Company Policies

Our Workplace Health and Safety policy is based on a belief that the well-being of people employed at work, or people affected by our work, is a major priority and must be considered during all work performed on our behalf. People are our most important asset and health and safety in the workplace is everyone’s responsibility. We are committed to ensuring ongoing compliance with all relevant and applicable occupational health and safety legislation and other requirements.

Bedford Built recognises that Health & Safety is both an individual and shared responsibility of all employees, sub-contractors and other persons involved with the operation of the organisation. In this regard, we emphasise the need to follow and adhere to safe work practices at all times, to ensure that no person is exposed to a health and safety risk for themselves or any other person, and to develop an ever-improving safety culture within the company.

Bedford Built recognizes that there is no task that is so important or so urgent that it releases the company, its managers, employees, or sub-contractors from the responsibility to ensure a healthy and safe work environment. To support our commitment to all facets of Workplace, Health and Safety, we have developed and implemented an OH&S system that exceeds the requirements of ISO 45001:2018.

Safety Objectives are a part of the overall objectives of Bedford Built’s Improvement Plan which is reviewed on an annual basis.

The objectives of our Safety Policy are;

  1. To strive to achieve an accident free workplace.
  2. To make health and safety an integral part of every managerial and supervisory position.
  3. To ensure health and safety is considered in all planning and work activities.
  4. To involve our employees in the decision-making processes through regular communication, consultation, and training.
  5. To provide a continuous program of education and learning to ensure that our employees work in the safest possible manner.
  6. To ensure measures are taken to eliminate or control all potential accidents/incidents.
  7. To provide effective injury management and rehabilitation for all employees.

The success of our health and safety management depends on the following;

  • Pro-active planning of all work activities with consideration given to implementing WH&S controls that are suitable to each given situation.
  • Understanding the total work process and associated WH&S risks.
  • Ensuring the work team is committed to achieving our objectives.
  • Ensuring that open and honest communication exists between our employees and all sub-contractors.

Matthew Bedford
Director

Bedford Built is committed to performing its business activities in an environmentally responsible and sustainable manner.

This Environmental Policy sets out the basis for our commitment and portrays the manner in which we will conduct our activities.

Bedford Built is committed to maintaining our environmental awareness. As such we have implemented an Environmental Management System based on the guidelines outlined in ISO 14001:2015.

Our Principal Objectives are to:

  • Develop and implement environmental management procedures that continually improve performance, prevent pollution and realise opportunities which make a positive contribution to the environment.
  • Make environmental issues an integral part of our planning and decision-making process and provide resources to implement our environmental programs.
  • Promote and encourage the adoption of ecologically sustainable principals and operational methods within Bedford Built, our Subcontractors and Suppliers.
  • Set and monitor key objectives of our environmental performance.
  • Manage project operations in compliance with applicable legislation and Standards.
  • Provide training for employees and information to Subcontractors emphasising their responsibility for participation in environmental management programs.
  • Integrate environmental initiatives into our procedures for procurement of goods and services.

Our Success is Reliant on:

  • Commitment to our philosophy, objectives and management systems by all employees.
  • Participation in our management practices by external stakeholders.
  • Continual improvement of our environmental performance against Key Objectives.
  • Identification of opportunities to augment environmental and ecological sustainable practices on our projects.

Matthew Bedford
Director

Bedford Built Pty Ltd is involved in all aspects of commercial construction with special interest in educational facilities, public works, industrial buildings, retail, refurbishments, and commercial buildings.

The management of Bedford Built strives to provide high quality structures and services for the benefit of our clients.  This is ensured through the implementation of quality assurance procedures for all projects undertaken by the company.

In addition to being consistent with the organizational goals of Bedford Built it also has direct benefit and relevance to the needs of our customers.

Quality will not be compromised for short-term financial gains or to expedite completion to avoid penalties.

We are a dedicated team of professionals who are committed to:

  • Giving excellent, professional service to our clients;
  • Maintain high ethical and business standards;
  • Developing the professional and technical skills of our staff, so that our client’s area assured of the implementation of “best practice: construction techniques;
  • Compliance with all relevant legislative and regulatory requirements.
  • Undertaking continuous reviews of our performance and assess feedback from clients, with a view to continual improvement.

This is reflected in our Mission Statement and Mission Goals

Mission Statement

We are committed to continued improvement across all aspects of our business, whilst ensuring absolute client satisfaction. We will achieve our company’s vision by retaining staff and growing their skill set through continued career development and a superior work environment.

Mission Goals

  1. To develop competitive advantage based upon strength of management skills and discipline of management systems.
  2. To be the leading builder in the $500,000 to $15,000,000 commercial marketplace.
  3. To provide job satisfaction and career progression opportunities to staff as far as is possible.
  4. To provide a financially successful company that is built on stability and long term growth.
  5. To act with integrity and provide clients with superior level of service.

The company is committed to implementing a quality assurance system. Our current QA System based on the guidelines outlined in AS/NZS ISO 9001: 2015.

The Company’s quality assurance system is fully implemented throughout our operations and high levels of support are required from all employees, subcontractors and suppliers.

Matthew Bedford
Director

Bedford Built Pty Ltd is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for all employees.  Bedford Built recognises that fatigue impairs a worker’s ability to perform work safely.  The following figures are from the WorkSafe website and are informative on the real effects of fatigue:

Being awake for 17 hours is the equivalent of having a blood alcohol level of 0.05

Being awake for 20 hours is the equivalent of having a blood alcohol level of 0.1.

Fatigue management is a shared responsibility and should be managed by both individuals and management at the workplace.

The signs and symptoms of fatigue include:

  • blurred vision
  • difficulty keeping your eyes open
  • head nodding
  • drowsy relaxed feeling
  • irritability
  • not feeling refreshed after sleep (waking tired)
  • falling asleep at work
  • micro sleeps – falling asleep for less than a second to a few seconds, and being unaware that you have done so (usually due to sleep loss).

The safety consequences of fatigue include:

  • decreased alertness
  • slowed reaction time
  • poor hand-eye coordination
  • poor communication
  • higher error rates
  • reduced vigilance
  • reduced decision-making ability
  • poor judgement of performance, especially when assessing risks
  • being easily distracted during complex tasks
  • difficulty responding to emergencies
  • loss of awareness of critical situations
  • inability to remember the sequence of events.

Staff and other workers on any Bedford Built worksite should never work any one shift that is more than 12 hours long or any working week that is more than 55 hours long.  Wherever possible limit work to 10 hours on any one shift and 50 hours in any week.  The distance travelled to and from site needs to also be factored in to this equation.  It is company policy that any overtime that exceeds either 10 hours in any one shift or 50 hours in any week must be approved in writing a Director.

Further information on Fatigue in the workplace can be found on the WorkSafe website:

Matthew Bedford
Director

The management of Bedford Built Pty Ltd recognises that grievances may arise in the normal course of employment and are fully committed to ensuring that any such issues that arise can be discussed openly and dealt with satisfactorily and promptly. This policy provides a mechanism for you to raise a grievance relating to your employment. This may be about your job, your working conditions, training etc.

All employees are encouraged to raise issues informally in the normal course of their work with their immediate manager. When a problem or issue arises that cannot be dealt with in this manner, the formal grievance procedure may be invoked.

All grievances will be dealt with in a confidential manner and no employee will be penalised for raising a grievance in good faith.

The company will endeavour to ensure that grievances are normally heard within 7 working days of being received and that decisions are communicated within 7 working days of being heard.

All meetings and outcomes will be documented and a copy given to you. A copy will be placed on your personnel file.

Grievance Procedure

As stated above, you are always encouraged to bring matters to the attention of your manager at the earliest possible stage informally. This should be done as issues arise and is normally the most effective way to resolve matters speedily.

If you are not happy with the response received through the informal stage or you wish to raise a grievance formally in the first instance, you should raise the issue in writing with your immediate manager. This should clearly set out the nature of the grievance and make it clear that the formal grievance procedure is being invoked. If the grievance concerns your immediate manager and you do not wish to discuss it with them directly, you may raise it with the next level of management.

A meeting will be arranged with you to discuss the grievance. If necessary, more than one meeting will be held. A decision on the grievance will be confirmed in writing within 7 working days of the grievance meeting being held.

Matthew Bedford
Director

Bedford Built Pty Ltd is committed to creating a working environment free from discrimination and where all employees are treated equally with dignity, courtesy, and respect.  It is a legal requirement for Bedford Built to ensure that all staff adheres to this Policy.

Employees should be aware of the following definitions as they apply to this Policy.

‘Bullying‘ – is unwelcome and offensive behaviour that intimidates, humiliates, and/or undermines a person or group. Bullying involves a persistent pattern of behaviour over a period and may include verbal abuse, physical assault, unjustified criticism, sarcasm, insult, spreading false or malicious rumours about someone, isolating or ignoring a person, putting people under unnecessary pressure with overwork or impossible deadlines, and sabotaging someone’s work or their ability to do their job by not providing them with vital information and resources.

‘Discrimination’ – is treating someone unfairly or unequally simply because they belong to a group or category of people. Equal opportunity laws prohibit discrimination on the grounds of sex, marital status, pregnancy, family responsibility, family status, race, religious beliefs, political conviction, gender history, impairment, age, or sexual orientation.

‘Harassment’ – is any unwelcome and uninvited comment or action that results in a person being intimidated, offended, humiliated or embarrassed. Equal opportunity laws prohibit harassment on the grounds of sex and race.

‘Sexual Harassment’ – is any verbal or physical sexual conduct that is unwelcome and uninvited. It may include kissing, embracing, patting, pinching, touching, leering or gestures, questions about a person’s private or sexual life, requests for sexual favours, smutty jokes, phone calls, emails, facsimiles or messages, offensive noises or displays of sexually graphic or suggestive material.

Specific principles:

  • All staff and participants have a right to work in an environment free of any form of harassment and discrimination.
  • All reports of harassment and discrimination will be treated seriously, impartially, and sensitively. Harassment and discrimination, including victimisation and bullying, is unwelcome, uninvited, and unacceptable behaviour that will not be tolerated.
  • When management is informed of any harassment or discrimination it has the responsibility to take immediate and appropriate action to address it.
  • In dealing with all complaints, the rights of all individuals should be respected and confidentiality maintained.
  • Whenever possible, all complaints should be resolved by a process of discussion, cooperation, and conciliation.
  • Both the person making the complaint, and the person against whom the complaint has been made, will receive information, support and assistance in resolving the issue.
  • Victimisation is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. No person making a complaint, or assisting in the investigation of a complaint, should be victimised
  • Harassment or discrimination should not be confused with legitimate comment and advice (including feedback) given appropriately by supervisors or management.
  • Staff and participants should not make any frivolous or malicious complaints. All staff and participants are expected to participate in the complaint resolution process in good faith.
  • It is the responsibility of all staff to report to management the occurrence of any of these forms of discrimination on any worksite under the control of Bedford Built whether it be from an employee of Bedford Built or not.

Any employee who feels that they have been subjected to discrimination, harassment, bullying or victimisation under this policy can take formal action under the procedures set forth in the Grievance Policy.

Failure of any employee to comply with this policy may result in disciplinary action which may be summary dismissal.

Matthew Bedford
Director

Bedford Built Pty Ltd is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for all employees.  The misuse of alcohol or other drugs has both adverse health effects for the user but may have serious consequences for the safety and well-being of others. It has the potential to impair the ability to perform tasks safely.

It is a requirement that the operation of any construction tools or equipment (including plant) on any Bedford Built work site must have an effective blood alcohol content of zero. Furthermore, the illegal or unauthorised possession or consumption of alcohol or illicit drugs while undertaking work duties is prohibited. To ensure total clarity this means within specific working hours including any overtime and the journey to and from work.

  • The objectives of Bedford Built’s Drug and Alcohol policy are:
  • create and promote a healthy, safe and productive work environment;
  • create a safer, healthier and more productive workforce;
  • prevent and reduce alcohol and drug-related incidents in the workplace, contributing to a safer working environment and a healthier workforce;
  • provide a clear documented guide to the organisation’s position on alcohol and drug-related issues, including enforcement of breaches of policy and any potential disciplinary action;
  • provide clear guidance on the specific risks of alcohol and other drugs to the safety of the workplace;
  • define the role of employees, supervisors, and managers in dealing with work-related alcohol and drug issues;
  • Comply with the requirements of the Workplace Health and Safety Act 2011 and the Workplace Health and Safety Regulations 2001, especially those related to alcohol and drug consumption
  • Provide information on counselling, treatment, and rehabilitation services to those affected by alcohol and drug use.

Prescription drugs can be used only when the administering health professional is made fully aware of the nature of the work being carried out and can warrant the consumption of these drugs will not endanger the individual or others in the workplace.

Our success in implementing our Drug and Alcohol policy is reliant on implementation of the following:

  • No alcohol or drugs to be consumed on work sites.
  • No alcohol or other drugs are to be consumed at any time prior to commencing work or on break times.

This policy applies to all staff, contractors or persons carrying out work on a Bedford Built site. Bedford Built is committed to providing employees with a safe, healthy and supporting work environment through the implementation of our drug and alcohol policy.

Failure of any employee to comply with this policy may result in disciplinary action which may be immediate dismissal.

Matthew Bedford
Director