Subcontractor Prequalification: Do you really trust the OSHA Form 300?

All project managers are familiar with the OSHA Form 300. This is an annual report that requires all companies to declare injuries, fatalities and illnesses. While many general contractors require their subcontractors to submit their most recent OSHA Form 300, this only provides a limited and incomplete picture of the subcontractor’s workplace safety history. 

There are many safety violations that are not listed on the OSHA Form 300, often very serious violations that every general contractor should know about. For example, there is no requirement to report all accidents, unless there is an injury or fatality. 

 

Why does this matter? 

 

Let’s take ABC Constructors as an example. They did not list any violations on the OSHA 300 Form because there were no injuries and fatalities. 

 

 

However, this subcontractor was cited for serious safety hazards such as improper ventilation and structural support in an underground tunnel. This could have led to an accident with numerous fatalities. OSHA inspected ABC Constructors and cited them with numerous violations for over hundreds of thousands of dollars. 

 

 

ABC Constructors did not list this violation on the OSHA Form 300 because there were no injuries or fatalities. Surprisingly, there are no legal requirements to list these citations. 

So, in reality, when a subcontractor fills out an OSHA 300 form, it doesn’t always depict their true safety culture. 

 

How do you solve this problem? 

 

The only method is to investigate OSHA records to include all accidents and violations. It’s not recommended to trust the OSHA Form 300 and rely on the subcontractor’s word.  Many of these violations and accidents also correspond with lawsuits in the courts. Safety violations, workplace accidents, and injuries could lead to significant legal and financial ramifications for the general contractor. 

SubScreener.com is the only construction prequalification service with investigators to physically look through all OSHA records to include court records, revealing the subcontractor’s true safety culture and practices.