Contractor Compliance
Contractor Compliance is the state of acting in conformance with the predefined and agreed rules or guidelines. It’s common for contract compliance to mostly deal with the adherence regarding equal opportunity policies and regulations. The significance of Contractor Compliance and the relevant documents should be concern and priority to the head of any business or organisation. There are numerous reasons for which to collect, check and update contractor compliance documents.
Legal Attributes
These documents occupy the role of ensuring compliance and are a fallback in the case of a contractor lacking in cooperation and compliance, binding them to the obligational role that was previously agreed to. Providing a risk-mitigation assurance that their contractors are legally and regulatory compliant to work for them. Likewise, they provide legal support in ensuring that all the agreements or requirements regarding compliance have been acknowledged by both employer and employee. The compliance documents are a record of this agreement, should proof be required in court. The lack thereof could also result in legal ramifications for the employer. Both employer and employee should be aware of the compliance terms and the policies and regulations required by the company to ensure the efficient operation of a workplace. If the contractor compliance documents are filled out but not collected, they are invalid out of the employers possession and may not qualify as proof of agreement. If the documents are collected and not checked, the possibility that they have not been properly understood and filled out, or could have mistakes. In that case they would not meet the organisation’s standards.
OHS compliance
Occupational health and safety is another primary concern which contractor compliance documents should explore. There should be clear information regarding the occupational health and safety processes implemented by the organisation, or specific workplace, environment or job. It’s important that contractors are aware of the occupational health and safety regulations, and adhere to them in order to ensure a safe and functional workplace. Failure to disclose OHS information and reinforce OHS compliance could lead to a hazardous workplace. Contractor compliance documents should record contractor’s comprehension and agreement to comply with OHS regulations.
Keeping informed
Updating contractor compliance documents as the job or environment changes is not to be forgotten. Keeping contractors informed regarding their evolving duties and updating documents throughout the length of the job is important. It’s the best way to ensure that legal requirements are being met and the OHS knowledge which employees require is always appropriate for their tasks. For these reason, regularly collecting and checking contractor compliance documents is important. They are way of informing the contractor of any and all compliance requirements associated with their employment, and a way for employers to confirm their employees understand and are bound by these documents.
Occupational Health and Safety
- Evaluate your contractors’ Risk Assessment Process and Safe Work Method Statements and/or Job Safety Analysis
- Verify evidence of employee training in contractor safety procedures
- Review your contractors’ WHS/OHS system, procedures, documentation and implementation
- Evaluate the Site Safety Plan and its implementation (for Principal Contractors and large organisations)
- Evaluate the process of managing works that require the use of permits
- Verify evidence of accident and injury reporting and management processes
- Assess hazardous chemical contractor safety standards
- Assess electrical contractor safety standards
- Procedures (Documents regarding the functional and operational roles of their employment, may include documented completion of instructional online inductions)
- Insurances:
- Ensures comprehension and compliance regarding insurance.
- Distinguishes whether employee will take care of their own insurance or whether business owner will provide coverage for them. (It’s crucial that business owners check that contractors and sub-contractors have insurance cover).
- Should regard cover specifications such as public liability cover.
- Licenses:
- Contractors need to be licensed in order to work and must have and individual contractor’s license in order to do things such as: payed building work, electrical wiring work, plumbing, draining and gas-fitting work, air conditioning and refrigeration installations.
- These licenses must be checked and it should be recorded that
- Company policies and regulations:
- Including sexual harassment policies
- Bullying policies
Online Inductions
Online Inductions are an effective way of introducing contractor compliance policies and regulations. They can induct contractors on the legal attributes associated with the work as well as the necessary OHS regulations. The main benefit of online inductions regarding the collection of contractor documents is that it’s easy to track which employees have completed their inductions and which haven’t. It also allows for all the completed inductions to be kept in one place allowing for easy access to recorded documents. Collect your contractor induction compliance documents online through Induct For Work online induction software, collect them easily and efficiently.
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