You're overseeing a high-voltage project. How do you ensure subcontractors prioritize safety guidelines?

One thing that I found helpful was having a team meeting before work began and then reviewing the job site for potential hazards or problems. Each member of the team would be given their assignment and allowed to ask questions or address concerns before job began. Once everyone understood the job and the hazards involved, the work would proceed.

Supervisionar um projeto de alta tens?o exige que as diretrizes de seguran?a sejam uma prioridade absoluta. Para garantir que os subcontratados sigam essas diretrizes, aqui est?o algumas a??es fundamentais: 1. Sele??o cuidadosa de subcontratados; 2. Contratos e cláusulas de seguran?a; 3. Treinamento específico de seguran?a; 4. Reuni?es de seguran?a regulares; 5. Supervis?o contínua e auditorias de seguran?a; 6. Equipamentos adequados e atualizados; 7. Comunica??o clara e aberta; 8. Cultura de seguran?a; Essas a??es ajudar?o a criar um ambiente onde a seguran?a é tratada com seriedade, reduzindo o risco de acidentes e garantindo a conformidade dos subcontratados com as diretrizes.

Conduct regular safety briefings and training. Enforce strict adherence to safety protocols. Perform routine safety audits on-site. Provide necessary protective equipment. Hold subcontractors accountable for compliance.

Some ways I get started on a project is to always have a site or project gathering every morning to go over all JSA’s and each groups daily task and hazards they each have. Also to make sure everyone has stop work authority and expectations for all work groups and task. Buy in for safety is always number one.

One thing I find helpful is during orientation on site for contractors - emphasize to them how important speak up culture is to us. Often in industry speaking up has a negative connotation of 'weakness' attached to it. But in my work, I like to emphasize the importance of getting them home healthy and safely to their families. No job is worth life altering injuries. I may give examples or ask them if they have examples to break the ice.

Never assume someone knows how to perform a task. If you do not verify, provide training, and conduct follow-up observations, you are destine to fail.

I like to ask them to verify their tools and testing equipment is up to date on its testing and certification early on. I prefer to verify this again the 1st day of on site work and always walk them through the potential risks and hazards EACH DAY before they begin or continue work from previous days. It allows everyone to reassess and make sure everyone is feeling okay and our equipment and conditions are still safe to get the work done. Another thing that's helpful is always refreshing myself with the level of certification we are requiring these contractors to obtain.

Include subcontractor to regular safety meeting and updates. Encourage sharing information between groups. Do not "filter" information to "soften the blow" this can lead to ambiguous direction leading to different interpretations. Have clear expectation that they bring any lessons learned back to their team and implement. Safety is a journey that should never end.

You need to talk to everyone on the subcontractor's team, not just the supervisor. Make sure they know their stuff! Every single person who will be in the field must talk! They need to assess and understand safety procedures and standards! Review EVERYONE! Not just the supervisor!

An example that was helpful for me were the 'randomly selected' self verification audits we'd have to do each day while I was assisting at a refinery turnaround. As someone who wasn't normally in this environment, site or location - it was helpful to have a fresh set of eyes auditing the process of a specific electrical activity from beginning to end. I was able to ask through questions and professionally challenge anything that seemed abnormal while allowing a safe space for workers to ensure they're compliant and working safely.

Accountability starts with ensuring subcontractors are armed with the best resources available to safely complete the work. Most high voltage contractors and energy producers have Qualified Electrical Workers that have been through rigorous education and trainings over the course of years. Subcontractors can't begin to match such without significant unrealistic investments. Utilizing Qualified Electrical Worker Safety Watchers for work performed by subcontractor crews in hazardous high-voltage environments ensures adherence to the high safety standards required. There is no substitute for years of experience on hand during the entire process to ensure project completion without incident.