Health & Safety

Dave Fitzgerald Contracts Ltd are committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment. All reasonable measures are taken to minimize risks to those directly involved in our activities and also to those who may be indirectly affected by these activities. Our commitment to Health and Safety is set out in our Safety, Health and Welfare Policy statement.

Our safety and health procedures are implemented in the form of a Safety Management System which includes the requirement for stringent safety planning, effective communication, site inspections, safety training and review of performance.

Safety Planning

As part of our planning process a Project Safety Manual is prepared by the Contracts Manager in conjunction with our Safety Department for each project where we are appointed as Project Supervisor for the Construction Stage. This is the plan for how safety, health and welfare issues will be managed for each project. Persons with responsibility for safety are identified as part of this planning process and they are made aware of their responsibilities. The Project Safety Manual contains the Preliminary and Construction Stage Health and Safety Plans as well as information such as site rules, site specific risk assessments, method statements, site induction programme, first aid arrangements, emergency procedures and traffic plans.

Risk assessments are prepared, reviewed and amended both at the planning stage and during the construction phase of each project. We ensure that risk assessments are carried out for all site activities. Over the years we have developed an extensive library of risk assessments which can be referenced and amended to meet the specific requirements of each project / activity.

Communication

We continually strive to ensure effective communication regarding health and safety matters. There are a number of mechanisms we use to communicate safety issues such as discussions with Safety Representatives, toolbox talks, training, site inductions, safety meetings, annual performance reviews and informal discussions.

On each of our sites with more than 20 persons we facilitate the election of a Site Safety Representative who may consult, and make representations regarding safety, health and welfare matters.

Site Inspections

The company employs full time site based Safety Inspectors on its larger sites and visiting Safety Inspectors on the others. These inspectors carry out regular safety inspections and audits and advise and assist site management in ensuring that the highest safety standards are maintained.

Our Safety Manager co-ordinates the team of Safety Inspectors and is engaged in a process of constantly reviewing safety related matters with a view to continuous improvement in safety standards throughout the Company's operations.

Management Safety Training

All our Contracts Directors, Contracts Managers, Site Supervision and Safety Inspectors have completed the "Managing Safely in Construction" course. This course in construction safety & health management is approved and validated by the Institution of Occupational Safety & Health (IOSH), and run by the Construction Industry Federation with input from the Health and Safety Authority.

Site Supervisors are also trained in Management and Inspection of Scaffolding.

Other safety training such as Occupational First Aid Training is provided as required.

Occupational Safety Training

All employees must successfully complete the "Safe Pass" course before commencing work on site. A range of courses including Site Inductions, Tool Box Talks, Manual Handling, Abrasive Wheels Instruction and Defensive Driver Training Courses are provided regularly and as required. Toolbox talks are given on subjects which have particular relevance to site activity.

Measuring and Reviewing Performance

The weekly operations management meeting includes a review of site safety inspection reports as well any incident reports.

A review of the effectiveness of Safety Management System is held on an annual basis. Progress against improvement targets are reviewed as part of this review process.

Company Safety, Health & Welfare Policy Statement

It is the policy of Dave Fitzgerald Contracts to do all that is reasonably practicable to ensure a safe and healthy working environment. All reasonable measures will be taken to minimize risks to those directly involved in our activities and also to those who may be indirectly affected by these activities.

It is the intention of our company to comply with the requirements of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005, the Safety, Health and Welfare (Construction) Regulations 2006, the Safety, Health and Welfare (General Application) Regulations 2007 and all other legislation.

All employees, subcontractors and others working on our sites are expected to comply with this policy and all other parts of the company's Occupational Health and Safety Management System.

In particular, the company will:

Provide supervisors and managers who will value the health and safety of all personnel, lead by example and respond to all reasonable health and safety concerns.
Employ people who are competent and capable of carrying out their work safely.
Provide training, re-training, information, instruction and supervision as necessary to enable employees to work safely, effectively and with the minimum risk to health and safety.
Prepare risk assessments and safety statements that take account of the general principles of prevention when implementing necessary safety, health and welfare measures.
Make use of plant and equipment that is as safe as is reasonably practicable.
Provide and maintain a safe and healthy place of work with proper access and egress to it, supported by a good standard of housekeeping and adequate facilities for health and welfare.
Make available all necessary safety devices and protective equipment, and to maintain such equipment in good order.
Ensure safety and minimization of risk to health and safety, in connection noise, vibration, radiation and with the use, handling, storage and transport of goods and substances.
Plan, organize and maintain safe systems of work.
Prevent improper conduct in the workplace.
Prepare and revise emergency plans and measures to be taken when there is an emergency or risk of serious or imminent danger.
Report to the Health & Safety Authority any notifiable accidents and disease, and dangerous occurrences.
Obtain, where necessary, the services of a competent person for the purpose of ensuring the safety, health and welfare of employees.

The company further commits to:

Communicate this policy to its employees and interested parties.
To implement and maintain its documented Occupational Health and Safety Management System, including this policy.
To strive to continually improve the Occupational Health and Safety Management System.
To regularly review our Occupational Health and Safety Management System, to ensure it's continued relevance and effectiveness