As part of its ongoing commitment to improving safety across all its activities, the Rochester Bridge Trust has signed up to a new best practice code of conduct for organisations involved in the construction sector.
The Building a Safer Future Charter was drawn up in response to the Grenfell Tower tragedy and aims to restore public confidence in how buildings are constructed and maintained.
Organised by the Considerate Contractors Scheme, the charter consists of five commitments dedicated to protecting life by putting safety first, ahead of all other building priorities.
“Keeping people safe is one of our core values and we are proud to be among the first 25 organisations in the country to sign up to this new industry charter,” said Sue Threader, Bridge Clerk.
“Safety underlines all of our activities – from major construction work on our bridges and the refurbishment of our historic head office to how we maintain the properties on our estate and the way we carry out everyday activities such as doing the tea round.
“Becoming a signatory of the Building a Safer Future Charter underlines our ongoing determination to continue operating to the highest safety standards.”
For further information see: www.buildingasaferfuture.org.uk
The five commitments of the Building a Safer Future Charter are:
1 – Collaborate to spearhead culture change and be the voice of building safety across our sector.
2 – Be transparent in the interests of safety, sharing key information with residents, clients, contractors and statutory bodies in a useful and accessible manner in the design, construction and occupation phases of the process.
3 – Make safety a key factor of choice in who we work with, ensuring that building safety is placed at the centre of selection decisions without compromising quality or value for money.
4 – Ensure that the voices and safety of residents, visitors and employees are central in our decision making process.
5 – Set out and communicate clear responsibilities within our organisation and with our partners, ensuring everyone with a stake in the building during design, construction and occupation understands their role and has the time and resources they need to achieve and maintain building safety.