Introducing Keeping U In Mind

When we look at claims and incidents that happen across industries, we note that there will be a recurrence in some circumstances. Keeping U In Mind is an ongoing communication of real-world scenarios resulting in claims. The goal of providing Keeping U In Mind is to take a proactive step that will likely aid in the prevention of a recurrence of a potential risk that individuals or businesses are facing that are similar to others. We hope that you find this prevention tool as a valuable resource that you can easily implement into your day-to-day safety routines.

Below is an example of the type of real-world events and best practices that we will be sharing in our Keeping U In Mind communications.

Scenario:

A contractor hired to perform roof work subcontracted another company for the cleaning and prep of the roof before work began. During the preparation phase, a worker fell through a skylight and died as a result of the injury.

Risk Management Best Practices

• Ensure that your subcontractor’s employees are trained and authorized to perform their assigned tasks. (g., working at heights, hot work, equipment uses).
• Subcontractors should have a safety policy that is enforced within their company.
• Contractors should have a safety policy with expectations outlined for their subcontractors to follow.
• Contractors are encouraged to require a Job Safety Analysis (JSA) from subcontractors before work begins to identify hazards associated with tasks.
• On a jobsite, all workers should have the authority to stop work if they see an unsafe situation or act being done by another employee.
• Check to see if your subcontractor’s insurance policy has any hidden exclusions or coverage gaps that might expose the contractor’s own insurance to losses that should be covered by the subcontractor’s insurance.

In business, the mutual bond between the contractor and the subcontractor should never be taken lightly when it comes to allocating responsibilities in the relationship.