Site-Specific Safety Plans “SSSPs” are developed to prevent accidents on the job site by being pro-active with anticipating and eliminating hazards. The potential hazards are identified up front and safe work practices are defined to eliminate/control those hazards.
The minimum elements of an SSSP should include things like:
- Having the subcontractor’s project manager, superintendent and foreman sign the SSSP.
- Identify managers, foreman, safety coordinators, qualified and competent persons and their specific job site responsibilities.
- Have the contact information for all managers and other key personnel.
- Identify potential hazards associated with the work and explain how they will be eliminated or controlled.
- List training and experience of contractor’s employee’s – identifying specific requirements.
- Have a list of all records that are required to be kept and identify who will be responsible for keeping the records.
- Understand the inspection and compliance requirements.
- Outline safety meeting requirements
- Written work procedures
- Emergency plan and procedures including phone numbers, trained first aid and rescue personnel, contact name and phone numbers.
Throughout the job, it is important to monitor the plan to ensure that designated responsibilities and provisions are being handled. There should be regular meetings to review the plan and discuss any issues so they can be addressed and corrected. For a SSSP to be effective, it should be reviewed periodically and at the end of every job to know what worked, what didn’t and what you could improve/change going forward.
By implementing a SSSP plan on every job, it allows you to have a clear understanding of the potential hazards on the job so you can hopefully avoid them. Creating a system with an organized outline that connects specific activities to hazards and hazard control benefits the employer, employees and clients.
