#002 - Appointing an Authorised Person
In our second blog entry, we take cues from a recent visit to Huddersfield Royal Infirmary and examine some of the many ways that we go about assessing and appointing Authorised Persons (APs).
Authorised Person Appointment Process
Do you have Standard Operating Procedures in place to deal with specific challenges on your site? Your specific site requirements must be taken into account when following such procedures. Therefore, it is important to ensure that the personnel carrying out these procedures have been assessed for competence and their appointment approved. Whether you are working with contractors or your own in-house engineering and estates officers, we can support and assist you with appointing Authorised Persons for key engineering disciplines.
How Do We Do It?
We recognise that every site, discipline and client that we deal with will have its own requirements in-line with statutory regulations and industry guidance.
APs should be appointed in-line with relevant guidance for their chosen discipline.
However, using our own experience and knowledge of key engineering disciplines, we have developed a metaphorical toolbox full of assessment methods to help us gain an insight into the suitability of your personnel for the task at hand. These include but are not limited to:
- Open question and answer sessions with the prospective AP and leadership team
- Site surveys and walk-arounds with the prospective AP
- Certification and professional development review
- Discussion and explanation of existing SSoW
- Reviews of safety documentation
- Practical familiarity talks
How Can We Help You?
Once appointed, Authorised Persons will be expected to oversee and carry out engineering tasks as described in their organisation’s Safe System of Work. During this process, we can leverage our experience and knowledge of Estates and Facilities to identify locations on site that can be added to future audits, logged in documentation and will form part of the APs duties.
"I have known Perry for many years now.
His ability to talk to me about my competence, personal development and site familiarity, from his position as an independent Senior Authorising Engineer, has really helped me to develop the level of understanding that I need to carry out my AP (Mechanical) duties, safely.
He is now helping us to expand our team and aiding with mentoring, assessing and eventually recommending designate APs for appointment."
Jack – Mechanical Estates Officer | Huddersfield Royal Infirmary
Influence Change | Ensure Compliance
As an appointed AP, your site knowledge and understanding can help us to facilitate important conversations around safety and compliance procedures in your organisation as a whole. Whether that is discussions around equipment purchase, safety devices, updates to safety documents or other changes that the site team would like to be put in place around the site(s), we can help you to deliver those messages.
If you would like us to attend your site to assess and confirm appointment of your Authorised Person, please contact us using the phone number below, or click/tap the button to start a call.