A contractor safety program is more important now than ever

The November newsletter from FDRsafety contains important information for employers who use contractors on their worksite.

OSHA enforcement is increasing enforcement against companies for exposure of contractor employees to unsafe conditions.

A court ruling earlier this year affirmed OSHA’s ability to issue citations/violations to companies for actions taken by contractors at their worksite, even if the companies didn’t create the hazard and didn’t expose their employees to it. The “New” OSHA is choosing to exercise that authority as part of a wider step-up in enforcement and is applying that authority to industrial companies, not just construction companies.

Companies expecting to use contractors need to plan now – before contractors set foot on the premises – to make sure that they are not needlessly exposing themselves to OSHA liability. If you already have contractors on-site, it’s time to step back and do a thorough review of your contractor safety program.

Every employer that hires outside contractors needs to have a well-defined safety program for contractors, distinct from the safety program for their employees.

Read the newsletter to learn about 7 key steps in preparing a contractor safety program.