Selwyn College
Risk Management Procedure
Control of Contractors and Visitors
Objectives
May 2012
RMP/12
Issue: 1
 To ensure that any risks generated by contractors’ activities are
appropriately controlled, particularly where this could involve injury to
College staff and students, guests and other visitors, or damage to College
property.
 To ensure that contractors and visitors are appropriately protected from
any risks generated by College activities.
 To meet legal requirements.
ARRANGEMENTS FOR VISITORS
Visitors on
College Business
 Staff must ensure that all visitors to their Departments report to the Porters’
Lodge on arrival to the College.
 All visitors must log In and Out at the Porters’ Lodge.
 All visitors must wear the appropriate visitor identification badge, ensure
that it is visible and can be clearly seen by others at all times.
 Where possible, members of staff should inform the Porters’ Lodge in
advance of the names of all expected visitors, preferably the day before.
 Staff should advise their visitors about any health and safety hazards,
and/or control measures that are in operation in any area(s) they are
visiting.
 In the event of a fire or other emergency, hosts are responsible for ensuring
their visitors are escorted to the appropriate emergency assembly point,
and informing the Duty Porter that they are safe.
 Emergency Evacuation Plans (EEP’s) are prepared for disabled visitors to
specific College areas, and Heads of Departments should familiarise
themselves and their staff with these arrangements.
 Staff should consult the HR & H&S Officer to prepare Personal Emergency
Evacuation Plans for any frequent visitors with disabilities who may
require assistance to evacuate in the event of a fire or other emergency.
 The Duty Porter should regularly check the Visitors’ Log held in the
Porters’ Lodge to ensure that all visitors sign out and return their ID
badges.
 The Duty Porter should inform the relevant Head of Department if any
visitor fails to sign out and return their ID badge.
Training Events
and Seminars

Training and conference delegates are not required to sign in at the
Porters’ Lodge.

Members of staff organising a training event/conference in College are
Selwyn College
Risk Management Procedure
Control of Contractors and Visitors
May 2012
RMP/12
Issue: 1
responsible for accounting for the safety of the group.
Personal Visitors

The organiser must provide a delegate list or ensure that all delegates sign
an attendance sheet.

The organiser should also obtain car registration numbers for any
delegates who have parked their car on the College site.

In the event of a fire, the attendance sheet should be taken to the
emergency assembly point to enable the organiser to account for the safety
of all delegates.

If the organiser is not present throughout the training event/conference,
the attendance sheet should be given to the Duty Porter who would be
responsible for checking the presence of delegates at the assembly point.

Personal visitors to the College are the responsibility of the host member
of staff.

Personal visitors who will be accompanied by a member of staff at all
times do not have to sign in at the Porters’ Lodge.

Any unsupervised visitors (excluding walking to/from the relevant
Department), must be signed in/out at the Porters’ Lodge.
ARRANGEMENTS FOR CONTRACTORS
Appointing
Contractors
The arrangements for contractors will vary depending on the scope of the
work and whether the contractor provides a routine service.
Short-term Service Contracts:
 For short-term contracts, the Head of Department responsible for
appointing the contractor shall take the following action:
 Obtain a copy of the contractors’ CHAS registration, or membership of a
similar professional body (where applicable).
 Obtain documentary evidence of the following:
 A current certificate of Employers’ Liability insurance providing
evidence of insured indemnity of at least £2m.
 Health and safety policy.
 A risk assessment or method statement appropriate to the
task/service to be completed.
 The Contractors’ Questionnaire (RMP/12a) should be completed to
establish this information.
 Determine if there are any risks generated by College activities which
could affect the contractor and agree methods for controlling such risks.
 Liaise with Contractors to determine any risks which, if not adequately
Selwyn College
Risk Management Procedure
Control of Contractors and Visitors
May 2012
RMP/12
Issue: 1
controlled, could cause injury to College staff and students, or damage
to College property, and agree methods for controlling such risks. Risks
could typically include:

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


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falling objects or people from height;
tripping obstructions;
testing of live electrics;
failure to maintain personal hygiene standards in catering areas;
generation of excessive dusts;
use of flammable liquids/gases or hot work.
Provide contractors with a Permit to Work (where appropriate).
 When re-appointing a contractor, Heads of Departments should:
 Ensure that all documents are valid before work commences.
 Update the Register of Approved Contractors in the ContractH&S’
folder held on the shared R drive (RMP/12c).
Responsibilities
(Heads of
Departments)
 Heads of Departments who appoint contractors must ensure that:
 Any materials delivered to the College by contractors in advance of their
work are securely stored and do not present a trip or fire hazard.
 The College will not accept any responsibility for materials belonging
to contractors.
 Contractors’ vehicles are parked only in authorised parking spaces,
displaying a valid parking permit at all times, and that contractors’
vehicles are parked considerately of other vehicles at all times.
 Porters (and any relevant Heads of Departments) are advised in advance
of the work that will be carried out, and the area(s) in College where the
work is to be completed.
 All contractors report to the Porters’ Lodge to sign in on arrival and sign
out on their departure, and pass their mobile phone number to the Duty
Porter.
 Note: Contractors working in the Catering Department must also
report to the Catering & Conference Office to sign in on arrival before
work commences.
 Someone in their Department meets each contractor on arrival at the
College and ensures they have signed in at the Porters’ Lodge.
 Note: For contractors who have previously worked in College it is not
always necessary for a member of staff to greet them on arrival (see
also ‘Important Notes’ below).
Selwyn College
Risk Management Procedure
Control of Contractors and Visitors
May 2012
RMP/12
Issue: 1
 The person greeting the contractor should:
 Complete an induction, using the Guidance for Contractors sheet
(RMP/12b)
 Inform the contractor of:
 Any hazards in the area(s) they will be working and the
control measures in place.
 Any planned events in College that they need to be aware of,
or areas to avoid.
 A risk assessment has been completed by the contractor or the College.
 They (or someone in their Department), checks on the contractor’s
progress during and on completion of their work, to ensure that the
agreed methods and control measures were followed.
 Checks while work is in progress will depend upon the knowledge of
the contractor and whether they have previously worked in the
College.
 Further routine checks on the performance of the contractor should
be made if it is found that they have failed to work to the agreed
methods.
 All contractors (and sub-contractors) sign a ‘Health, Safety and Security
Guidance for Contractors’ induction sheet (RMP/12b).
Important Notes:
 Any contractor who has previously worked in the College within the
last 12 months AND has completed an induction and signed the
induction sheet AND provided all necessary documentation, may be
given telephone authorisation to commence work, PROVIDED THEY
ARE LISTED ON THE APPROVED CONTRACTORS LIST HELD
ON THE SHARED DRIVE (RMP/12c).
 Contractors MUST NOT be permitted to commence work until the
relevant Head of Department (or nominated responsible person)
knows they are in College and grants permission (by phone) for their
work to commence OR has met with the contractor and authorised
the start of their work.
 Other than exceptional circumstances contractors are not permitted to
work in any area of the Catering Department unless there is at least
one member of staff on duty.
 The Head of Department (or other responsible person) MUST ensure
that any current College hazards/maintenance works are identified to
Selwyn College
Risk Management Procedure
Control of Contractors and Visitors
May 2012
RMP/12
Issue: 1
the contractor, and any appropriate actions are taken BEFORE
telephone authorisation is given.
 For clarification, the process for dealing with contractors is shown in
the flowchart (RMP/12d).
Responsibilities
(Porters)
 Porters shall ensure that:
 All visitors and contractors who report to the Porters’ Lodge are logged
in and out and are issued with an identification badge.
 Vehicle registration numbers, the location of any vehicles, and contact
mobile telephone numbers are obtained when each contractor signs in.
 The relevant Head of Department (or nominated responsible person) is
contacted when a contractor arrives at the Porters’ Lodge. (See
Important Notes above.)
 The Visitors’ Log is regularly checked to ensure that all ID badges are
returned.
 To inform the relevant Head of Department if any contractor fails to
sign out and return their ID badge.
Long-term or Project-type Contracts:
 For longer-term contracts or projects, the Head of Department responsible
for appointing the contractor shall take the following action:
 Obtain a copy of the contractors’ CHAS (or similar) registration, OR
 Obtain documentary evidence of the following:
 A current certificate of Employers’ Liability insurance providing
evidence of insured indemnity of at least £5m.
 Health and safety policy.
 A risk assessment or method statement appropriate to the
task/service to be completed.
 Request information on whether sub-contractors will be involved and
how these will be managed.
 Discuss and agree on the risks and control measures on a similar basis to
the short-term contracts.
 Complete formal written arrangements for all work covered by the
Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007.
 Note: Major building works will be managed by external project
managers and they will be responsible for the control of all
contractors appointed for each project.
Selwyn College
Risk Management Procedure
Control of Contractors and Visitors
May 2012
RMP/12
Issue: 1
 Obtain confirmation from the contractor:
 How and when the agreed control measures will be monitored.
 How the risks and measures will be reviewed if the scope of the work
is changed during the contract.
 Monitor that the agreed measures are being implemented when
checking on progress with the work.
 Where relevant, obtain the health and safety file from the contractor on
completion of their work.
Materials and
Equipment
Asbestos

Staff responsible for appointing contractors should ensure that any
deliveries of materials or equipment made before commencement of the
work are stored appropriately and without causing hazard or obstruction
to staff or students.

All materials and equipment are stored at the risk of the contractor. The
College does not accept liability for the loss of any materials or equipment
left on College property.
 Relevant Heads of Departments will receive asbestos awareness training
regarding the College’s Asbestos Management Procedure and Asbestos
Register. Please also refer to the College’s Asbestos Management Plan and
Asbestos Register (RMP/22 and RMP/22a).
 Heads of Departments must ensure that any contractor who is appointed to
carry out any work involving the demolition or disturbance to the fabric of
buildings is shown (and signs) the Asbestos Register held at the Porters’
Lodge BEFORE commencement of any work.
 Contractors must ensure that any sub-contractor they appoint to work in
any areas where asbestos is (or has) been present has read and signed the
Asbestos Register held at the Porters’ Lodge BEFORE commencement of
any work.
 Contractors are responsible for ensuring their staff (and any subcontractors they have appointed) are trained to identify asbestos containing
materials, and are issued with a copy of the procedure for dealing with
accidental disturbance of materials containing asbestos.
Information and
Instruction
 Heads of Departments and other relevant members of staff shall be briefed
on these arrangements.
 Heads of Departments will be responsible for ensuring that all staff acting
on their behalf adhere to this procedure at all times.
 Employees shall be instructed on the risks and agreed measures where
visitors could be exposed to particular risks.
Selwyn College
Risk Management Procedure
Control of Contractors and Visitors
Records
Review
May 2012
RMP/12
Issue: 1

Copies of all documents provided by contractors will be scanned and
saved in the ‘ContractH&S’ folder on the shared R drive.

Paper copies of risk assessments, method statements and insurance
documents provided by contractors should be sent to the H&S Officer for
filing.

Job-specific risk assessments may be kept in relevant project files.

Heads of Departments reappointing contractors will be responsible for
obtaining copies of renewal documentation to maintain current and valid
documents on file at all times.

This procedure will be reviewed annually by the H&S Working Group.