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Health & safety

Great Portland Estates is committed to managing health and safety to a consistently high standard.

The Group employs a Health & Safety and Environmental Manager who reports directly to the Finance Director, Timon Drakesmith. The Health & Safety and Environment Manager has responsibility for overseeing all statutory health and safety compliance matters for the Group. To assist compliance, the Group operates policies and procedures in line with ISO 18001 requirements. During the year, ended 31 March 2010 the health and safety management system was upgraded to include an online task manager system, to improve monitoring and assessment of health and safety standards across the portfolio with compliance levels reported at the Health and Safety Working Group on a quarterly basis. In addition, each managed property has its fire safety, water safety, asbestos management and disability access reviewed and audited on an annual basis by external consultants.

256 hours of health and safety training were provided during the year ended 31 March 2010 including seminars on corporate manslaughter, accident investigation and contractor management. In addition induction training, which is provided to all new employees, includes information on health and safety issues.

Investment management

Prior to acquisition, detailed surveys are undertaken of new properties to ensure that, where possible, hazardous materials and health and safety risks are identified and are dealt with as soon as practicable on completion.

Asset management

Contractor management is a key health and safety risk to the Group. All contractors are required to be externally accredited and the Group’s Permission to Work system for contractors includes the vetting of risk assessments and method statements to ensure contractors are capable of working to the high standards set by the Group. Our key performance indicators, administered by our Facilities Manager, include a health and safety rating which is reviewed on a monthly basis. Failure to achieve specified levels will lead to a suspension and possible termination of a contract.

All accidents and incidents occurring in areas managed by the Group are recorded and reported and appropriate action is taken. A formal investigation of all accidents is conducted by the Health & Safety and Environmental Manager. During the year end 31 March 2010 there were two reportable accidents arising from the Group’s activities.

Health and Safety statistics

  2008 2009 2010
Number of RIDDOR reportable injuries 2 1 2
First aid injuries 8 6 5
Three day injuries 2 1 1
Work related fatalities 0 0 0
Number of Enforcement Agency prosecutions or fines 0 0 0
Number of prohibition notices 0 0 0
Employee accidents and incidents 1 3 0
Number of employee days off work from injury 0 0 0

Development

All consultants and principal contractors are required to complete a competency review in line with Healthy and Safety Executive Guidance under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007. Where building works are being carried out with tenants in situ our Health & Safety and Environmental Manager, Building Managers and Project Managers liaise closely to ensure that any health and safety concerns are brought to the attention of contractors and dealt with in a timely fashion. Upon completion of developments Project Managers ensure that Building Managers are well briefed on site specific health and safety issues prior to handover and that issues identified are included on our online task manager.

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