Having your own carpenter-builder general contractor business is something to be proud of, but it can also be the source of sleepless nights due to stress and aggravation that sometimes comes with having sub-contractors work for you. Don't let your dream of being a carpenter-builder general contractor become a nightmare. It's important for you to make sure to put everything on paper, especially when working with numerous sub-contractors. That way, every aspect of the job site and the work involved will be spelled out on paper, which can help avoid misconceptions and keep you, your sub-contractors, and the job site within compliance requirements. Here are two important documents to have.
Custom General Contractor Safety Manual
A general contractor safety manual is crucial to have. It's a good idea to have a manual customized for each job site you are contracted to build as the general contractor. The amount of information to put into a safety manual can be a bit overwhelming in order for the manual to be in compliance with OSHA requirements and the details that various entities require, such as insurance companies, bonding agencies, and other interested third parties. Fortunately, there are companies that provide detailed and custom general contractor safety manuals for carpenter-builder general contractors such as yourself.
Sometimes, additional compliance requirements such as EPA standards may be necessary for some job sites. You can meet all requirements for all entities within one safety manual to be printed and provided to you, typically in a 3-ring binder. However, for larger projects, consider placing various components of the safety manual into separate binders in case different sub-contractors need to review different parts of the manual at the same time. Alternatively, simply have several copies produced and on hand.
Training Kits for All Sub-Contractors
Hopefully, you've been in the industry long enough to have a steady contact list of sub-contractors ready, willing, and able to do the job without any questions of their capabilities. But if you don't, or your regular sub-contractors are busy, you'll need to make sure to hire sub-contractors who know what they are doing in order for your job site to remain free of safety violations and injuries.
Obtain certification training kits for each type of sub-contractor at each job site, particularly for sub-contractors who work with heavy machinery or dangerous equipment, such as excavators, forklifts, and cranes. These training kits will allow you to test each sub-contractor on their knowledge of the equipment, and of safety requirements specific to their roles on the job sites.
For more information, visit a website like safetymadesimple.biz.