Safety Part of the Contract

Organizations around the world have learned that they can improve contractor safety performance by comprehensively communicating and applying safety management requirements at all phases of the work, from before contractor selection through project completion. 

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. 

OSHA Standard 1910 applies to contractors performing maintenance or repair, turnaround, major renovation, or specialty work on or adjacent to a covered process. It does not apply to contractors providing incidental services which do not influence process safety, such as janitorial work, food and drink services, laundry, delivery or other supply services.  

The standard requires the owner or operator, when selecting a contractor, to evaluate the contract owner or operator s safety performance and programs and periodically evaluate the contractor s performance during the course of the job. 

In addition, the owner/operator of a facility is required to develop and implement safe work practices to control the entrance, presence, and exit of the contract owner or operator and contract employees in process areas and to notify the contractor of all known potential fire, explosion, or toxic release hazards related to the contractor s work and the process. 

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