A benchmarking programme that evaluates a subcontractor's safety training systems against industry standards. Operators often require a valid STEP rating before awarding field contracts. Higher ratings signal lower risk and can improve your bid competitiveness.
STEP (Safety Training Evaluation Process)
Related Terms
Routine Flaring
ComplianceThe controlled burning of associated gas during normal production operations, not caused by emergencies or equipment failure. Subcontractors working on-site must follow strict protocols during flaring events. Expect potential work stoppages or exclusion zones that affect crew access and scheduling.
Treaty-Based Impact Assessment
ComplianceA formal review process evaluating how a project affects Indigenous rights under specific treaties. Subcontractors may face work stoppages or scope changes if assessments flag concerns. Understanding active treaty areas helps crews anticipate permitting delays and access restrictions.
PPE (Personal Protective Equipment)
ComplianceProtective gear — such as hard hats, steel-toed boots, high-visibility vests, gloves, and eye protection — that subcontractors and their crews are required to wear on oil & gas and construction sites to meet site-specific safety standards and regulatory obligations. As a subcontractor, ensuring your workers arrive on-site with proper, compliant PPE is typically your responsibility and a condition of maintaining your contract.
Trench Cave-in Protection
ComplianceMandatory safety systems used to prevent trench walls from collapsing on workers during excavation. Common methods include shoring, sloping, and trench boxes. Subcontractors are legally responsible for implementing compliant cave-in protection before workers enter any trench deeper than 1.2 metres.
Well Integrity
ComplianceThe ability of a well to contain fluids and pressure without uncontrolled release. Subcontractors performing wellsite work must follow strict well integrity protocols to prevent blowouts or leaks. Failure to comply can result in contract termination and regulatory penalties.
TRO (Temporary Restraining Order)
ComplianceA court order that immediately halts a specific action, such as work stoppage disputes or lien enforcement, pending a full hearing. Subcontractors may face a TRO if a general contractor seeks to block liens or contract terminations. It is a short-term legal tool, typically lasting days, until a judge rules further.
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 agoComplianceA 12-Step FEMI Incident Investigation Framework Every Pressure Equipment Operator Should Know
Inspectioneering Journal outlines a structured 12-step process for investigating fixed equipment mechanical integrity incidents, from near-misses to major releases, giving field operators a repeatable framework for learning and liability protection.
4 months agoComplianceMSHA Alert Pushes Mine Operators to Step Up Impoundment Inspections
MSHA has issued a safety alert calling on mine operators to increase engineering assessments and inspections of impoundments, citing aging infrastructure and heavier precipitation events.
4 days agoIndustryRanger Energy Buys STEP's US Coiled Tubing Assets for $27.5M
Ranger Energy Services is acquiring STEP Energy Services' U.S. coiled tubing business for $27.5 million, becoming the second-largest U.S. coiled tubing operator with expanded Permian and Bakken reach, Permian Basin Oil & Gas Magazine reports.
yesterdayRelated 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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