ODA sets standards for Olympics work

Successful bidders for Olympics contracts will face challenging operating procedures for what are otherwise expected to be very lucrative contracts.

The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) has committed itself to:

• Sharing of risk over ground conditions
• A range of contract types including the New Engineering Contracts
• Contingencies in place for tier one and two contractors
• No more than one reportable accident for every million man hours worked
• No work packages to start unless health and safety plans and method
  statements have been full developed and adopted
• A zero-tolerance policy on unsafe practices or unhealthy conditions
• Designs and products that eliminate risk of accident or ill health
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  during the lifetime of the project
• Demonstrable equality and diversity among the workforce and
• All workers to have valid skills certification such as a CSCS card.

Bob Card, deputy programme director of delivery partner CLM, said: "Safety is an anchor tenant. Safer sites are also better business sites and more profitable with lower costs."

The ODA and CLM have been in talks with the Trades Union Congress about working together. "We expect to have a strong relationship with the unions on the project. They want to make it an exemplar site," said Card.

At a joint presentation to sign their health and safety agreement, Card and ODA chief executive David Higgins said they supported the 2012 Construction Commitments. "We fully endorse the principles - who wouldn't," said Card.

But European Union procurement principles forbid them becoming a condition of hire. Equality and diversity are the only two that can be incorporated. Instead, they are looking at ways to promote them through the supply chain and by putting them on their website.

All the main contracts are coming up to bid early next year including the Aquatics Centre, the Velodrome, the International Broadcast Centre and the Media and Press Centre.

[Contract Journal, 06  December 2006, p 2]