Safety and health coordination

Benefit from the professional expertise of our experts in the field of safety and health coordination. Safety on construction sites is always our top priority. You can therefore rely on our many years of experience in providing advice and coordination during the construction phase and in carrying out detailed inspections during subsequent work on the building. Let’s work together to prevent dangerous situations arising on construction sites.

Our services in the area of safety and health coordination

Fulfillment of requirements

Our experts fulfill the requirements for building owners according to the Construction Site Ordinance and RAB30 as well as for employers from the Occupational Health and Safety Act, the DGUV regulation.

Work processes and safety concept

We determine the necessary work processes for you and draw up a comprehensive security concept.

Inspection of parties involved in construction to ensure compliance with safety and health regulations

There is always a lot going on at a construction site. Our experts check compliance to ensure that all those involved in construction adhere to the safety and health requirements.

Software-based development and updating of the safety and health coordination plan

Our experts will prepare a software-based draft for you and also take care of updating the health and safety plan.

Construction site monitoring

We monitor your construction site with the utmost care through continuous inspections.

Safety meetings

We offer comprehensive safety meetings and advice on planning construction site equipment.

Our approach

Tasks of the planning phase

The coordinator begins to work out and coordinate the protective measures for the construction site as early as the planning stage of a construction project. Its most important tasks include:

Determine possible interactions between the work of the different trades, and also take into account all other relevant influences around the construction site
to support the client/project management in an advisory capacity, e.g. with regard to construction site equipment, scheduling, early avoidance of risks, safety-related installations, etc.
draw up a specific safety and health plan with protective measures tailored to the respective project, which is then displayed on the construction site for everyone to see
to participate in the preparation of the prior notification of the construction project and its transmission to the competent authorities (if applicable, see table above)
compile a document with the necessary protective measures for any subsequent work – e.g. for maintenance and servicing work

Tasks of the execution phase

During construction, the health and safety coordinator is generally responsible for coordinating the planned safety measures, providing important information for everyone to see and adapting it if necessary. In detail, this includes the following activities:

Coordinate the application of the general principles according to 4 ArbSchG: These principles include, for example, avoiding or minimizing risks to life and health at work, combating hazards at source or taking into account the current state of technology, occupational medicine and hygiene
Make the safety and health plan known and adapt it in the event of changes in execution: Adaptation is necessary, for example, if new machines are used whose safe operation is not yet regulated in the plan
Ensure that all employers on the construction site monitor compliance with the safety regulations: This does not mean that the safety and health coordination must monitor the actual work itself. However, it can, for example, demand proof of the proper application of work procedures from all construction companies
Organize the safe cooperation of all trades: Good coordination between those involved is essential for a safe construction process – the safety and health coordination must ensure the necessary information and communication, for example with regular safety meetings. Safety inspections, including documentation and analysis, are also an essential part of his remit

Preparation of the necessary formalities

1. Preparation and use of the advance notice of the construction project to the competent authority within the period of 14 days before the start of construction (if time permits)
2. Preparation and dispatch of the safety and health coordination plan
3. Preparation and dispatch of a letter explaining the safety and health plan and naming the responsible parties
4. If requested by the client, development of a safety and health policy and an emergency number directory
5. Advice on planning permanent safety-related maintenance equipment

Coordination in the execution phase

1 . posting of the safety and health coordination plan on the construction site, adaptation of the safety and health coordination plan if necessary
2. Regular inspections of the construction site and working towards the elimination of defects, as well as sending the reports
3. Organization, implementation and recording of safety corrections and meetings with the supervisory authorities

FAQ

What is the legal basis?

The legal basis in Germany for the safety and health coordinator is the Construction Site Ordinance, the so-called BaustellV – Ordinance on Safety and Health Protection on Construction Sites. Further details can be found in the regulations on occupational health and safety on construction sites (RAB). These reflect the state of the type with regard to safety and health protection on construction sites.

When is a safety and health coordination required?

The safety coordinator must always be appointed if employees of several employers are working on a construction site. This is stipulated in § 3 BaustellV. The exact circumstances under which safety measures are necessary – including the appointment of the safety and health coordinator – can be seen in the table below.
If several employers are working on the construction site and the scope of the work is greater than 31 working days and 21 employees or more than 501 person days, a safety and health coordinator must always be appointed.
If the scope is smaller, but hazardous work such as work deeper than 5 m, higher than 7 m, work with hazardous substances or explosion hazards is involved, a safety and health coordinator must also be appointed.

When should the safety coordinator be involved in a construction project?

The safety and health coordination must be involved in the construction project right from the start of the planning phase. As soon as it has been established that the criteria for the mandatory appointment of a coordinator in accordance with § 3 BaustellV have been met, the coordinator must be appointed.
From this point onwards, he can be found on site throughout the entire construction process. This ensures smooth planning, implementation and monitoring of a comprehensive security concept for the respective project.

What is a safety and health plan for construction sites?

The safety and health protection plan, or safety and health coordination plan for short, serves to make the safety requirements for the work to be carried out comprehensible to all persons involved in the construction work. The content and form of safety and health plans are specified in the regulations on occupational health and safety on construction sites (RAB 31).

According to the Construction Site Ordinance, a safety and health plan must be drawn up if employees of several employers are working on a construction site and

advance notice must be given or
employees of several employers are working on a construction site and particularly hazardous work in accordance with Annex II of the Construction Site Ordinance is being carried out

RAB 31 describes in detail the minimum requirements for the content of the safety and health plan in accordance with the Construction Site Ordinance.

In construction, the safety and health plan is seen as an overarching planning and management aid that provides the addressees with an overview of the main points and special features of occupational safety and health on the respective construction site. The safety and health plan, as well as other necessary construction documents (e.g. schedule, site plan and construction site layout plan), must be drawn up at the planning stage of the construction project. This must be continuously adapted during the development of the construction project.

Does the safety and health coordination also take responsibility for safety on the belly?

Caution! The appointment of a safety and health coordinator does not release the client or their representative from their responsibility! He or she is still responsible for the safety of the construction site(s).

Contractors must also continue to fulfill their occupational safety and health obligations. This means that they themselves are responsible for suitable protective measures, which also include the instructions and guidelines from the safety and health coordination plan.

Is a safety and health coordination authorized to issue instructions?

As a rule, the safety coordinator has no authority to issue directives and merely has an advisory and supporting function. If he discovers a violation of the known safety regulations, he may not act himself, but must inform the construction company or the client. The only exception is if the client gives the health and safety coordinator contractual authority to issue instructions.

Further areas of expertise

In addition to safety and health coordination, we offer our expertise in other fields of competence that may also be of interest to you.

Explosion protection

Among other things, we support you in implementing the requirements and regulations on explosion protection from the Industrial Safety Ordinance and the Hazardous Substances Ordinance.

Operational and occupational safety

We provide you with comprehensive support in the areas of machine safety, occupational health and safety and conformity assessment. You can rely on our many years of experience and dependable expertise.

Machine safety CE

As part of the conformity assessment, we support you in determining the requirements and prepare the necessary documentation for you to prove conformity.

As a leading know-how partner, we develop the success stories of the future with trustworthy technologies. Together with our customers, we master industry-specific challenges. Our teams of experts provide support throughout the entire project process.

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