The Civil Engineering Contractor July 2019 | Page 6

POLICYMAKERS
Legal compliance and consultants:
how to select a consultant
4 | CEC July 2019
requirements of the company and the specific project
that will be performed.
• 
Is the consultant knowledgeable about the subjects
being discussed and can he or she effectively answer all
questions?
• Is the consultant willing to walk the path with you or
are they only interested in selling you a system or file?
• 
Any system or documentation that was developed
should be site/project and company specific.
Consultants can be a valuable resource should they
have the necessary knowledge, experience, training and
understanding of the industry they are consulting in. It will
therefore always be advisable to meet with at least three
consulting companies prior to signing an agreement. nn
T
he requirements related to health and safety are
becoming more apparent in the civil engineering
industry. As a result, industry players are starting
to understand their roles in regards to the procurement of
contractors and their legal and moral obligation to provide
a workplace that as free from risk and hazards, as stipulated
in Section 8 of the Occupational Health and Safety Act 85
of 1993. Using consultants can assist small or emerging
contractors to achieve this requirement if they cannot
employ the required resources themselves .
Legal compliance has become the new buzzword, and
it is sometimes concerning to organisations how best to
achieve this – or perceive to have achieved it. Given the
current financial downturn in the construction industry,
which previously provided an important part of the Gross
Domestic Product and employed hundreds of thousands of
people, large companies have had to reduce their staff to
make them more viable, or simply to survive.
Many of these are safety personnel, who have consequently
re-entered the industry market and are marketing
themselves as safety professionals and consultants. This
should, in itself, not cause any concerns as companies are
more and more inclined to outsource their HSE functions
to reduce operating costs.
Unfortunately, however, some safety professionals have
sometimes had limited experience in managing HSE, and
should they consult, it can result in companies paying for
a service that is not up to standard and can result in non-
compliance. However, a well-informed and experienced
consultant can add value and ensure compliance.
The primary question therefore, is how do you decide
which consultant should be used?
Here are a few simple guidelines when selecting a
consultant:
• First run a background check to verify that he or she
represents a reputable company and is not a fly-by-night
operator, and then meet with them.
• Is the consultant known in the industry and registered
with a reputable organisation such as SAIOSH (South
African Institute of Occupational Safety and Health) or
SACPCMP (South African Council for the Project and
Construction Management Professionals)?
• 
During the meeting the consultant should enquire
about the services required as well as the scope and
Bio
Cobus Coetzee is a registered Construction Health and
Safety Manager with SACPCMP (Council for Project and
Construction Management Professionals). He is also a
Technical Member of SAIOSH (South African Institute of
Occupational Safety and Health)
Coetzee has more than 11 years’ experience in the field
of occupational health, safety and environment in a vast
array of industries. He is the previous National SHERQ
Adviser at SAFCEC.
www.civilsonline.co.za