Now that we are all in agreement that contractors are responsible for managing their own safety, and Principle Contractors are not responsible for directing and supervising contractors work, and in fact doing so may increase the liability of a PC in the event of an incident, I am being asked: “If I see a contractor doing something unsafe, am I increasing my liability if I intervene?”
Short answer NO. Anyone at any time is entitled to say to a contractor “I don’t think that looks very safe.” and even “It looks so unsafe I want you to stop work”. It’s what happens next which creates the problem. If you say “I don’t like what you are doing, so I am going to tell you how to do it” – problem. If you say “I don’t like what you are doing, so you need to explain to me why it is safe or provide me with professional advice that it is safe.’ No problem.
Sue