Contractor Safety Programs

API RP 2221, Manager s Guide to Implementing a Contractor Safety Program, 1st ed., June 1996... 

Contractor Safety programs have been in existence for many years, but the PSM Standard required that the program become formalized and more far-reaching than traditional contractor safety programs. The Contractors [29 CFR 1910.119 (h)] element requires that those considering the use of contractors must partially base their selection of a particular contractor on their safety performance. Covered process owners, once they select a contractor, must ensure that not only are the employees of the contractor qualified to do the... 

If outside contractors are working at a facility, the agreement should clearly set forth the contractor s safety responsibilities. It s also a good idea to adopt a specific outside contractor safety program. 

Presenting the contractor safety program status, including results of design or operations risk assessments... 

Contractors will do what is necessary to win and hold a utility s business. In order to make safety performance and practices important to them, make it clear that it is important enough that contractors with poor safety records will be rejected, and insist on good contractor safety programs and practices that include identifying and correcting safety problems on an ongoing basis. 

Ensure that the contractor/subcontractor can implement a comprehensive health and safety program in compliance with applicable regulations, including accident prevention programs, medical surveillance, training, work practice controls, use of personal protective equipment, and so on. 

Number of safety program improvement suggestions contributed by contractor personnel X ... 

Finally, the contractor should be asked for suggestions for enhancing the facility s own health and safety program. 

Even thou the National Aeronautical and Space Administration (NASA) developed its own system safety program and requirements, the development closely paralleled the MIL-STD-882 approach and the DOD effort, primarily because the two agencies tend to share contractors, personnel, and, to a lesser degree, missions. 

Most major system safety programs to date have involved government acquisitions. Thus, how has tended to be a two-part question. First, how does the government develop system safety requirements, communicate these requirements to the appropriate contractors, and manage the effort to ensure that the requirements are met ... 

Second, how do contractors develop and implement a system safety program to perform the tasks necessary to meet the government requirements ... 

The plan developed by the contractor to meet the system safety program requirement of the government (as specified in the contract) is generally called the system safety program plan (SSPP). 

The most common and widespread approach to system safety is that taken by the DOD and DOD contractors. TTiey originally developed and implemented system safety programs. The DOD approach is based on MIL-STD-882B system safety program requirements. 

Level Three. Contractor s management system safety program. At this level, contractor management provides program oversight, policy, direction, and resource allocation. 

Level Four. Contractor s engineering system safety program. This level is the working level for the system safety engineer and the program system safety effort. 

The DOD system safety programs tend to be more standardized than those of some other agencies, primarily because MIL-STD-882B serves as a foundation for the effort. However, considerable variation in programs, concepts, interpretations, definitions, and approaches occurs, even within the DOD community. This variability is most pronounced in the attempts of contractors to interpret and conform to system safety requirements. 

Thus the MORT approach to system safety tends to be more closely aligned with occupational safety programs. Department of Energy and contractor safety personnel, including those with MORT training and system safety responsibilities, tend to be more closely aligned with the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) and the National Safety Council (NSC) than with the System Safety Society. 

New government contractors and subcontractors who are required to develop and implement system safety programs to meet government requirements but have limited system safety experience... 

Government and prime contractor safety organizations with oversight and review responsibilities for system safety programs. 

The second type of system safety program focuses on the organization s own facilities, equipment, or operations, not on its end products. A weapons system contractor, for example, may benefit from conducting a system safety program for a new production facility or even for selected items of plant equipment. 

System safety program plan A description of the planned methods to be used by the contractor to implement the tailored requirements of this standard, including organizational responsibilities, resources, methods of accomplishment, milestones, depth of effort, and integration with other program engineering and management activities and related systems (MIL-STD-882). 

Demand that competent, responsible, qualified engineers are assigned within the organization, as well as in any contractor organizations, to manage the system safety program. 

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