Proper Development and Implementation of Site-Specific Safety Plans

Ever heard this?

“Our company safety manual has been written specifically for and tailored to (Name of Company).  The safety manual addresses the hazards anticipated on this project. If any other hazards arise or other hazards are identified, (Name of Company) will submit an updated Site-Specific Safety Plan.”

These words succinctly explain a procedure that is used by many employers serving in a Subcontractor role to satisfy requirements of their General Contractor Client.  It’s a procedure designed to identify and control unexpected hazards on a project—hazards to which the contractor’s employees wouldn’t normally be exposed.

For decades, HB NEXT has assisted construction firms in properly creating their safety manuals and their site-specific manuals. This sometimes involves guiding these firms as they work to become and remain compliant with their Client and regulatory requirements.

The Site-Specific Safety Plan is not intended to be—nor should it be—a regurgitation of the company’s overall safety program.  There’s nothing truly ‘site-specific’ about reprinting a manual and changing the cover sheet to reflect the project name and address.  An SSSP should be an exercise in evaluating the scope of work for a project and putting a plan in place to protect employees from hazards unique to that project, that they might not normally encounter.

Keys to developing a smart, usable, and generally acceptable SSSP include:

• Thorough evaluation of the scope of work
• Identification of the employees who will be working on that project and make sure they have the necessary training
• Communication with clients and employees to make sure that specific procedures for that project are understood by all involved
• If a GC Client has specific unique procedural requirements, this is the time to learn and understand and decide if your company can live by them

So the question to ask, is your site-specific safety plan assembled correctly? Ask HB NEXT to review your plan and make sure your firm is staying compliant. HB NEXT offers many safety compliance services to keep your employees safe.