As a result of delegation, schools and other
establishments are responsible for significant elements of building
maintenance including the testing of various items of plant and
equipment.
This is not an option as failure to comply will contravene
Health & Safety legislation and may result in fine or even
imprisonment of the offender.
For some non-school establishments the responsibility for
organising this testing may still be made centrally. However Heads
of Establishments will need to ensure and keep a record of the
various test arrangements made.
Schools must
arrange for the listed servicing and testing to be undertaken at
the appropriate time and frequency. The Council’s Property and
Asset Management Services can advise in respect of these
requirements.
Property and Asset
Management have let a 'Property Statutory Compliance Contract' for
the Council's whole estate. Schools can opt into and purchase
all their testing and inspection requirements in relation to their
buildings and estate. The contract has started on the 1
November 2009 and the Council's partner for this contract is
Mitie.
The first action
for Mitie is to undertake an asset review of the complete
estate, including schools. Registers will then be placed on
each site detailing the various assets which apply to that
particular site. Should schools opt into the contract then
the testing and inspection certificates and evidence will
automatically be populated into the register on behalf of the
Schools and the Council. Mitie will also undertake an
annual review of each register to ensure that the legal
requirements of statutory testing and inspection are met.
Where schools opt
out of the contract then they will be expected to provide the
required testing and inspection certificates and evidence when
requested.
A report will be
prepared annually for the Director of CYPS and Finance &
Resources indicating the level of compliance across the whole
estate, including Schools. Should Schools be unable to
provide the required evidence and to the required standard then the
necessary abatement will be initiated by the Council at the Schools
expense.
Please
see the
Statutory Property Compliance and the
Contract presentation given to the Headteachers Asset
Management Reference Group on 4 November 2009 for further
information.
Any other company
or consultancy chosen to undertake the works must be recognised by
an appropriate industry standards body to secure safe maintenance
and management through competent, trained and qualified operatives
and contractors. The Schools will be required to display the
necessary statutory testing and certification evidence should they
wish to make their own arrangements in respect of statutory
requirements.
Records
should be kept of all the statutory servicing undertaken, with a
copy available to the
Council's
Property Governance Team when requested as evidence that the
necessary works have been carried out.
You must obtain a certificate from the contractor
to show that the required works have been carried out.
Please note that failure to have the
necessary servicing, testing and maintenance carried out may affect
your insurance cover and ultimately the health and safety of all
building users.
The
Council’s
Property Governance Team will be happy to advise you on
any queries about the levels of testing, inspection, servicing and
maintenance required.
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