A numerical score calculated by insurers that compares your company's workplace injury claims to industry averages. A score below 1.0 indicates a safer-than-average record; above 1.0 signals higher risk. Many prime contractors and operators require subcontractors to maintain a low EMR to qualify for bid lists.
EMR (Experience Modification Rate)
Related Terms
Api 580 (american Petroleum Institute Standard 580)
ComplianceA risk-based inspection standard used on oil and gas facilities to prioritise equipment checks by failure likelihood and consequence. Subcontractors may need to align their inspection scopes and documentation to meet API 580 requirements on client sites.
Exposing Employer
ComplianceThe company that directly exposes workers to a hazard on a multi-employer worksite, such as a subcontractor whose crew creates a fall risk. Under Canadian OHS regulations, the exposing employer holds primary responsibility for controlling that hazard. Subcontractors must understand this designation, as it determines who is liable for corrective action.
Local Content Requirements
ComplianceRules set by governments or project owners requiring a minimum percentage of local labour, materials, or services on a contract. Subcontractors must demonstrate compliance through hiring records and procurement documentation. Failing to meet thresholds can disqualify your bid or trigger contract penalties.
Produced Water
ComplianceWater extracted from the ground alongside oil and gas during production. Subcontractors handling, transporting, or disposing of it must meet strict environmental regulations. Improper management can trigger fines and halt site operations.
CBP (Customs and Border Protection)
ComplianceThe U.S. federal agency that regulates the entry of workers, equipment, and materials across the Canadian-American border, which subcontractors must navigate when mobilising crews or hauling specialised equipment into U.S. job sites. Non-compliance with CBP requirements can result in delays at the border, seized equipment, or crews being turned away, making proper documentation and advance planning critical for cross-border field work.
Caught-In Hazard
ComplianceA workplace danger where a worker's body or clothing becomes trapped, pinched, or pulled into moving machinery, equipment, or materials — common on oilfield and construction sites where subcontractor crews work near rotating equipment, conveyor systems, or heavy moving loads. Subcontractors are responsible for identifying and controlling these hazards through proper guarding, lockout/tagout procedures, and site-specific hazard assessments before work begins.
Latest Compliance News
What ABC's STEP Safety Data Means for Subs Bidding Against Uncertified Rivals
A new ABC report shows STEP-certified contractors post incident rates 686% better than the industry average, a gap that increasingly shows up in EMR calculations, insurance pricing and GC prequalification scoring.
2 months agoComplianceABC Data Shows Structured Safety Programs Cut Incident Rates by 85% Versus Industry Average
Associated Builders and Contractors' 2026 Health and Safety Performance Report finds that contractors using the ABC STEP system achieve incident rates 686% safer than the national construction average, with major implications for subcontractors managing EMR thresholds and bid eligibility.
4 months agoComplianceColorado Locks In Phased Methane Rules, Sets Compliance Clock for Subs
Colorado's Air Quality Control Commission finalized existing-source methane rules for oil and gas operations, becoming the first state to fully adopt EPA's 2024 standard even as federal rules stay in flux. The phased timeline gives subcontractors a roadmap to price leak-detection, tank, and combustion-device work.
11 hours agoComplianceCSB Final Report: Coke Trap Cleaning, Valve Mix-Up Caused Shell PA Furnace Blast
The U.S. Chemical Safety Board's final report on the June 2025 Shell Polymers Monaca furnace explosion cites a mislabeled valve interface and reliance on administrative controls as root causes, with two recommendations for engineered safeguards.
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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