In our industry, we often hear the question,
"What do qualified contractors bring to the table"
and "Why should vertical realtors and carriers want
qualified contractors doing their work?"
The
following are examples of the types of training that
are likely to be obtained by qualified contractors
such as NATE/OSHA Partners.
1) Contractors are required by federal code to
have first aid / CPR trained employees on site at
all times. Different contractors may address this
requirement in varying ways, but someone on site
must be trained in these areas at all times, so many
companies will ensure that everyone on their crew is
trained in CPR and first aid. In a model provided by
some of our members, this process includes bringing
tower climbers back to their company office,
training them, and then sending them back to their
job location. Accordingly, this process requires two
travel days and one training day. That is three days
where employees are paid, but no revenue is being
generated by those employees because they are not
doing any work. The cost of the training must also
be factored into this scenario. Re-certifications
are required for both CPR and first aid on a regular
basis.
2) For tower climber safety training, again the
crew must be brought back from the venue they are
working, spend two days in training, then be sent
back. Remember under these circumstances that DOT
requirements applied to any trucks over one ton in
weight, may render what would be a long one-day
drive into a two day drive to be in compliance with
federal standards. Under these circumstances, some
employers may choose to fly their employees back to
their company for training which costs more, but
saves time. Those individuals on the crew,
therefore, miss from four-to-six days of work for a
two day training course. Again, the cost of the
training must also be factored into the expenses,
which include travel, wages, and the loss of revenue
from not accomplishing any work while
training-and-related-travel is being accomplished.
Climbers must go through requisite refresher courses
to keep their training current.
3) Having outlined this scenario, I would like to
highlight that similar training is necessary for:
RF Awareness;
OSHA 10-Hour Training
OSHA 30-Hour Training;
Defensive Driving;
Substance Abuse;
New Employee Orientation;
Counter Balance Forklift Training;
Hoist
Operator Training (for lead man and
supervisor);
Cellular Test Equipment
Training;
Connector Certification (from various
manufacturers);
Crane Operator Certification
(being required in a growing number of states and
metropolitan areas);
Rigging Training; and
On-the-job Training (for all aspects of tower
work).
4) In looking at training expenses, other costs
of business must also be included. These costs could
include travel for employees, cost of vehicles,
vehicle fuel, cost of equipment (including
specialized equipment, such as man-rated-hoists and
engineer certified gin poles), cost of equipment
inspection and repairs, and the cost of insurance,
etc. In the long run, these costs and any additional
that are standard operational costs of doing
business will push the cost of training to
approximately three times the cost of paying the
employees and lost revenue.
Companies who do not train their employees in the
many areas listed above can dramatically underbid
qualified contractors. These contractors may not
provide proper equipment, insurance or the other
variables that go into the cost of operating as a
qualified contractor. Additionally, they may provide
a subpar work product, unsafe work environments,
require more oversight from management or the
service provider (at the expense to those requesting
the work), or a greater number of return trips to
correct future problems. There is also the
possibility of less protection, if an accident
should occur. In the event of an on-site accident,
an OSHA investigation would need to be performed and
any civil litigation that followed would be costly
in both money and time. So, would the potential
financial savings that result from using a less than
qualified contractor be worth it? We, at NATE, do
not think so our work cannot be all about the
money when it comes to the proper training and
safety of our employees!!
I hope this is helpful in defining the
extraordinary steps that qualified contractors, such
as members of the NATE/OSHA Partnership, take to
provide value added services to their customers and
clients. It is our belief that, with proper
training, our industry can dramatically improve the
level of safety we offer our employees and our
clients, as well as improve the quality of the work
that we deliver.
Until next time Stay Safe!
Jim
