As an architectural practice, we have responsibilities for health and safety in two distinct capacities, firstly, as an employer under the Health and Safety at Work Act and secondly, as a Designer under the provisions for Construction, Design and Management Regulations (CDM).
Overall the practice’s policy is to promote a culture of safety and an awareness of risk amongst the staff in order to protect themselves and others from any hazards connected with its operations. This is achieved through training and also by setting up our office management and operating systems so that consideration of health and safety is a natural part of what we do.
Details of our implementation of this policy within the workplace are set out in the Health and Safety Manual. Topics covered are:
- Workplace safety
- Fire precautions
- First Aid
- Personal Health
- Personal safety
- Site safety for practice personnel
Details of our approach to the implementation of this policy as designers under the provisions of the CDM Regulations are described in CDM Manual. Topics covered are:
- Understanding of our duties
- Understanding the impact of design on health and safety
- Assessment of competency of others
- Sources of advice on construction health and safety
- Keeping up to date with construction health and safety issues
- Construction health and safety training
- Resources
- Identification of hazards and assessment of risks