[NSolano]

There was an accident at the construction site we are doing sub contractor work in and an OSHA rep will be in monday. Some of the other foremans spoke about getting your company's safety program ready. For some reason the contractor we work for never required one and I was not aware that we needed one. Well I know I need to come up with one by monday or at least purchase one, anyone got any ideas of how I can get one or can help me out?? thanks.
we do drywall finish, hanging, and painting.

 

[PipeGuy]

There was an accident at the construction site we are doing subcontractor work in and an OSHA rep will be in monday. Some of the other foremans spoke about getting your company's safety program ready.I was not aware that we needed one. Well I know I need to come up with one by monday or at least purchase one

Please tell me you're a sole proprietor, doing the work yourself, with no employees. If you're not I'm really going to lose it. Are you doing commercial building or residential housing work?

 

[hatchet]

If you go to OSHA's website www.osha.gov you can download an ok rules and regulations for a safety manual. Safety programs go way beyond that though. OSHA will want to look at a true program where you have safety meetings and everyone signs on a sign-in sheet - and you have a topic discussed and new items. How do you discipline people who don't follow good safety practices (that are outlined in your manual). This isn't something to take lightly or try and do quickly.
The company I currently work for has an employee safety manual that everyone has to sign the back page. On-site we have 2- 3" 3 ring binders full of daily inspections, near miss reports, stop cards, scaffold safety cards, stop work orders, fall protection plans, MSDS procedures, haz mat information, blood borne pathogens, working around large equipment, trenching and shoring.. and it keeps going. We then have another 3 ring binder(s) to keep all the reports in. I could go on.

 

[JustaFramer]

In Washington L&I and OSHA have hammered the residential builders. I have a few safety packets that companies I worked for gave me. The biggest thing we can get nailed for are no safety glasses, electrical chords (aren't grounded and nicks/cuts or wires hanging out of the outer insulation, also no more than 100ft of 14g chord connected from the outlet), no hard hats, fall protection. Small fines occur for no safety meetings every week. Which most of the time is the saying "be safe and sign this paper for proof. Osha usually wants 6 weeks back of signed sheets on the job for proof.

 

[NSolano]

well we used to be sole propriotor but we just switched to corporation. We only have like 6 employees and 3 other sub contracting groups that work for us. Such as a small company for hanging, another for finishing, and another for painting. Since we only have one contract and we were ignorant in this matter we never really thought about getting a safety program. The contractor we work for makes us pay 25K to use their insurance company while on base, that is an extra pay we make besides having our own insurance. The accident did not happen to our employees, it happened to someone else's painter, he got burnt I believe. Will OSHA ask us for safety program or just the main contractor?? I looked stuff up online and I know that I can buy those custom made programs but they won't be done by monday. any suggestions on what I can do for monday in case OSHA goes around asking every sub contractor for safety program? i am planning on getting a real one but right now i just need one to get by for monday any suggestions??

 

[NSolano]

oh yeah we are residential contruction. We have weekly meetings with the contractors and we go around telling our people about safety,such as hardhats and boots, etc. but nothing formal such as sign in sheets, the only sign in sheets we sign are the ones at the meetings, but our employeees dont have to attend those, just the foreman. We have insurance and everything but no written safety program. u think the insurance company can give me something?

 

[JustaFramer]

I could scan a packet I have. It's not the full meal deal just the one you give to employees. It might work. Also have your employee's sign 6 weeks worth of safety meeting's. Also having one will lower your insurance rate.

 

[PipeGuy]

any suggestions on what I can do for monday in case OSHA goes around asking every sub contractor for safety program? i am planning on getting a real one but right now i just need one to get by for monday any suggestions??

HELLO! This is 2005! How the hell do you even get insurance without a safety program?! Forgive me for saying so but you deserve to get whatever OSHA dishes out. I'm glad to see guys like you, who don't dedicate any resources to jobsite safety, fall by the wayside.
Spare me the BS about how you didn't know you were supposed to have a safety program. I'm sick and f'n tired of having to compete with contractors that skate by in regards to OSHA until the door almost closes on their johnson. You f'n slay me. A safety program ain't a circle cutter that you stop by HD and pick up on the way to the job. OSHA is gonna' eat your ass if they do anything besides a cursory review of your program (which, lucky for you, is probably all they'll do) You sound like this girl I was screwin' years ago who, when I told her she was gonna' have to start takin' the pill if we were gonna' keep it up, replied, "Oh, OK. Do you have one with you?" How f'n stupid can you be?
My advice is stay away from the f'n jobsite until this blows over and on Monday find a safety consultant to get you squared away. Do the right thing man, get serious about job site safety before you f;n hurt somebody.

 

[PipeGuy]

Pardon my rant but that kinda' thing really sets me off.
You said that "The contractor we work for makes us pay 25K to use their insurance company while on base, that is an extra pay we make besides having our own insurance." The contractor oughta be bringing you booze and hookers every night at those rates. Tell him you need his help getting your safety program squared away. If he gives you any crap about it ask him how it is he never informed you of any jobsite safety requirements and doesn't OSHA require him, as a GC, to ensure subcontractor compliance with safety regulations? Your insurance guys should be happy to provide you whatever loss control resources you might need. Use them - God knows you pay for it.

 

[TimWieneke]

Solano,
Good luck for monday. I knew a masonry contractor that got hit for $80,000 in fines. OSHA's not to be screwed with. Your best bet is to stand between the fit and the shan and take it being flung at you. If it were me in this situation I would approach the OSHA guy proactively, thank him for coming, show him what you have done safety-related and request for his expertise. Make it clear that you respect the fact that he's taking time to review the safety procedures for the project and thank him profusely for any suggestions. Can't do anything about what you haven't done in the past. Get a safety program and go and sin no more.

Tim

 

[Grumpy]

At the last company I worked for we bought our saftey plan for about $400. It was pretty much boiler plate but satisfies the OSHA regulations. Like Hatchet said above a saftey program is so much more than a plan.

When I joined the NRCA they gave me a saftey manual with all the necessary plans and forms... all I have to do is follow the program.

When dealing with OSHA remember treat them as you would a police officer, even consider hiring some kind of OSHA represenation (like a lawyer but not necessarily a lawyer). These OSHA guys will nail you like cops and are trained to trick you into incriminating yourself like police detective on TV.

 

[PipeGuy]

Check out this organization AWCI - Association of the Wall and Ceiling Industry
Looks like they have a safety program tailored to industry needs. You can probably find a local chapter.

OSHA guys are trained to trick you into incriminating yourself like police detective on TV.

OSHA reps will definitely provide you all the rope you'll take. It's their job to ferret out unsafe practices and they're well equipped to do so.

 

[ConcreteGuy]

Jobsite safety is a serious concern but mainly you should care about the well being of the people you are responsible for. Combine that with knowledge of OSHA regulations.

Every rule made for everybody came as a result of somebody doing something stupid.

 

[ProWallGuy]

Every rule made for everybody came as a result of somebody doing something stupid.

Quote of the day! :Thumbs:

 

[Glasshousebltr]

What I just posted in the soup kitchen.

Safty first baby:Thumbs:

Bob

 

[Mike Finley]

Jobsite safety is a serious concern but mainly you should care about the well being of the people you are responsible for. Combine that with knowledge of OSHA regulations.

I agree. I would be worried less about CYA and more about covering those in your care as your employees who depend on you for their livelyhood.

 

[Jason]

This post may be a bit late but:

I would recommend talking with the OSHA rep and let them understand your ignorance, but don't be ignorant. Contact the national OSHA reps and your state reps regarding setting up an onsite or 10 hour course for your employees; its free.

When you speak to the rep, let them know that you are setting up the 10 hours safety meeting and will be taking all necessary measures to meet their standards for safety.

 

[ConcreteGuy]

Yep, don't be afraid of consulting OSHA, but don't be naive, thinking they can't bust your ass. In other words, do a little research first and, if you think you are ready, call in OSHA.

But keep this in mind. Government officials are not consultants. Just like your electrical inspector doesn't want to come to your job to tell you how to do your job. You are expected to have knowledge of regulations and if you don't enforce them, you appear weak.

Ya'll be straight on this.