Devise and monitor safe systems of work in the utilities sector

Overview

This Standard is about identifying safe systems of work in the utilities sector and monitoring their application.  It could apply for work in a single utility or in a multi-utility environment.  Safe systems of work can include, but is not restricted to, safe working methods, access control procedures and tools and equipment.

It includes checking risks and hazards against risk assessment specifications, specifying safe systems of work, making sure the people you supervise understand the safe systems of work, ensuring compliance with specified safe systems of work and dealing with hazards as they arise.

This Standard is for supervisors who are responsible for the implementation of safe systems of work in their area of responsibility.

Performance Criteria

You must be able to:

  1. check and interpret risk assessment specifications against your own risk assessments and planned work processes at appropriate times
  2. make sure risk assessment specifications include all relevant risks and hazards
  3. take appropriate action in line with organisational procedures if any risks have not been identified within risk assessment specifications
  4. check materials and tools comply with risk assessments and job specifications
  5. select working methods that conform to risk assessment specifications and your own risk assessment analysis
  6. communicate risk assessment specifications and safe working methods to people you supervise at appropriate times
  7. check that people you supervise are aware of the consequences of not working to specified safe working practices
  8. monitor adoption of specified safe working methods by those you supervise on an ongoing basis
  9. make sure the people you supervise employ identified safe working methods at all times
  10. correct any non-compliance with safe working methods of those you supervise in line with organisational procedures
  11. take appropriate action against team members who do not use specified safe working methods in line with organisational procedures
  12. make sure all access control procedures to work sites are in place and operated in line with appropriate procedures
  13. provide opportunity for people you supervise to report hazards to you as they occur
  14. deal with identified hazards or risks within your area of responsibility in line with organisational procedures
  15. seek advice from appropriate people about risks and hazards at appropriate times
  16. communicate any hazards or risks that you cannot resolve in line with organisation procedures
  17. maintain required records relating to risk assessments and safe working methods using organisational procedures

Knowledge & Understanding

You need to know and understand:

  1. relevant health and safety regulations, procedures and guidelines relating to self and others, duty of care, hazardous substances, personal protective equipment (PPE), use of equipment and machinery, confined spaces, excavations, lifting machinery, manual handling
  2. roles and responsibilities of yourself, those you supervise, colleagues and those you report to in maintaining safety
  3. the impact of pollutants and how to protect people and the environment
  4. personal conduct and behaviour towards colleagues and the general public in relation to risks and hazards at work
  5. organisational procedures for smoking, eating, drinking and drugs
  6. typical risks and hazards associated with the work environment and with the utilities with which you are working
  7. how to analyse risks and hazards
  8. how to carry out and review risk assessments
  9. actions to take to minimise risks and hazards relevant to your work
  10. relevant working methods and how to identify those that are safe
  11. procedures for safe working
  12. communication methods and procedures
  13. how to verify understanding of others
  14. when to check team members working methods
  15. procedures to follow for non-compliance with safe working methods
  16. potential impact of not removing hazards
  17. actions to take when unexpected hazards occur
  18. the different hazards and risks that need to be reported and those that are part of the regular working environment
  19. responsibility for corrective action when potentially dangerous events occur
  20. organisational reporting procedures
  21. recording procedures and audit trail requirements
  22. ways of recording verbal, written and computerised information and when each such be used.