When your company relies on contractors, selecting the right individuals is key to your company’s reputation. After all, the outcomes delivered by contractors directly reflect on your business. By implementing a thorough contractor qualification process, you can rest assured that your chosen contractors follow the right guidelines, regulations, and standards. Let’s explore some actionable steps to work with the right people, and to protect your business.

Begin with prequalification

Developing a strong prequalification program before allowing contractors onsite is crucial to operational efficiency, safety, and regulatory compliance. Here are several critical factors to consider:

• Look into the contractor’s history concerning accidents, incidents, and near-misses. A history of safe operations is a good indicator of future performance. And, consider the contractor’s experience in projects similar to yours, taking the complexity and size of past projects into account.
• Ensure that the contractors have undergone industry-specific safety training and possess certifications. And verify the technical qualifications of the individual workers. This could include specific certifications, licenses, or degrees relevant to the work they will be performing.
• Check that contractors have all necessary local, state, and federal licenses to perform the work. And verify compliance with all relevant regulations, including OSHA standards and environmental laws.
• A financially stable contractor is less likely to cut corners or fail to complete a job. Review their financial statements or credit ratings as part of the prequalification process.

Dont forget ongoing qualification

Contractor qualification extends beyond the selection phase; it’s an ongoing process throughout the project’s duration. Some things to pay attention to are:

• Ensure your contractor qualification system facilitates seamless document storage, promoting compliance and easy access to essential documents.
• Encourage contractors to address project-specific safety risks rather than relying on generic safety measures that may not be effective.
• Evaluate how contractors handle incidents and adapt to unexpected changes. When challenges arise, you need a team that can respond effectively. After all, your company’s reputation and customer satisfaction are on the line.

Consistent and continual contractor qualification allows you to swiftly gauge their commitment to a strong safety culture.

Nothing falls through the cracks

As your project unfolds, it’s vital to stay in the loop with your contractor’s progress and how they’re representing your company. Communication is key here, but it’s not always smooth sailing. You might find yourself talking to different people each time or struggling to connect with the right people on your team.

When communication breaks down, there is no way of telling how your project is going, and how your company is being represented. That’s where effective contractor management steps in. It helps you keep tabs on your business, both internally and externally, ensuring everything runs smoothly and reflects your company values.

Technology-driven solutions

Contractor Management software takes care of everything. It gives you and the contractors a single point of contact, a single place of communication, and a streamlined hub to find all the documentation you need to check compliance, permits, and all those other administrative tasks.

Using software drastically decreases the time spent on administration, and it’s free for contractors, so you’ll have no difficulties getting them on board.

Want to see TenForce’s solution in action? Check out our on-demand webinar for a step-by-step demo. And don’t forget to download a copy of our eBook, it’ll show you how to eliminate 80% of your contractor workload.