A legal finding that two companies share employer responsibilities over the same workers. In field service, this can mean a client company is liable for your crew's wages, hours, or working conditions. Subcontractors should review contracts carefully to avoid unintended joint employer exposure.
Joint Employer
Related Terms
Industrial Carbon Tax
ComplianceA federal levy charged to large industrial facilities based on their greenhouse gas emissions. As a subcontractor, your clients may pass these costs down through contract terms or fuel surcharges. Review your agreements closely to understand who bears this liability.
Third-Party Representative
ComplianceAn independent inspector or agent hired by an operator or owner to verify that field work meets contract specifications. They are not your direct client but hold authority to approve, reject, or halt work on site. As a subcontractor, their sign-off is often required before progress billing is accepted.
Struck-By Hazard
ComplianceA struck-by hazard refers to any situation on a worksite where personnel risk injury from a moving object, such as swinging loads, dropped tools, vehicles, or pressurised line failures — a leading cause of fatality that subcontractors must identify and control in their site-specific hazard assessments and toolbox talks. For field service crews working around heavy equipment, cranes, or high-traffic laydown yards, recognising and mitigating struck-by risks is a core compliance obligation under provincial occupational health and safety legislation.
CMMC (Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification)
ComplianceA U.S. Department of Defence framework requiring contractors to meet specific cybersecurity standards before bidding on federal contracts. For field subcontractors, it means your digital systems, devices, and data handling practices must pass a formal audit. Without certification, you may be disqualified from certain government-linked oil and gas or construction projects.
Methane Regulations
ComplianceFederal and provincial rules limiting methane emissions from oil and gas operations. Subcontractors must ensure equipment like compressors and pneumatic devices meets leak detection and repair standards. Non-compliance can result in work stoppages or contract termination.
Classification (aggregate)
ComplianceA method of grouping all subcontractor invoices or costs together to assess total contract value or spending thresholds. Owners and primes use aggregate classification to trigger compliance requirements, audit rights, or tiered pricing terms. Subcontractors should track cumulative billing carefully, as crossing thresholds can change contract obligations.
Latest Compliance News
DOL Proposes Unified Joint Employer Standard Under FLSA and Other Federal Laws
The U.S. Department of Labor has proposed a new rule to create a single nationwide standard for joint employer status under the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, and other federal laws. The move aims to simplify compliance for businesses that rely on layered workforce arrangements.
1 month ago ComplianceTexas RRC Plugs Six Orphaned Gas Wells in Baffin Bay Coastal Waters
The Texas Railroad Commission has launched a plugging project targeting six leaking orphaned gas wells near Corpus Christi, backed by $100 million in state legislative funding and $3 million from the Texas General Land Office.
2 days ago ComplianceNorth Carolina Ends Penalty Reductions in Fatal Worker Cases
North Carolina has eliminated its "death discount" policy, meaning employers will now face full OSHA penalties when workplace safety violations cause a worker fatality. Learn what this means for subcontractors operating in the state.
3 days ago ComplianceTetra Tech Tapped to Modernize Spillways at Two Columbia River Dams
Tetra Tech has been selected as lead design engineer for a multi-year spillway modernization project at Rock Island Dam and Rocky Reach Dam in Washington state, signaling active hydropower infrastructure work for civil and specialty subcontractors in the Pacific Northwest.
4 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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