A mandatory work pause requiring crews to verify no buried utilities or underground hazards exist before digging or drilling begins. Subcontractors are typically contractually responsible for completing all locates and documented checks before breaking ground. Failure to comply can void insurance coverage and expose your company to full liability for strikes.
Stop-Before-Strike
Related Terms
ITP (Inspection Test Plan)
ComplianceA document outlining required inspections, tests, and quality checks at specific project milestones. Subcontractors must follow the ITP to prove work meets client and regulatory standards. Hold points in the plan require client sign-off before work can continue.
Bonded Operator License
ComplianceA licence that requires the holder to carry a surety bond as financial assurance that they will meet regulatory obligations, meaning subcontractors and field service companies must maintain this bond coverage to legally operate certain equipment or perform specific scopes of work on a client's site. For subcontractors, holding a bonded operator licence is often a prerequisite for bidding on contracts, as it signals to operators and general contractors that financial accountability is in place if work standards or regulatory requirements are not met.
BLM (Bureau of Land Management)
ComplianceA U.S. federal agency that manages public lands and issues permits for oil, gas, and construction operations on those lands. Subcontractors working on BLM-administered land must comply with specific permit conditions, environmental rules, and access requirements. Non-compliance can result in work stoppages or contract penalties.
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.
OFCCP (Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs)
ComplianceA U.S. federal agency enforcing equal employment rules for companies working on federal contracts. Subcontractors on U.S. federal projects must meet hiring and anti-discrimination requirements. Non-compliance can result in contract termination or debarment from future federal work.
Compliance Theatre
ComplianceWhen a prime contractor or client demands excessive paperwork and box-ticking that looks rigorous but adds no real safety value. Subcontractors absorb the administrative burden without reduced liability or improved site outcomes. Recognising it helps crews push back on busy-work that pulls focus from genuine hazard control.
Latest Compliance News
Red Seal $5,000 Completion Bonus Portal Opens Nov. 16
Canadian journeypersons certified in a Red Seal trade on or after April 1, 2025 can apply for a $5,000 federal bonus starting Nov. 16, 2026. Here is what employers should prepare now.
2 days agoComplianceTraffic Exposure Was the Top Hazard on Caltrans LA Tunnel Relighting
On Aldridge Electric's I-405/I-105 tunnel relighting in Los Angeles, traffic breaches drove the safety plan. Here is what electrical and traffic control subs can take from it before bidding live-traffic work.
4 days agoComplianceFinning Fined $155K After 2023 Loader Injury Near Fort McMurray
Finning International pleaded guilty to an Alberta OHS Code count after a worker was struck by a moving loader in 2023. The $155,000 creative sentence funds third-party-site safety training.
5 days agoComplianceMIOSHA Cites MDOT Over Lane Closure in Fatal U.S. 127 Crash
MIOSHA found MDOT failed to close a lane during a rolling pothole repair on U.S. 127 where two road workers died in May. Highway maintenance subs should review their own moving-operation traffic control.
7 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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