Health and Safety

For any one project there is always a series of regulatory requirements that are necessary to ensure the appropriate steps have been made to safeguard Health and Safety. Risk Assessments, COSSH assessments and CDM regulations among others are used in the planning process, and contribute to safer working. DMS takes its responsibilities very seriously with regard to Health and Safety and is continually striving for improvement. Constant audits are an important factor in improvement within the company and with our ISO certification we maintain a constant review.

As so much of the company’s work is carried out in exposed areas where the ground is difficult and the weather potentially unforgiving, the use of radios operative pairing is important. For safety’s sake there must be some communication with the wider world and a person should never be left to work alone on a site to the extent that DMS has a clear rule that prohibits lone working on sites. The use of GPS mapping before deployment of heavy equipment ensures that hazards such as stones, holes, gullies and bogs are clearly pre identified and thus avoided by machines. Capable communications and GPS in each machine ensures that in the event of a problem, the operator can always tell others about the problem and exactly where they are located (useful on low visibility days).

Our Health and Safety Accreditations

BS OHSAS 18001:2007

BS OHSAS 18001:2007 has been designed to work alongside the ISO 9001 (Quality), ISO 14001 (Environmental) and will help ensure our organisation meets its health and safety obligations in a competent and structured manner. It is the internationally recognised assessment specification for occupational health and safety management systems.

Implementing an Occupational Health and Safety Assurance System (OHSAS) as part of our company’s management strategy enables us to directly address changing legislation and protect our employees and customers. Find out more.

IOSH

Members of the team hold working safely certification approved and validated by the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health.

IOSH is Europe’s leading body for health and safety professionals. As an independent and not-for-profit organisation, it aims to regulate and steer the profession, maintaining standards and providing impartial, authoritative guidance on health and safety issues.

CHAS Accredited

We are an accredited contractor under the Construction Health and Safety Assessment Scheme, our accreditation is rigorous audit of our Health and Safety systems. The CHAS audit varies with the number of employees employed, with a staff of 25 we comply under Chas at the highest level.

CHAS assesses applicants for:

  1. Health and safety policy statement;
  2. Their organisation for health and safety;
  3. Their specific health and safety arrangements to a standard acceptable to our buyers and to others.

Achilles Verified

The UVDB Verify audit and assessment service focuses on risk critical issues and provides demonstrable compliance to Safety, Health, Environment and Quality (SHEQ) requirements.

It provides independent assessment and benchmarking; credibility in the market place and industry specific assessments. All of which can lead to a significant reduction in the time and effort required to pre-qualify for contracts.

By registering on Verify, suppliers and contractors will gain a clear understanding of the industry’s requirements. The assessments generate detailed reports of the company’s capabilities that can be used both as an aid to sourcing for the Utilities but also as valuable guidance on improvements for the company being assessed.

View our Achilled Verified certificate (pdf format).

Peninsula Consultancy

DMS have appointed Peninsular to advise the company on all matters of Health and Safety legislation, regulation and procedures. We regularly review our entire documentation in consultation with Peninsular to ensure we are constantly meeting our requirements.

The Peninsula Health and Safety service covers:

  • A review of the way you manage and safety in your premises and under taking and conducted by qualified Health & Safety consultants to identify areas of non-compliance with legal requirements. You will receive a report advising on how to use best practice and achieve compliance with legal obligations.
  • The preparation and installation of a bespoke Health & Safety management system, developed for you business, including the organisation, specific arrangements and monitoring procedures required for its effective implementation.
  • Regular visits to service your Health & Safety management system and advise on continuing legal compliance.
  • Access to a 24 hour Telephone Advice service supported by qualified Health & Safety consultants.

Construction Design and Management Regulations (2007)

Contract administration including CDM duties:

We are experienced contract administrators able to deal with the day to day administration of the contract including certification and dispute resolution. In conjunction with the CDM Coordinator as Principle Contractor will ensure the requirements of the contract are fulfilled to the quality specifications stated.

At DMS we approach all our work with enthusiasm and dedication, part of this is understanding the importance of Health and Safety for all employees of the company. With regular training and commitment to safe working practices we have actively searched for ways to improve and maintain our high standards.