FieldNews
Subscribe

Daily oil & gas and construction news for subcontractors

ComplianceGlossary Term

Trench Box

A steel or aluminium shoring system placed inside an excavation to prevent wall collapse and protect workers. Required by safety regulations on most open-cut pipeline and utility jobs. Subcontractors are typically responsible for supplying, installing, and inspecting trench boxes on their scope of work.

Related Terms

Jones Act

Compliance

A U.S. federal law requiring vessels operating between American ports to be U.S.-built, owned, and crewed. Subcontractors providing marine labour or vessel services must verify crew eligibility and vessel compliance before mobilising. Non-compliance can result in contract termination and significant fines.

Cease-And-Desist Order

Compliance

A legal directive requiring a subcontractor to immediately stop a specific activity, such as work on a contested site or allegedly unsafe operations. Violating the order can result in fines, contract termination, or legal liability. Field crews must halt the named activity until the order is legally resolved or lifted.

Root-Cause Analysis

Compliance

A structured process for identifying why an incident, equipment failure, or project delay actually occurred. Subcontractors often complete RCA (Root-Cause Analysis) reports as a contractual requirement after safety events or operational failures. Findings can affect future bid eligibility and prequalification standing.

Water Disposal

Compliance

The managed removal and injection of produced or flowback water into approved disposal wells or treatment facilities. Subcontractors handling disposal must meet provincial regulatory requirements and maintain proper manifests. Non-compliance can result in fines or suspension of operating licences.

NDT (Non-destructive Testing)

Compliance

Inspection methods used to evaluate welds, pipelines, and structures without damaging them. Common NDT techniques include ultrasonic, radiographic, and magnetic particle testing. Subcontractors often need certified NDT technicians on crew to meet client and regulatory requirements.

ARO (Asset Retirement Obligations)

Compliance

Legally required costs to decommission and remediate a site at end of life, such as plugging wells or removing infrastructure. Operators budget ARO years in advance, which can create late-project work opportunities for subcontractors. Understand how ARO timelines affect contract scope, since decommissioning work often has strict regulatory deadlines.

Stay sharp on field operations

Industry news and insights, delivered to your inbox.

Subscribe to FieldNews
A community project byAimsio