construction sites require:
- Measures to manage access across defined boundaries; and
- Steps to exclude unauthorised people.
- While the numbers of children being killed or injured on construction sites has reduced, there is no room for complacency. Each year in the UK, two or three children die after gaining access to building sites, and many more are injured.
- Other members of the public are seriously injured by:
- Materials or tools falling outside the site boundary.
- Falling into trenches; or
- Being struck by moving plant and vehicles.
