Section_J_-_Att_No__004_Guidance_on_Site_Specific_Safety_Plans.pdf

United States Department of the Interior

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

Bay Area Network Safety Office Golden Gate National Recreation Area

Fort Mason, San Francisco, California 94123

REFERENCE DOCUMENT

Date: January 9, 2015

By: Thomas Meyer, Safety & Occupational Health Specialist

Subject: Guidance on Site Specific Safety Plans for Contracted Work

The following information is intended to serve as a guide to help identify what information should be included in a Site Specific Safety Plan for contracted work. The list is not all inclusive as each project is unique and certain aspects of work may require additional attention to address specific details. Submitted safety plans should be provided with satisfactory time for review, and in advance of scheduling preparatory phase meetings or commencement of work.

1. Submitted safety plans should be specific to the job task and scope, not generic or boilerplate by nature. This requires the contractor to tailor the safety plan to the job. Often times companies submit their entire safety plan which might be too broad or encompass many aspects of safety that are not relevant to the work they’ll be doing onsite.

2. Every safety plan should have a signature page identifying the name, title, phone number and signature of the following: The plan preparer, the company representative authorized to approve the plan, the Project Manager/Superintendent, and the Project Safety Professional. On this page, the NPS/Conservancy Point of Contact should also be identified. (#note: with smaller companies, one individual might assume responsibility for multiple of these roles.)

3. Submitted safety plans should always include a brief description of the project and what work they will be performing, and include a map of the general work location. (#note: This allows the safety reviewer to be more aware of what safety concerns may be encountered. Often this description is missing and the reviewer has to spend time asking questions or assume worst case scenario.)

4. If subcontractors and suppliers (if known) will be used on site, the contractor should develop a section where they identify who these individuals or groups are, their means for controlling and coordinating with subcontractors and suppliers, and address what the safety responsibilities of subcontractors and suppliers are.

5. Submitted safety plans should identify requirements of reporting workplace accidents both internally and to the NPS, who will conduct accident investigations, procedures for conducting an investigation, and how they will be reported.

6. The contractor should provide a list of major work tasks or job phases and submit a Job Hazard Analysis (JHA) or Phase Hazard Analysis (AHA) for each major task or phase. (#Note: a JHA or PHA is a breakdown of the task or phase in major steps, identifying what hazards or safety exposures are present, then what measures will be in place to control these identified concerns.)

7. The contractor should provide an overview of policies and procedures regarding employee noncompliance with safety requirements and holding personnel accountable for safety.

8. Some projects or phases within the project, such as trenching and excavation, demolition, lead and asbestos remediation, etc. require further planning or separate specific plans within themselves; and they may also need to include a designated competent person to oversee the work. Should this situation arise, these additional aspects or items will also need to be addressed or attached with the plan; competent person(s) will need to be identified along with documentation or evidence detailing their competency and/or their skill level.

9. The contractor should list mandatory training topics to be covered which are applicable to this project, such as excavation, fall protection, scaffolding, hazard communication, confined space, respiratory protection, and personal protective equipment as examples. With training identified, the contractor should then develop a section for each and provide an overview as to how they will carry out these safety aspects. Additionally, the contractor should provide any requirements for periodic training, such as daily/weekly tailgate training occurrences.

10. The contractor should identify the name(s) of the individual(s) responsible for maintaining training records. Actual certifications such as: First Aid/CPR, lead/asbestos worker, scaffolding, fall protection, etc. applicable to the project should be included as attachments or made available for review.

11. The contractor should develop a section in the submitted safety plan addressing requirements for site safety inspections, including but not limited to: inspection frequency, name(s) of individuals who are responsible for conducting safety inspections, procedures for performing inspections, documentation and recording of corrective action requirements. Additionally, this section should also provide details on any external inspections/certifications which may be required (e.g., Coast Guard, various environmental surveying, etc.)

12. The contractor should include a section on sanitation addressing jobsite housekeeping, toilet facility requirements, hand washing requirements, drinking water availability, and any other requirements that may be applicable to this project.

13. If machinery and mechanized equipment will be used on site, the contractor should develop a section in the site safety plan to include, but not limited to, identifying a competent person who will inspect all equipment prior to it being brought on site, identifying who will perform daily inspections of the equipment, training requirements for use of equipment, seat belt requirements, personnel qualifications for operating the equipment, safe operating instructions, parking and overnight storing requirements, guarding and safety devices.

14. The submitted safety plan should include a section on Personnel Protective Equipment (PPE).

The contractor should provide an overview explaining the requirements and responsibilities for each employee to wear the appropriate PPE in all operations where there is an exposure to hazardous conditions, or where the need for using such equipment to reduce the hazards to the employees is required. Details in this section should include, but may not be limited to outlining procedures (who, when, how) for conducting the hazard analysis to determine PPE needs, assessment or certification of PPE to be used, the care, treatment and proper storage of PPE, etc.

15. The contractor should fully identify or address how they will protect the public during the contract work. Often pedestrian, traffic control and/or signage are key issues on project sites.

Depending on the project and site, sometimes a formal Traffic Management Plan is needed.

Details on traffic control may be required or attached to the submittal and available for review.

16. The contractor should identify emergency contacts for the project and provide the name, phone number, map and driving directions from the worksite to the nearest hospital/emergency medical facility. The contractor should also address requirements for administering first aid, including training requirements and providing certifications of those who will administer first aid or CPR.

17. The contractor should include a section on fire protection and prevention. This section should include a list of the major workplace fire hazards specific to the project, potential ignition sources, the types of fire suppression equipment or systems appropriate to the control of fire, assignments of responsibilities for maintaining the equipment and systems, and personnel responsible for controlling the fuel source hazards.

18. If chemicals will be used or brought on site during the course of this project, the contractor shall develop a section overviewing Hazard Communication, provide or make available documentation that employees have received Hazard Communication training, and shall attach or make available copies of Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) for each hazardous material that will be onsite.

19. The contractor should develop a Contingency Plan for Severe Weather. The section should outline procedures addressing each potential severe weather event that is likely to occur at the project site, such as heavy rain, high winds, fires, slides, power outages, etc. Such planning shall take into consideration the nature of construction, site conditions, and degree of exposure for persons and property.

20. Should the contractor require a laydown area for materials, equipment, etc. a section detailing this aspect should be provided.