SIF (Serious Injuries and Fatalities)

A government-issued restriction prohibiting open burning, including burn barrels and brush fires, within a designated area. Subcontractors must halt any permitted burning activities immediately and may face project delays. Check with your site supervisor and local authority before resuming work involving open flame or debris disposal.

The process of renewing or repeating required safety, technical, or vendor approvals after they have lapsed or been revoked. Operators and prime contractors may require subcontractors to re-qualify before awarding new work. Failing to re-qualify on time can result in removal from approved vendor lists.

A mandatory safety procedure requiring subcontractors to physically lock and label energy sources before servicing equipment. It prevents accidental startup during maintenance work. Site operators often require proof of worker LOTO certification before mobilisation.

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.

The process of allowing workers to safely adjust to extreme heat, cold, or altitude before full-duty deployment. Most worksites and safety regulations require a structured acclimatization period for new or returning crew. Subcontractors must factor this non-productive time into scheduling and labour costs.

A third party, usually an insurance or bonding company, that guarantees a subcontractor will fulfil their contractual obligations. If the subcontractor defaults, the surety compensates the project owner. Many upstream and construction clients require surety bonds before awarding work.

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.

OSHA 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.

How 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.