I'm a contractor
Please read through the following information and become familiar with our procedures and expectations while working with Ara. Should this raise questions or issues which require further clarification, please discuss with your contact at Ara, or Ara’s Safety, Health and Wellbeing Team at safetyandwellbeing@ara.ac.nz
It is our goal to provide a safe and well environment for all who attend our campuses including our contractors and their employees and we expect you to share this objective with us.
To that end, all contractors must be familiar with the following general safety, health and wellbeing information prior to commencing work at Ara.
- Specific safety, health and wellbeing information relating to hot work, confined space work, work at heights, work in laboratories, or work involving asbestos will be provided as necessary by the Ara employee initiating the work.
- The Contractor will advise the Principal PCBU immediately of any new hazard created during the contract and will take all practicable steps to avoid harm being caused to any person as a result of such hazards.
- The Principal PCBU has the right to monitor the Contractor’s activities and carry out a safety audit from time to time during the progress of the contract and has the right to suspend work at the Contractor’s expense where the Principal PCBU is not satisfied all reasonable practicable steps are being taken to ensure the health and safety of Workers and others in connection with the contract. Prior to commencing work at Ara, contractors’ company or contractor PCBU will be requested to provide evidence of their commitment to the Health and Safety of their employee and those affected by their work and or provide a health and safety plan for the particular task they are proposing to undertake. Included in this information please provide a copy of your insurance certificate you operate with. If you have not already done so, please provide this information to:
Ara Safety, Health and Wellbeing
safetyandwellbeing@ara.ac.nz
P.O. Box 540
Christchurch
In accordance with our Health and Safety Management Programme and the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015, visitors must obey all reasonable instructions and signs whilst on site to ensure their actions create no hazards to people or property. Your site host will brief you on any specific health and safety requirements in the areas you are visiting.
You must be accompanied at all times unless you are inducted on our site.
Ara has developed a number of health and safety procedures to ensure that we provide a safe and healthy environment for our colleagues, learners and visitors. As well as being good business practice, some are related to compliance and life safety and must be followed in an emergency .
Please report to Facilities Management when you first arrive, or are working in a new area of Ara, where you will be given a health and safety induction to ensure you are current with our local hazards and global procedures. If applicable, the asbestos register is located at Facilities Management Building please review the asbestos register before commencing work.
Ara also expects that the contracting PCBU ensures all workers who carryout work for the contractor have the necessary skills and knowledge to carry out their task safely or are supervised by another worker who has the skills and knowledge.
If you need any further clarification, please discuss with your Ara contact.
Before beginning work, you (the Contractor) will carry out a systematic identification of hazards likely to be encountered and will develop controls for all those identified as being significant hazards. Ara expects that as contracting PCBU, risk management will be actively occurring while carrying out activities on Ara’s behalf.
A current safety data sheet (SDS) must be available for any hazardous/dangerous chemicals used.
No equipment is to be repaired or maintained unless properly isolated/switched off and/or stopped. Any equipment or materials found to be unsafe should be reported immediately to the person in charge and should be tagged ’out of service’. All mains powered electrical equipment must have a current test tag.
While onsite, if you observe a hazard that requires action to control, please take immediate action to address. Talk with the people involved, raise it with your Ara contact.
Permits must be obtained from Facilities Management Contracts Manager prior to commencing any of the following work:
- Hot work
- Work involving the isolation of fire detection or protection systems
- Working at Heights, i.e. where there is potential to fall 2 or 3m or more
- Confined spaces
- Work in laboratories
- Work involving the possible disturbance of asbestos
Ara requires contractors to provide first aid facilities based on risks associated with their activity.
In the event further first aid support is needed, alert your Ara contact. Ara has 8 Defibrillators over our Campuses, 3 on City Campus, 2 on Woolston Campus and 3 on Timaru Campus.
The Health Centre (phone: 03 940 7566) can offer assistance where required and are located in the Whareora Building at the City Madras campus, Christchurch
Please contact the Ara Senior Safety, Health and Wellbeing Advisor on 0226582124 to report any accident, incident or near miss.
Contact should be made as soon as practicable in the case of a serious event. Ara Contractors need to complete an accurate written report within 48 hours of any accidents, incidents or near misses. Investigation of all serious accidents will begin as soon as practicable after the notification of event but within at least one working day of the occurrence. The Ara Safety, Health and Wellbeing Advisors should be kept informed where the investigation completion will exceed two working days.
The contractor is responsible for reporting notifiable events involving their staff to WorkSafe NZ.
Effective accident/incident reporting will be a criteria identified during post contract evaluation.
Notifiable Event: (A death, notifiable injury or illness, or a notifiable incident)
Notifiable Injury and illness: Include but is not limited to, a serious injury which requires immediate treatment (other than first aid) e.g. an amputation, serious eye injury, serious burn. An injury which would normally require hospitalisation. Serious infections related to animal bites, exposure to blood or bodily substances, or animal products.
Notifiable Incident: An unplanned or uncontrolled event which exposes a person to serious risk. e.g. but not limited to, an explosion, trench or structure collapse, escape of pressure or hazardous substance, electrical shock.
- Immediately dial 111 and detail assistance required.
- Notify Ara Senior Safety, Health and Wellbeing Advisor on 0226582124. If they are not available, advise Grant McPhail, Director of Facilities Management, 0275408011.
- Do not disturb the accident scene except to save life, prevent further injury or to relieve suffering of the injured party.
- Equipment or plant involved is not to be used until cleared by a Worksafe representative.
Fire
Only attempt to put out a fire if it is safe to do so.
Familiarise yourself with the following:
- The position of the local fire alarm and evacuation points.
- The position of fire extinguishers in the building.
- Maintain Exit points are always kept clear.
- Ensure that smoke stop doors are not wedged open
- Report to the Building Warden (will be wearing a dayglo jacket) at the fire panel. Detail any hazards the Emergency Services may face, ie dangerous goods, chemicals.
- Hot Work Permits must be obtained from the property supervisor before commencement of hot work.
- Isolation of fire detection systems may be necessary before work involving heat, smoke, steam, engine exhaust or dust is commenced. A minimum of 24 hours notice is required unless otherwise agreed.
- Ara will seek costs where a false alarm is triggered by a contractor not following these procedures.
Evacuation
If you raise the alarm, please call 111 and advise details.
When the alarm is triggered, evacuate the building by the nearest emergency exit. This will be clearly marked Exit. Follow the exit direction indicators which are in conspicuous places throughout the building.
- Do Not run.
- Do Not use elevators if provided - use stairwells
- Do Not collect personal belongings from any part of the building
- Evacuees are to assemble in the predetermined assembly area as noted on the displayed emergency notices. You are not to re-enter the building until instructed to do so.
- Leave lights on. Close windows and doors if safe to do so.
- Turn off any potentially dangerous processes or machinery if applicable.
Everyone is entitled to a smoke and vape free environment in all areas used for study, work, or relaxation. Smoking and vaping is prohibited in all Ara buildings, properties or vehicles.
In the interest of maintaining a smoke and vape free environment, please do not smoke or vape on Ara premises.
Ara has a speed limit of 10kmh on all campuses. Vehicles should travel at low speeds not more than 10kmh entering, exiting and while on any Ara campus. Use hazard lights while in operation. Higher speed drivers and/or vehicles may be banned from Ara.