ATTENTION SITE SUPERVISOR: Are you aware of your responsibilities?

Oct 11 2022 1:17PM

The role of a site supervisor in Construction is vital. It is their job to ensure safety has been assessed, and managed, throughout the duration of a construction project.

What are a Site Supervisor’s main responsibilities?

There are three key areas to focus on when taking on the duty of site supervisor, which are:

• The overall site – It is their duty to assess the site for various safety hazards and carrying out regular site inspections to determine everything is running how it should be, and safely.
• Site workers – It is the site supervisor’s responsibility to ensure they are aware of every worker on site, and that they are working safely without risk to their health and others working on the site. The site supervisors need to make sure the workers in their care are competent and trained for the works being undertaken.
• Management – The site supervisors’ priority above all else is safety, and so it is their duty to make sure those on site are working this way or discipline accordingly. They are required to have industry experience and higher levels of qualifications than general workers, as they will need to mentor and encourage all other workers.

These areas apply across the entirety of the site, so this also means subcontractors fall under the site supervisors’ responsibility.

So, how do Site Supervisors manage contractors?

Site supervisors must ensure all new contractors intending to work on their sites have received a thorough site induction, which is to be delivered by them and goes over the entire site processes, requirements, and safety rules. If a site induction is not completed and an accident occurs, the site supervisor can be held liable in legal proceedings.

You need to ensure all contractors have submitted RAMS for their works prior to starting on site and then carry out site inspections during their work phases to make sure they are adhering to their written procedures.

The behavior and actions of contractors reflect against the main contractor in control of the site.

Site supervisors can be prosecuted with prison time, and unlimited fines, if they fail to complete their duty in full. If you would like more information regarding your duties, then our helpful team of qualified consultants are just on the other end of the phone to help (01529 413347).

Alternatively, you could attend our IOSH Managing Safely course https://www.arionltd.co.uk/training/management-of-hs-courses/iosh-managing-safely.