Safe as houses
Northern Ireland and Ireland have teamed up to formulate Safe-T-Cert, an innovative occupational health and safety certification which deftly caters for the unique demands of the construction industry. Aidan Burke, Safe-T-Cert scheme manager, explains
Safe-T-Cert is an occupational health and safety (OH&S) management system specification which has been specifically developed for the varied and diverse needs of construction contractor companies. At its most fundamental level Safe-T-Cert requires proof of compliance with current regulations (which are ever increasing in the construction industry) together with proof of continual improvement.
In its present form, Safe-T-Cert takes account of the best practice guidelines for OH&S management systems of relevant national and international bodies (including the International Labour Organization) and applies them specifically to the jurisdictions within which it currently operates, namely Northern Ireland and Ireland.
A unique trade
While other standards for OH&S management systems have been already developed, their focus is essentially quite generic. Safe-T-Cert takes specific account of the diverse and challenging needs of the construction sector in so far as it has been created, with the help of much research, for a dynamic workplace which is constantly changing and whose workforce is often varied and diverse.
Safe-T-Cert has some unique benefits. First, clients are assured that certified contractors have an effective health and safety management system. Second, Safe-T-Cert certification provides contractors with third party support for pre-qualification and selection. Insurance companies are currently being lobbied to look favourably on contractors who have taken a pro-active approach to risk management through the achievement of Safe-T-Cert certification.
How it all began
Safe-T-Cert’s original development began eight years ago when representatives from the Construction Industry Federation (CIF) in Ireland and Construction Employers Federation, Northern Ireland (CEF/NI) undertook exploratory visits to sites in the petrochemical industry, mainly in Holland, who had developed an OH&S management system.
Around this time, the EU Adapt Initiative - which aimed to support the acceleration of adaptation to industrial change - was used to develop the construction sector-specific guidelines for construction health and safety systems (which was helpful in the development of the Safe-T-Cert scheme protocols). With the help of the Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH), which oversaw the competence and integrity of the register of auditors for the programme, CEF/CIF and IOSH entered into a contract of agreement which culminated in the formal launch of Safe-T-Cert in Dundalk, in 2000.
Spanner in the works
As with the development of any scheme of its nature, Safe-T-Cert has had some teething problems which needed attention. Personnel change, original scenarios becoming outdated and ongoing technical developments have led to a full management review over the last 18 months. An international consultant was appointed to provide this independent review of the audit standard and advise on the training of auditors. The process was successful and, as a result, Safe-T-Cert is now accepted by IRCA as an acceptable alternative standard to OHSAS 18001 for the purposes of auditor certification and training course certification on its OH&S auditor programme.
The power of two
The relationship between CIF and CEF/NI under the Safe-T-Cert scheme as its joint owners and as a cross border initiative has been vital to the scheme’s success. It has facilitated the sharing of expertise, such as technical people who were able to give advice on the protocols, and resources, such as the auditor panel which can alternate between jurisdictions. Another important union has been a joint standards advisory panel composed of interested parties, such as the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) in Ireland and the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland. This pooling of resources allowed for a wider range of expertise and experience to develop the standard.
IRCA has become involved primarily on the advice of IOSH and provides critical recognition for the competence of the auditors involved in the scheme. Naturally the role of auditors increases the viability of the programme and provides a path of development for the auditors. IRCA also authenticates the training programme of the auditors, who not only must be IRCA-registered but must also be registered safety practioners with IOSH.
Home and away
Safe-T-Cert does not yet have formal recognition on the international market. However, exploratory talks have taken place and research points to some possible future scenarios:
- protection of the intellectual property associated with Safe-T-Cert (as is the case in Ireland and Northern Ireland) is now being reviewed for the international market
- the Irish government has recognised the validity of voluntary protection programmes (VPP), which promote effective worksite-based safety and health, as operated by US companies. Safe-T-Cert is currently in discussion with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and with the HSA on the recognition being given by a draft VPP for construction to companies effectively performing all the elements and sub elements of a comprehensive safety and health management system. CIF and CEF/NI are positive about the ability to gain recognition, in this regard, for the Safe-T-Cert scheme
For more information about the Safe-T-Cert visit http://www.cif.ie/asp/section.asp?s=782 or http://www.cefni.co.uk/services/contractor_safety/
About the author
Aidan Burke is executive safety environmental and training services of CIF, and is scheme manager for Safe-T-Cert. For further information contact Aidan Burke (CIF) on e: safe-t-cert@cif.ie, or John Armstrong (CEF/NI) on e: johna@cefni.co.uk
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