Procedures for Contractors in the Central Aylesbury Complex

On Arrival

Report to Security Office in Walton Street Offices (behind Reception counter), before proceeding to work area. Security will issue security passes on a daily basis. A charge of £5.00 is made for lost passes. You will then be directed to the resident maintenance engineer in the basement, to be taken through various site specific procedures, covering such things as asbestos, electrical lock-off, disabling smoke detectors due to dust or fumes, times of access to buildings, fire evacuation procedures etc., as appropriate. If the work involves access to the roof of Walton Street Offices, you will be instructed in the special procedures involved and issued with a radio for communication. Weekend and other out-of-hours procedures may differ, and these will be explained to you at the time they become appropriate. Lone working out-of-hours will not normally be permitted.

Parking

Due to limited space on site the rule is, one contract, one contractor’s vehicle. For contract work, this will normally be a contract condition. Any additional vehicles, including sub-contractors’ vehicles, must be parked off site.

Fire Alarms

The fire alarms are tested between 08.30 and 09.30 on a Wednesday morning every week. They sound for up to one minute. If you hear them at this time you may ignore them. If they sound at any other time you must switch off/disconnect equipment and leave the building by the designated routes indicated by the green fire exit signs. You must not use lifts. You should follow the other occupants of the building to the assembly point, (in front of the Waterside Theatre) where you will be told when it is safe to re-occupy the building. Do not loiter outside the main entrance of the building.

The fire alarms are very sensitive and you should take care not to set them off accidentally when hot working, undertaking dusty tasks or using adhesives or other volatile substances. If you think you may have triggered an alarm, report this immediately to Security. They will not be able to prevent the Fire & Rescue Service attending, but at least they will be aware it is likely to be a false alarm. You will be found out anyway. All the call points and detector heads are monitored.

Site Cleanliness

All areas must be kept clean and tidy at all times. Tools, materials and waste must not be left where they could cause a hazard or nuisance. Under no circumstances may any materials be left in stairwells or obstructing fire exit routes, however short a period you think they may be there. Where it is necessary to work alongside staff (which we try and avoid) you will be given additional instructions, based on standard risk assessment procedures.

All waste materials must be removed from site as work proceeds (generally at the end of each day) or to an agreed location.

You may be permitted to use staff facilities such as toilets and kitchens. Normal codes of dress and behaviour will be expected. This is not a building site.

Noise and dust are a constant problem for staff when contractors are on site. This should have been dealt with by the contract supervising officer at the time of tendering. When problems arise, you should stop work, contact the contract supervising officer and get that person to deal with the issue. You should not get into discussion/arguments with staff. If staff are unhappy about the work, staff should contact their own line managers, who in turn will deal with the contract supervising officer.

Skips

The positioning, delivery and collection of skips must be arranged in conjunction with Security; complex requests will be dealt with by the Facilities Manager. There may be times when you have to postpone ordering a skip due to other activities on site or you may be asked to use a communal skip.

Doors

A number of doors in the Central Aylesbury Complex are alarmed. Should you need to use them, you must notify Security in advance, who will turn off the alarm for an agreed time (as short as possible). You may be asked to have the door manned by an operative whilst the alarm is off, to prevent ingress by unauthorised persons.

Doors operated by our security swipe cards and fire doors must not be propped open at any time.

Lifts

If you require exclusive use of a lift, several days prior notice must be given to the Facilities Manager. The resident engineer will cover general use of lifts in the induction.

Temporary Cables

Temporary cables must not be left trailing on the floor or where doors constantly scuff them. They should be taped/pinned above head height.

Hazard Warning

Where contractors are sharing/moving through areas with staff, it is the contractor’s responsibility to ensure that there are adequate warning notices displayed at appropriate points. For short duration works these can be obtained from the resident engineer. On larger projects and contract work the contractor will be expected to provide his/her own.

Work Standards and Quality

Work may be carried out under a formal contract (with a specification and drawings) or a small works order with terms and conditions. In either case all the following will apply:

• All relevant statutory requirements and codes of practice must be complied with. Particular attention should be paid to health and safety. Those working with gas must be Gas Safe registered and those working with electricity must be NICEIC or ECA registered.
• All materials must be fit for purpose and comply with EU (or UK where none exists) standards.
• Workmanship must be of good quality and comply with industry best practice for the operations concerned.
• Health and Safety Best Practice, as may be issued from time to time by the HSE in approved codes of practice or guidance notes. In the absence of such guidance many institutions and trade organisations issue guidance or best practice notes, which trades must comply with if applicable to their work.

• All work must be the subject of a risk assessment and safe system of work. These must be produced if asked for. Failure to produce them will lead to the cessation of the work, at the contractor’s expense.

Remember: we will do our best to accommodate all reasonable requests, but this is a busy complex and our staff are not always available at a moment’s notice to drop everything and sort out your problems or problems you have caused. By working closely together we can ensure the successful completion of the work with the minimum of fuss and disruption – and you will be asked back again!