Construction safety guides & OSHA how-tos
Plain-language answers to what contractors actually search: the OSHA Focus Four, how to do a job hazard analysis, fall protection and silica requirements, trenching safety, what a competent person is, how to prepare for an inspection, which document you need, and how to clear prequalification. Every guide cites real standards and is free to read.
OSHA basics & how-tos
The foundational hazards and procedures every contractor is expected to know.
- OSHA's Top 10 Most Cited Violations (FY 2025)OSHA's most frequently cited standard for fiscal year 2025 was Fall Protection, General Requirements (29 CFR 1926.501), …
- The OSHA Focus Four HazardsThe OSHA Focus Four are the four hazards responsible for the majority of construction worker deaths: falls, struck-by, c…
- How to Do a Job Hazard Analysis (Step by Step)To do a job hazard analysis (JHA), break the task into sequential steps, identify the hazards of each step, and assign a…
- What Is a Competent Person? (OSHA Definition)OSHA defines a competent person as one who is capable of identifying existing and predictable hazards in the surrounding…
- OSHA Fall Protection Requirements for ConstructionOSHA requires fall protection in construction whenever a worker is exposed to a fall of 6 feet or more to a lower level …
- Silica Exposure Control Plan (OSHA 1926.1153)OSHA requires construction employers whose workers may be exposed to respirable crystalline silica to have a written exp…
- Trenching and Excavation Safety RequirementsOSHA's excavation standard, 29 CFR 1926 Subpart P, requires a protective system (sloping, benching, shoring, or a trench…
- How to Prepare for an OSHA InspectionTo prepare for an OSHA inspection, have your safety documentation current, organized, and immediately available: your wr…
- OSHA Requirements for Small Construction CompaniesEven a small construction company must meet OSHA requirements: accident prevention responsibilities under 29 CFR 1926.20…
Toolbox talks & safety meetings
Topic ideas and seasonal talks, each linked to a complete free bilingual talk.
- Construction Safety Meeting TopicsThe best construction safety meeting topic is the one that matches what your crew is doing this week: fall protection be…
- Summer Construction Safety TopicsThe most important summer construction safety topics are heat illness prevention, hydration and electrolytes, sun exposu…
Written programs, explained
What each required written program must contain.
- Emergency Action Plan: What OSHA Actually RequiresAn emergency action plan (EAP) is the written document that tells workers what to do when something goes wrong: how evac…
- Written Hazard Communication Program for ContractorsA hazard communication (HazCom) program is the written program required by 29 CFR 1910.1200 for every employer whose wor…
- Fall Protection Plan: What OSHA Requires in WritingFalls are the leading killer in construction, and OSHA’s fall protection rules (29 CFR 1926.501, 1926.502, and 1926.503)…
- OSHA Safety Manual for Construction CompaniesAn "OSHA safety manual" is the informal name for a company-wide written safety program: the document that states your sa…
- Health and Safety Plan for ContractorsA health and safety plan (HASP) documents the hazards of a specific project and the controls protecting workers, includi…
Which document do I need?
Compare the documents and figure out what your situation calls for.
- Which Safety Documents Does a Contractor Need?Most trade contractors need a mix of these documents depending on who is asking: a written safety program (company-wide,…
- SSSP vs JHA: What Is the Difference?A site-specific safety plan (SSSP) documents the hazards, controls, responsibilities, and emergency procedures for an en…
- Site-Specific Safety Plan vs Written Safety ProgramA site-specific safety plan (SSSP) covers one project and is what a general contractor demands before your crew can star…
- IIPP vs Written Safety ProgramAn IIPP (Injury and Illness Prevention Program) is California’s legally mandated written safety program under 8 CCR 3203…
- IIPP vs WVPP: You Need Both in CaliforniaThe IIPP and the WVPP are two separate written plans California employers are legally required to maintain. The IIPP (In…
- Which States Require a Heat Illness Prevention Plan?Five states legally require employers to maintain a written heat illness prevention plan: California (8 CCR 3395 outdoor…
- What Documents Do You Need to Bid Commercial Construction Jobs?To bid and start commercial construction work, most contractors need: a company-wide written safety program (often verif…
Cost & prequalification
What compliance costs and how to clear ISNetworld, Avetta, and Veriforce.
- How Much Does a Safety Plan Cost?A site-specific safety plan costs $500 to $2,500 and takes one to two weeks if you hire a safety consultant, or $99 to $…
- How to Get on ISNetworld: Step by StepTo get on ISNetworld, you register and pay the membership, complete the prequalification questionnaire (PQF) about your …
- Avetta Compliance: What Contractors Actually NeedAvetta is a contractor prequalification service: companies that hire contractors use it to vet safety programs, insuranc…
- ISNetworld RAVS: Passing the Written Program ReviewRAVS (Review And Verification Services) is the part of ISNetworld where trained reviewers manually read the written safe…
Templates & structure
The required sections of each document, and a faster way than editing a template.
- Site-Specific Safety Plan TemplateA site-specific safety plan (SSSP) is a document written for one project that identifies the hazards of your scope of wo…
- Construction Safety Plan TemplateA construction safety plan documents how a contractor will control the hazards of construction work, either company-wide…
- Written Safety Program TemplateA written safety program (also called an injury and illness prevention program or safety manual) is the company-wide doc…
- Job Hazard Analysis TemplateA job hazard analysis (JHA, also called a JSA or AHA) breaks one task into sequential steps, lists the hazards of each s…
- IIPP Template: What 8 CCR 3203 Actually RequiresAn IIPP (Injury and Illness Prevention Program) is the written safety program every California employer must establish, …
- Workplace Violence Prevention Plan TemplateCalifornia Labor Code section 6401.9 requires nearly every California employer to establish, implement, and maintain a w…
- Heat Illness Prevention Plan TemplateA heat illness prevention plan is the written program that says how your company protects workers from heat: water, shad…
Heat rules by state
The written heat plan each state requires, with its triggers.
- California Heat Illness Prevention Plan RequirementsCalifornia requires employers with outdoor workers to maintain effective written heat illness prevention procedures unde…
- Oregon Heat Illness Prevention Plan RequirementsOregon OSHA’s heat rule, OAR 437-002-0156, applies when the heat index reaches 80 degrees F: employers must provide acce…
- Washington Outdoor Heat Exposure Plan RequirementsWashington’s outdoor heat rule, WAC 296-62-095, applies year-round whenever employees work outdoors at or above the acti…
- Nevada Heat Illness Prevention Plan RequirementsNevada’s heat illness regulation R131-24 (codified in NAC chapter 618, enforced since April 29, 2025) works differently …
- Maryland Heat Illness Prevention Plan RequirementsMaryland’s heat stress standard, COMAR 09.12.32 (effective September 30, 2024), applies to all employers whose workers a…
OSHA recordkeeping
The injury logs and rates GCs and prequal portals check.
- The OSHA 300 Log, Explained for ContractorsThe OSHA 300 log is the running record of work-related injuries and illnesses that meet OSHA recording criteria: death, …
- OSHA Form 300A and the February 1 DeadlineOSHA Form 300A is the annual summary of the injuries and illnesses on your OSHA 300 log. Covered employers must total th…
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