Question 1

What are Essential guides?

Accepted Answer

A condensed version of our procedures designed for front end workers. They have essential information that you need to know when doing work on our sites. They outline what you are expected to do (MUST) and what is highly recommended (YOUR CALL).

Question 2

How can I use the information?

Accepted Answer

Use the Essentials to get information on how to help you think about keeping you and your crew safe.
You can also use information to include some learning in your toolbox. (For instance the safety alerts and quick videos)

Question 3

Is there copyright on the information?

Accepted Answer

No, use as you like to keep your mates safe

Question 4

What's the difference between Critical Risk guidance and General Information?

Accepted Answer

We want to give focus to the really important STCKY stuff – the stuff that could kill you. Critical Risks are the risks with respect to tasks that have the highest likelihood of causing death or serious injury. Our Essentials guides for our critical risks let you know the minimum expectations of Contact when you are doing critical risk work. In the General Information section, you'll find guidance on those things that you need to know occasionally, like “what you need to think about when flying a drone”, or “what PPE requirements do we have at Contact”.

Question 5

What if I disagree with your point of view on something?

Accepted Answer

Please do use the feedback form to get in touch, many minds make for better solutions!

Question 6

Who can I talk to if I have questions?

Accepted Answer

Talk to your Contact Supervisor first, but failing that reach out to our team through the feedback form.

Question 7

What if I can't find what I need?

Accepted Answer

Reach out to your Contact Supervisor in the first instance as this website is not an exhaustive list of all our guidance. Please do let us know if you would like to see something on here that we haven’t thought about. Use the feedback form for that.

Question 8

What happened to the Lifesavers?

Accepted Answer

The Lifesavers described critical defences or barriers to keep our people safe but they overlooked some defences for some of the highest risk activities. and were not comprehensive enough. They have now been retired to be replaced with Critical Risk Essentials guides which are more comprehensive in nature.

Question 9

What does ‘MUST’ actually mean in practical terms?

Accepted Answer

When we say MUST it means we’ve identified something you must do as a minimum to keep you and your colleagues safe. As a baseline we aim to work in accordance with all laws and regulations, but Contact may also want to work to a higher standard in some cases to manage risks. To enable us to operate, we must accept a level of risk that we have assessed before starting work, and we manage risk through the application of effective controls or barriers. MUST indicates to you the Contact line in the sand, our minimum expectation of how we will work. If you feel you can not achieve the MUST please pause your work, seek advice from others and decide on the best way forward, documenting how you will manage the risk. Please then reach out to us to discuss further so that we can make changes if appropriate.

Question 10

What does 'YOUR CALL' actually mean?

Accepted Answer

'YOUR CALL' means you should use your skill, knowledge, experience and judgement to decide on the best way forward. If you are unsure or do not have an appropriate level of any of these attributes, then you should always seek the advice of someone who does. You should not proceed with the task if you are unsure of your controls as this type of behaviour can lead to us crossing an invisible line and getting into trouble. You will always be supported to pause a task and seek advice, if that advice is not available you will be supported to stop the task or job until such a time that that advice is available.

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