A Primer on Pre-Task Planning

Contractor Management Process There are many risk management steps that should be completed by “host employers” prior to allowing any contractor to start any project on site. But where does “pre-task planning” fit in to the overall process? What are your responsibilities for assurance that they are being completed? Where does the “pre-task plan” fall in the overall contractor management process? These are all good questions that have been vetted out in both OSHA inspections and liability cases both past and presently under review.  The answer is it happens at the end of your risk management funnel right when the work is ready to begin. Host employers are not required to keep contractor documentation, but should require contractors to maintain their own daily documented pre-task plan meetings and be able to provide it within 4-hours of request. This is the time usually granted to employers by OSHA to provide certain documents that are foreseeably required by a given standard to be accessible anyway. You should follow up with contractors at least weekly and ask to see their daily “pre-start” or “pre-task” meeting forms. Review them for accuracy and follow up with any corrective actions identified in writing. Find out more by downloading our eBook: “Pre-Task Safety and Health Planning Can Keep Employers and Subcontractors on the Right Side of OSHA.”