When it comes to choosing industrial construction contractors for your next project, there will be a lot of factors guiding your decision. Among other considerations, you will need to consider whether they have the knowledge and experience to complete the project on schedule and to the required standard. One factor that you will certainly need to look at is whether you are satisfied that your chosen industrial construction contractors can work in a safe manner to complete the agreed project. Workplace safety must be more than an exercise in ticking the boxes or answering yes or no to a set of propositions. To properly assess the safety performance of the contractor, there are three things which you must look at:
Look at the Experience-Based Rating (EBR)
One way in which the safety performance of any potential industrial construction contractors can be assessed is by considering their EBR. This is simply an indication of their workers' compensation loss history placed in relation to other contractors. The lower the rating is, the better the contractors' safety record has been.
Look at Workplace Health and Safety (WHS)
WHS is concerned with protecting employees and all stakeholders from risks and hazards connected with work-related activities. WHS records will help to illuminate a contractor's safety record in terms of lost time and recordable incidents. When looking at this data, it is important to study the information covering an extended period so you can see if there are any patterns emerging or whether a single incident could be responsible for a lot of lost time in one year.
Look at How They Deal With Safety Now
Understanding what may have happened in the past is important, but that doesn't always paint an accurate picture of what is happening now. You should always ask any industrial construction contractors about their current safety program and how it is implemented across their organization. Do they have recognized safety officers who instigate frequent inspections? Is there an operational safety training program which is strictly followed? Understanding how the contractor views safety now is essential to knowing how they will operate once they are on-site and working on your project.
Running a safe site is vital for the long-term health and success of your business. If you want to eliminate safety incidents from your industrial project, then following these steps will help you to choose the best contractor for the job.
