A private dispute resolution process where a neutral third party settles contract disagreements outside of court. Subcontractors often encounter arbitration clauses in master service agreements. It can limit your right to sue a prime contractor or operator directly.
Arbitration
Related Terms
RAGAGEP (Recognised and Generally Accepted Good Engineering Practices)
ComplianceIndustry standards, codes, and technical guidelines that define minimum safe design and operating requirements. Subcontractors must follow RAGAGEP when installing, inspecting, or maintaining equipment on client sites. Non-compliance can trigger regulatory violations or disqualify you from future contracts.
Multi-Employer Worksite
ComplianceA site where two or more employers operate simultaneously, such as an owner, general contractor, and subcontractors. Each party carries shared safety obligations under provincial OHS legislation. Subcontractors must understand their specific duties and how site control affects liability.
Hazardous Energy Isolation
ComplianceThe process of controlling dangerous energy sources—electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic, or mechanical—before maintenance or repair work begins. Subcontractors must follow the site owner's lockout/tagout (LOTO) procedures or risk losing site access. Non-compliance can void your contract and trigger serious liability.
LSL (Lead Service Line)
ComplianceA water pipe made from lead that connects a municipal main to a building. Subcontractors must identify and report LSLs during excavation, pipe work, or utility upgrades. Strict handling and disposal regulations apply under federal and provincial environmental codes.
Recordable Injury
ComplianceA work-related injury or illness that requires more than basic first aid, such as medical treatment, restricted duty, or lost time. Subcontractors must log these incidents and report them to the prime contractor. High recordable rates can disqualify your company from future bids or vendor pre-qualification lists.
Cold Stress
ComplianceA health hazard caused by prolonged exposure to cold temperatures, wind, or moisture on outdoor worksites. It includes conditions like hypothermia, frostbite, and trench foot. Subcontractors must have cold stress protocols in place to meet occupational health and safety obligations.
Latest Compliance News
How to Win at Construction Arbitration Before You Ever Enter the Hearing Room
Construction arbitration outcomes are shaped long before the hearing begins. Here's what subcontractors need to know about contract language, documentation, and claim strategy.
4 months agoComplianceMSHA Warns Smell Can't Be Trusted to Detect Hydrogen Sulfide
MSHA's health alert says hydrogen sulfide can numb the sense of smell, so miners should not rely on odor. Crews on sour-gas, sewer and confined-space jobs should plan for detection and rescue.
yesterdayComplianceOntario Foundation Contractor Fined $75,000 After Trench Explosion
Above Water was fined $75,000 after a worker was hurt in a flammable vapour explosion in an eight-foot unshored trench at an Ottawa home. The case turned on missing ventilation and atmospheric monitoring.
yesterdayComplianceODOT Approves $7.3B Eight-Year Plan With 1,229 Highway and Bridge Projects
Oklahoma's Transportation Commission approved ODOT's FFY2027-2034 work plan, covering 1,229 projects worth more than $7.3 billion, plus a $520 million four-year preservation plan.
2 days agoRelated Guides
When a Jobsite Incident Happens: What Field Workers Need to Know Before Signing Anything
What to do after a jobsite injury or incident, what your rights are before signing incident reports, how workers' compensation works, and how to protect yourself on multi-employer worksites.
Compliance GuideOSHA Citations on Multi-Employer Worksites: What Subcontractors Need to Know
Learn how OSHA's multi-employer citation policy works, why subcontractors get cited for hazards they didn't create, and how to protect your company on operator-controlled job sites.
Compliance GuideHow to Read and Negotiate an Oilfield Master Service Agreement (MSA): A Subcontractor's Guide
Learn which MSA clauses actually matter for oilfield subcontractors: indemnity, insurance, payment terms, and change orders. Know what you're signing.
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