A Health and Safety File, otherwise known as a ‘Contractor Health and Safety File’ is a record of information focusing on the management of health and safety on construction sites for…
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A Safety File, otherwise known as a ‘Contractor Health and Safety File’ is a record of information focusing on the management of health and safety on construction sites for contractors and sub-contractors. It protects the employer from criminal liability and proves compliance to the Occupational Health and Safety Act and Regulations.
A principle contractor must open and keep on site a health and safety file which must include all documentation required in terms of the Act and these Regulations, which must be made available on request to an inspector, the client, the client’s agent or a contractor.
What is a safety file?
What is a safety file? A Safety File, otherwise known as a ‘Contractor Health and Safety File’ is a record of information focusing on the management of health and safety on…
How much does a Safety File Cost?
How much does a Safety File Cost? this is the first question someone ask when they phone me.
Health and Safety File prices differ drastically from one company to the next. So How much is a Safety File? Well that depends on the company you choose to work with. There are no set prices for a health and safety file. The price is determined by the consultant you use for the file. We have seen prices from between R1000 – R20000. The price would also depend on the size of the project and the risks involved .You should be careful to simply use the cheapest contractor. Make sure that your consultant is competent and SACPCMP registered A safety file is a very important part of your project and you definitely don’t want to compromise on quality or face legal compliance issues, delays and non-payments.
How much does a Safety File cost? should not be the first question being asked, but rather are you a competent ,SACPCMP registered individual?
The point is , it is not always the best decision to use the cheapest consultant because you did not budget for a safety file.
Every contractor is required to present to the client a site specific health and safety file, and every client must ensure that the contractor has the required resources to implement the health and safety plan on site. Occupational Health and Safety should be a standard item on every Bill of Quantities .
What do we include in your Safety File
Every Safety File is ‘site specific’. It will be compiled in accordance with the client’s and the site’s safety specifications. The overall information requirements remain the same, and the site specific documents will be added. When we setup your Health and Safety File, it will consist of the following Documents:
- Contractor appointment letter. (Construction Regulation 5(3)(f) of the OHS A)
37(2) Agreement between client and contractor - Notification of Construction Work
- Copy of the OHS Act
- Occupational Health and Safety Management Plan
- Company Occupational Health and Safety Policy
- Letter of Good Standing
- Material Safety Data Sheets for hazardous materials used (if required)
- Tax clearance certificate
- Risk Assessments
- Safe work procedures (Site Specific)
- Fall Protection plan (if required)
- Legal appointment with proof of training (Ex. Chief Executive Officer, Risk Assessor, First Aider etc.)
- Incident reporting procedures
- Incident reports (General Administrative Regulation 9 (3) – Annexure 1)
- Incident registers
- Reports of accidents
- Emergency preparedness documents
- First aid documents
- Induction records
- Medical surveillance records
- Safety communication (e.g. Toolbox talks)
- Minutes of safety meetings
- Inspection registers
