Planning and Building Unit
Web: http://www.education.ie
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Guidance on the Safety File
It is responsibility of the School Management Authority to ensure that a Safety File is available on the
premises for reference prior to any maintenance, repair or other works being carried out on the school
premises.
Purpose of the Safety File:
To record information relevant to the building which will alert those who are responsible for the structure
and services of the significant safety and health risks that will need to be addressed during subsequent
maintenance, repair or other construction work including demolition.
It is essential for the safety of any workers carrying out routine maintenance on the building to be made
aware, through the Safety File, of any significant safety & health risks associated with the building,
before undertaking work.
It is also useful for workers carrying out maintenance work on an existing building, particularly work on
electrical or heating systems, to have access to the information available in the Safety File on the fabric
and fit out of the premises.
Where more significant work is proposed, such as alterations or extensions, the information in the Safety
File will be of assistance to any consultants employed to design the works, as well as to the contractor
employed to construct the works, in order to ensure that any known health and safety issues are taken into
account in preparing a Safety Statement to cover the works involved and in carrying out the actual works
themselves.
Duties of Personnel:
The Client (School Authority)
The Client must keep the Safety File available for inspection by any person who may need the
information in order to fulfil their duties or to carry out construction work on the structure to which the
Safety File relates. The client should also ensure that on completion of a project that they receive the
Safety File, updated to take account of the completed works.
The Project Supervisor Design Process (PSDP) employed during construction project
The PSDP prepares the Safety File and presents it to the Client when the project is complete. It must
contain relevant safety and health information, including any relevant information provided by the
designers, Project Supervisor Construction Stage (PSCS) and contractors that must be taken into account
during any future construction or maintenance work carried out following completion of the project.
Designers (consultant employed on a project)
Designers must
1.
Take account of any Safety File;
2. Provide the PSDP with any relevant information in writing, about the project, that is necessary for the
project supervisor to prepare the safety file, e.g. aspects of the design that could create risks during future
construction work or maintenance.
The Project Supervisor Construction Stage (PSCS)
The PSCS must
1.
2.
3.
4.
Coordinate arrangements among contractors to ensure the provision of relevant information, in writing,
necessary for the PSDP to complete the Safety File;
Monitor the implementation of the arrangements;
Take any necessary corrective action if the contractors fail to provide the relevant information to the PSDP;
Provide in writing to the PSDP all relevant information necessary for the PSDP to complete the Safety File.
The Safety File should contain the following information:
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Construction Drawings, Specifications & Bills of Quantities used and produced throughout the design
and construction process;
General Design Criteria;
Details of equipment and maintenance facilities within the structure;
Maintenance procedures and requirements for structure;
Manuals, Certificates, produced by specialist contractors and suppliers which outline operating &
maintenance procedures and schedules for plant & equipment installed as part of structure, e.g. lifts,
electrical & mechanical installations and window cleaning;
Details of the location and nature of utilities and services including emergency and firefighting
systems.
More detailed information regarding the Safety File is available at
http://www.hsa.ie/eng/Your_Industry/Construction/Construction_FAQ's/Safety_File_FAQs.html