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Compliance Glossary Term

Wage and Hour Division

The U.S. Department of Labour branch that enforces federal wage laws, including overtime and minimum wage rules. Subcontractors must ensure field crew pay practices meet WHD standards to avoid audits and penalties. Misclassifying workers as independent contractors is a common trigger for WHD investigations.

Related Terms

Blanket Certificate

Compliance

A single compliance document covering multiple jobs or site visits within a set period, rather than issuing one per mobilisation. Common for insurance, tax exemption, or safety credentials. Reduces paperwork for subcontractors working repeat engagements with the same operator.

Consent Order

Compliance

A legally binding agreement between a regulator and a company to correct violations without going to court. Subcontractors on affected sites may face work stoppages, added inspections, or new compliance requirements. Review consent orders tied to a client site before mobilising.

STEP (Safety Training Evaluation Process)

Compliance

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.

Api 579

Compliance

API 579 (Fitness-For-Service) is an industry standard used to assess whether ageing or damaged equipment is safe to keep operating. Subcontractors may be required to support or comply with these assessments during inspection and maintenance scopes. Understanding it helps when working alongside integrity engineers on pressure vessels, piping, and tanks.

Cave-In Protection

Compliance

Mandatory safeguards required when workers enter excavations deeper than 1.2 metres. Methods include sloping, shoring, or trench boxes to prevent soil collapse. Subcontractors must have a competent supervisor on-site to assess and implement the correct system.

Respiratory Protection Program

Compliance

A documented safety programme requiring subcontractors to provide appropriate respirators when workers are exposed to airborne hazards like H2S, dust, or chemical fumes. It includes fit testing, training, and maintenance procedures for all respiratory equipment. Clients and prime contractors often audit this programme before awarding site access.

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