Page 63 - OHS, June 2024

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ments in place, they’re not carbon copies. Third-party contractors work with multiple GCs, so they need to know your company’s specific requirements.
It’s your responsibility to make sure all third parties have the same level of train- ing and consistently meet your safety stan- dards. After all, the last thing you want is for an incident to occur that could have been prevented if that worker had the right upfront safety knowledge.
Before you clear third-party contractors to work, make sure they’re familiar with:
■ Safety best practices. This includes everything from fall prevention to proper PPE use.
■ On-site hazards. Workers should know about common hazards and have easy access to safety data sheets.
■ Incident reporting workflow. www.ohsonline.com
Workers should understand how to report incidents if they occur.
For certain contractors, it’s also impor- tant to gather proof of specialized training. Electricians, for instance, likely need NFPA 70E certification3 so they can minimize the risk of shock and electrocution.
To keep tabs on each contractor’s safety education, I recommend using safety manage- ment software. The right tool should let you:
■ Customize your safety curriculum. You should be able to design custom train- ing modules or pull from a preset library.
■ Track safety education progress. For example, there might be a dedicated progress bar for each third party that shows the percentage of completed requirements.
■ Use mobile for ongoing educa- tion. A mobile app lets workers brush up on safety procedures no matter where they are on site. The most effective software will support microlearning (i.e., bite-sized safe- ty education) to make continuous learning a manageable experience.
■ Push safety reminders at custom intervals. For instance, you might set up weekly reminders to complete a digital toolbox talk. Then, workers can choose how they prefer to receive notifications (email, SMS, or push).
With a tech-first approach to safety ed- ucation and communication, you can more easily mitigate risk.
3. Integrate Point Solutions
I’ve emphasized the value of digital tools a lot so far. They let you easily organize, ac- cess, and automate a lot of safety and risk management practices.
But too many companies rely on dis- connected point solutions: one tool to track COIs, another to manage safety education, a third for incident reporting, and so on.
This approach isn’t just expensive. It
opens up companies to additional risk. The more point solutions in use, the easier it is for information to fall through the cracks. And if there’s an audit, it’s harder to pull a unified record for individual third parties.
That’s why I suggest using software that integrates as many core functions as pos- sible. That includes all of the capabilities we’ve explored here, along with:
■ Asset management tools that make it easy to inspect and maintain your equipment. ■ Reporting tools to stay on top of
crew safety trends and near misses.
■ A compliance calendar that provides a 30,000-foot view of upcoming trainings,
inspections, and deadlines.
More integration gives you all the infor-
mation you need in one place. The benefit: third-party management with a lot less headache.
Third-Party Safety
Matters for Your Safety Culture Managing third-party risk takes time. But a tech-forward strategy can shave hours off your day-to-day work. What’s more, you’ll be able to better ensure safety compliance with every third party you contract.
That safety benefit is huge. When every- one on your crew maintains a safe environ- ment, they can make inroads toward build- ing a strong safety culture that protects workers and your company.
Taylor Thorn is Senior Director of Product at KPA, a provider of EHS compliance soft- ware and services.s
REFERENCES
1. tinyurl.com/mr4y4fdc 2. tinyurl.com/4z8ap49d 3. tinyurl.com/4ekbrrb3
If someone lacks the right safety training for instance, you could be liable for any injuries that occur on site – along with any regulatory fines that result.
JUNE 2024 | Occupational Health & Safety 61