"What safety issues should you consider before deciding to subcontract, so as to master the risks identified?" is the ongoing theme of this Industrial Safety Report.
Indeed, the rise in subcontracting certain activities on industrial sites with high risks of major accidents, is the subject of many debates. On the one hand, subcontracting increases the number of interfaces between people working on sites, which may have a negative impact on safety. On the other hand, subcontracting facilitates the development of more specialized skills in certain areas and increases flexibility.
This document offers decision making guidance for subcontracting an activity, considering the following areas:
- Why should you subcontract - not?
- How to choose?
- How to organise subcontracting?
- How to build cooperation?
Objectives
To identify the key factors and their level of importance in the decision to subcontract or not.
About the author
This Report summarises discussions and reflections led by the ICSI "Subcontracting" discussion group in 2005. The group comprised representatives from different industrial sectors (clients and service providers), the public sector (urban communities, local authority engineers), trade unions representatives, and elected officials.