Keeping on top of contractor management can be difficult. According to Altius COO, Len Simmons, you should have in place a set of rules and policies for contractors to adhere to, in order to ensure compliance.
Health and Safety sentencing Guidelines
The new Health and Safety Guidelines have been introduced to give courts comprehensive guidance for offences and also introduce a structured nine-step approach that the Court should follow, so as to calculate sentences correctly.
The penalties for the guidelines have increased and it is expected that in the event of a conviction, the newly revised penalties will have a substantial and damaging impact on the convicted business.
Modern Slavery Act
Obligations under the Modern Slavery Act fall only on large organisations, however smaller businesses are able to demonstrate best practice and social responsibility with the option to publish a statement if they wish.
Managers need to consider how to carry out the necessary checks of contractors and sub contractors as it is important to check for crimes in the supply chain too. Standard terms should be introduced with contractors to ensure that they are aware of your company’s stance on modern slavery.
Corporate social responsibility
In 2013, the Public Services Social Value Act was introduced to encourage due consideration of social value in procurement, particularly when assessing the viability of contractors and suppliers.
Companies should question economic, social and environmental impact during the pre-qualification questionnaire or due diligence process, in order to only work with companies making a positive impact.
Importance of policies and rules
You must also ensure that contractors have read your policies and rules, they understand them and are complying with them on a daily basis. It is also important to source the correct documentation to prove that your contractors and suppliers are compliant.
Altius’ Exigo software has been designed to make contractor management simple. You can find out more about the software here.
