Precast Inc. - November/December 2008 - (Page 21) when the recognized hazards and employee practices contributing to the hazards are yours. Plant owners or managers who ignore or condone such hazards will be liable for a tragedy if one occurs. If you are running a precast plant, you cannot just walk away from on-site hazards or from observed unsafe work practices with no effort to correct them. Some precasters may feel that if they become directly involved in a contractor’s practices that they somehow take control or direction of the contractor’s work. That is not true. The law requires any person who recognizes a hazard to address it and correct it. Stopping a non-employee from doing something hazardous, whether directly or through the worker’s supervisor, is not taking control from the contractor. It is the contractor’s responsibility to find a way to correct the hazard; it is the responsibility of the person who recognizes the exposure to that hazard to intervene and stop it from continuing. Select a supplier. Second, since there is a relationship established between precast plant personnel and the service provider, there must be a way to select the provider that will best suit the consumer in quality of work, price of product or service, and the employee’s job knowledge. To ensure this, the plant must have a contractor safety management program in place. This does not have to be complicated, but there must be some selection criteria established that include safe performance, verification of training and certification of employees for tasks being performed, and a means of checking the contractor’s workers’ compensation modification rate. Having such a program in place allows the precast plant operator to be consistent in seeking, selecting and dealing with service providers. It sends a clear message to the bidding providers, the community at large and the consumer’s employees that safety will not be compromised and is valued as equally as deadline dates for completion. There are no surprises for the consumer or for the provider as everyone clearly communicates and follows the established expectations. A reputable provider is willing to share this information with the precast plant, and a provider with an excellent safety record is more likely to have employees who also do excellent work. Precast plant operators must remember that any contractor or service provider on site may be bringing additional hazards onto the property. There are reasons why regulatory standards require the sharing of lockout/tagout procedures and hazard communication exposures. The point is not to get into someone else’s business but to ensure everyone in the exposed areas remain safe by being knowledgeable of the hazards and protecting themselves from them. It is not a matter of who is responsible, because in the matter of safety, each person is responsible – precast plant operator, contractor and each worker. Communicate. Third, you should have an open line of communication with all contractors before, during and after the completion of a project. Once again, it is all about relationshipbuilding. You should be communicating your safety expectations and requirements in the contract language and in person in preliminary meetings with the provider. You expect a provider to show up and do the job. And you should also expect the provider to value your plant’s safe practices and safe work environment. A provider coming onto your property should be held to the same safety requirements as your employees. This also must be communicated in the contract language and in person. Doing so ensures that you know the provider is committed to safety. If there is any doubt about your commitment to the safety of the provider’s employees, the provider must consider declining the job. This sends a clear message to you that safety is not to be compromised and, if the job is to be done, you will ensure a safe work environment for the provider’s workers. Another invalid argument is that if you require a provider to meet safety expectations, the cost of completing the work will go up. A contractor or service provider who values safe performance already knows how to perform the task in a safe Benefits of a Hazard-Free Workplace A workplace that is free of recognized hazards provides numerous benefits to the employer, the employees, to the service providers (vendors and contractors), and to the community at large. Just to list some of the benefits, they include: • Fewer citations during inspections • A lower profile with regulatory agencies • Fewer serious injuries • Lower workers’ compensation claims and costs due to lower severity and frequency of injuries • Greater employee participation and buy-in of the safety process • Improved employee morale and retention rates • A reputation of being a great place to work for vendors and contractors as well as within the community • The ability to attract and retain quality employees These benefits have a direct impact on the bottom line of profits and provide an employer with a competitive edge over others who may not be as aggressive in a proactive safety process. A side benefit is that by emphasizing a hazard-free work environment, the employer can also obtain and retain a better (in quality and safety) selection of vendors and contractors when services are needed. NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2008 | WWW.PRECAST.ORG 21
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