We all know that the Design-Build process that Truspace offers has a great way of managing projects from dreams into reality. From Project Consultancy to Design, through to Project Management and Construction, your project is looked after, from start to finish. One of the great things about Truspace is that we are COR Certified which means that our Health and Safety Coordinator is involved in the project throughout the process as well.
One of the great things about our all-in delivery model is the ability to avoid one of the most common safety problems in all types of construction; misaligned communication between the Design team, Project management, and Sub-trades. Since we provide end to end integration, we avoid typical communication issues that could be very detrimental to on-site safety and of course delivery time.
At the early stages of project inception, health and safety are able to present insurance and WCB documents as required, including going through any other qualification processes that our clients require. Since we have our own qualification process, we are extremely familiar with qualification and how important it is! It’s always great to see companies and clients that have intensive qualification processes as we do, it proves that our quality values are aligned and we’re on the same page.
Health and safety become more involved in the project as soon as it is handed to the Project Management and Operations team and is involved in handover meetings, scope review, tender review, and trade management. Early stages of project management involve reviewing the scope and determining any hazards that will be on the project. For this process, a Pre-Job Hazard Assessment is done to review all trade work and job tasks that will be involved in the project, from there we are able to break down the tasks and determine their hazards and how best to control those hazards. Doing this may seem excessive to some, but for us, it is an early opportunity to prepare ahead and be proactive about safety, before the project even starts. Along with this hazard assessment process, the Health and Safety Coordinator and the Site Manager also develop the Emergency Contact Sheet and complete an on-site checklist determining important aspects of on-site safety management like where electrical shut-offs are, as well as Emergency Response planning, exit routes, muster point determination, and more.
Each project site of ours is equipped with standard personal protective equipment, first aid kits, site sign-in sheets, and site signage. These are provided to ensure that all Site Managers are well equipped to handle any and all situations that they may encounter on site. Mobilizing sites involve trade orientations, development of an emergency response plan that is relayed to site workers, as well as preparing the ‘safety station’ in the main area accessible to all trades on site.
Our Site Managers are well trained on both our internal health and safety processes as well as any client-related safety requirements. This can include work hour restrictions, work area restrictions, client required orientations, and any other policies or procedures that we must follow based on the client’s requirements. Our Site Managers spend any down-time that they have between projects taking part in more training from local safety partner organizations to ensure that their safety knowledge is refreshed on a regular basis. Having a group of Site Managers dedicated to their own development and growth helps our safety program shine!
Health and Safety management on Design-Build projects is largely placed on the Site Managers, but they are directly supported by the Health and Safety Coordinator from start to finish. Support is given via email or phone contact, as well as regular site visits by the Health and Safety Coordinator and their Project Manager. Understanding that safety management throughout the project, by the whole project management team, is the secret to proper safety management on each project. There is nothing more successful than a team that is all on the same page, willing to help and participate as much as possible, and that has a dedication to the health and safety of not only themselves but every other worker on a Design-Build project site.
Contact us today and see what TruSpace can do for you.
Author: Megan Brown – Health & Safety Coordinator at Truspace
