Page 27 - W M Donald Newsletter - Edition Twelve

W M Donald currently has five TWC’s: Mike Meldrum, Chad Douglas, Sarah Herd, Gary Burnett and myself. Day- to-day temporary works management on site is typically the responsibility of a Temporary Works Supervisor who reports to the TWC.
Historically, the construction industry had a poor health and safety record. Many of the accidents and fatalities were associated with poor temporary works design and management or, on occasions, the omission of important temporary works such as shoring or propping altogether. The introduction of the Construction, Design and Management (CDM) Regulations in 1994 - and subsequent revisions - was the start of a greater focus on health and safety on site and clarified responsibility for maintaining a safe workplace.
In simple terms, the Principal Contractor carries the liability for the safety of the workforce on a site. Because of W M Donald’s involvement in enabling works such as earthworks and sewers, we commonly take the role of Principal Contractor on site in the early days of a project. This is why compliance with the guidance and recommendations in BS5975: 2019 is so important.
On each site, the W M Donald team can contribute to the development of temporary works solutions by identifying concerns during the preparation stage of each task. The proactive approach between the Technical Department and site teams continues to enhance our temporary works capabilities.
Living with COVID -19
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to be disruptive and, is still affecting people’s health and placing a huge strain on the NHS.
BecauseCOVID-19 has been with us for so long, it is easy to become complacent. However, despite vaccinations and other precautions, we are not out of the woods yet. Therefore, it is important for all of us to keep following the latest guidance issued by the Scottish Government.
So, please continue to:
➤ Wear face coverings in all indoor settings; they can be removed when working at your desk.
➤ Ensure that good ventilation is maintained when working indoors.
➤ Try and achieve social distancing wherever possible.
➤ Maintain good hand hygiene and take advantage of
the hand sanitisers provided.
➤ Always cough and sneeze into the crook of your elbow.
➤ Clean frequently touched surfaces.
➤ If you develop symptoms take a lateral flow test and
then book a PCR.
As we look ahead to 2022, everyone hopes that life will return to normal. If we are to achieve this, it is imperative that we all do whatever we can to turn this hope into a reality.
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