Contractors record keeping

Insulation. It is common for workers replacing insulation at older plants to encounter asbestos (see Insulation, electric Insulation, thermal). The composition of both old and new insulation should be known to be certain that proper procedures are followed. The removal of asbestos-containing insulation is a complex and difficult process requiring personal protective equipment, monitoring, containment, special disposal procedures, stringent work practices, and record keeping (3). Many companies elect to have asbestos removal done by specialized contractors. 

Contractor selection Record keeping Contractor training Safety meetings Use of equipment Incident reporting Infractions... 

This record keeping should include records developed during an initial baseline audit, laboratory field tests (if any), reinspections (every 3 months), and other additional testing. Action plans and any maintenance or operation activities that have been used to mitigate problems, and results of work performed by any outside consultants or contractors, should be kept on file as well. 

The life of the product- access to the records will probably not be needed for some considerable time, possibly long after the contract has closed. On defense contracts the contractor has to keep records for up to 20 years and for product liability purposes, in the worst case situation (taking account of appeals), you could be asked to produce records up to 17 years after you made the product. 

Disposal Through a Contractor - A contractor may be used for the disposal of the waste chemicals. Remember that you must keep documentation of your hazardous waste disposal for at least three years. This information must include a waste manifest, reclamation agreement or any written record which describes the waste and how much was disposed, where it was disposed and when it was disposed. Waste analysis records must also be kept when making a determination is necessary. Any unknown chemicals should be considered hazardous ... 

The job of an inspector is to record field operations in sufficient detail so that a judgment can be made as to whether the project specs are being followed or violated. Normally, this will require the keeping of daily written records, often on work sheets specifically tailored to the project. The responsibility of the inspector may overlap that of the supervisor to the extent that he/she may be required to make decisions as to whether procedures and equipment meet the specifications. The extent of the responsibility of an inspector should be detailed to the satisfactory agreement of both the owner and the contractor prior to the start of field work. A checklist of areas for inspector activity follows. 

The New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 stipulates circumstances under which certain excavation contractors, defined as utilities and other undertakers, must give notice of their planned works. Emergency, urgent and some minor works are excluded from this duty. It also requires that contractors keep up-to-date records of the location of their apparatus and make them available, free of charge, for inspection at all reasonable hours. The exemptions applicable to the Act do not affect contractor liability under the HSW Act. 

Define what is required of the construction contractors, including the keeping of quafity records (Chapter 5). 

Is each construction contractor keeping records of inspections and tests and filing them in the construction quality file ... 

Carry out weekly formal inspections of the project and record the results, giving copies to the contractors concerned and keeping a file record... 

Let s keep this very important point in mind, but let s also remember a couple of other very important points. The OSHA log is typically used not just for recording and tabulating injuries, but will likely be closely scrutinized if your company performs any subcontracting work and is interested in bidding these jobs. Clients want to know how safe any contractor is not just for the humanitarian reason, but also for the economics. 

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