Managing your Supply Chain COVID-19 responsibilities

When the easing of lockdown measures began in mid-May, many businesses began a journey to assess the Coronavirus risks that applied to their workplaces. To ensure their working environments were COVID-19 Secure, they went on to develop additional physical and procedural measures.

Businesses are becoming more acquainted to the nature of the risks from virus transmission and how to apply the applicable controls for the activities performed on their site. However, there is still confusion on how to manage contractors during the ongoing pandemic.

More and more stalled plans are now being brought back online as businesses work hard to increase their operational efficiency. The availability and usage of contractors sitting within the organisation’s supply chain is slowly returning to pre-COVID-19 levels.

Who holds the responsibility for managing the risks of COVID-19 transmission when working with contractors and is there anything new the client should be doing?

The basic principles typically followed when looking to engage with contractors within the supply chain hasn’t changed over the COVID-19 pandemic period.

However, client organisations will need to look at certain aspects differently and ensure they, and the contractors undertaking work on the project, manage their individual COVID-19 responsibilities appropriately. 

 

The seven points that need to be considered:

1. Ensure all contractors sitting within your supply chain have developed robust COVID-19 protocols to manage the risk of virus transmission during projects.

As a client you hold a legal requirement to ensure all contractors used have the relevant organisational capability to manage their H&S responsibilities. This is typically undertaken as part of a pre-qualification exercise that will help to determine the appropriate contractor for the project. At this stage you will need to ensure that contractors within your supply chain have appropriate procedures and the capability to create risk assessments that include their precautions for COVID-19.


2. Develop and implement suitable and sufficient procedures to gain effective control, coordination, cooperation and communication of all contractor works.

As the client, you are responsible for ensuring that all parties share key risk-based information and procedures. You will also need to review the number of contractors or workers able to attend the site at any one time. You may need to look at limiting working times to and checking work schedules to look at reducing the interaction and overlap between different groups of workers.


3. Prior to a contractor attending your facility, you will need to provide a contractor with the necessary information and instruction on the existing safety requirements for your facility.

You will need to inform them of your procedures and risk assessments for managing the risk of virus transmission. You will also need to ensure that their individual workers have received the relevant induction training prior to starting the project, this will ensure that the individuals are aware of the existing risks and procedures for the facility and determine the appropriate controls that will need to be taken and followed.


4. Before starting the actual project review the projects specific risk assessments and method statements.

As well as project specific hazards such as working at height, manual handling, slips, trips and falls etc, you will need to ensure that they have appropriately covered the risks of COVID-19 transmission and have developed a working practice that will allow them to follow the relevant social distancing guidelines.


5. For high risk works establish and implement a Permit to Work process.

This will ensure robust management protocols and resources have been applied to tasks. You will need to ensure permit to works are only issued by suitably competent and appropriately authorised persons.


6. Depending on the nature of the work, the risks involved and the length of the project you would need to monitoring contractor performance at appropriate intervals.

If any contractor is found not to be adhering to the proposed controls to manage the risk of virus transmission, you will need to take appropriate corrective action.


7. Reviewing overall contractor performance at the end of each contract and implementing, where practicable, any significant findings.

This will help to determine how you may manage a similar project differently or whether the contractor will remain within your supply chain.

 

How Alcumus can help.

Although the tasks of managing contractors during the on-going pandemic may seem daunting, we have a range of solutions from the experts at Alcumus to support you:

SafeContractor

We have updated the assessment standard to ensure that all contractors have created suitable procedures and risk assessments for controlling virus transmission through their activities. Find out more about SafeContractor Supply Chain Management.

Alcumus PSM Health & Safety Consultancy

With experience in a variety of sectors, the health and safety consultants at Alcumus PSM provide you with support and guidance to make sure you're compliant. Most importantly, their expertise will help you to keep your people safe during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. Find out more about Alcumus PSM Health & Safety Consultancy.
 

Alcumus COVID-19 Solutions

Whether it’s managing home working for your employees, getting everyone back to work or simply functioning in a world with hugely disrupted supply chains – our expertise across Alcumus enables us to offer a range of solutions, many of which are free to access and use, that can help you survive, then thrive. Explore the full range of Alcumus COVID-19 Solutions.


Alcumus Info Exchange COVID-19 platform

Alcumus Info Exchange have developed Free Apps, including configured best practice forms to capture key information. This is delivered to clients through live dashboards, providing real-time insight of employees and their status. Info Exchange also offer a range of bespoke solutions for specific company requirements. Find out more about the Alcumus Info Exchange COVID-19 platform.


Alcumus Sypol COSHH and COVID-19 guidance

Alcumus Sypol’s COSHH experts have created free, downloadable COSHH risk assessments which provide important information about how to effectively control the exposure to coronavirus in high risk working environments. Discover COSHH and COVID-19 guidance from Alcumus Sypol.


Expert HR advice from Alcumus PSM

With the Government’s plans on the next phases of the Coronavirus lockdown being revealed, many are wondering how they can return to work safely and effectively. Alcumus PSM’s team of HR experts have created a range of free guidance to assist employers with their preparation. Access free expert HR guidance from Alcumus PSM.


Banyard Solutions e-permits

e-permits is a work authorisation and permit to work system. Implementing e-permits automates the diligence that clients are looking to have in their paper-based processes. Find out more about Banyard Solutions e-permit solution.