Compliance Oversight for Building Owners

How SafeSite Eases Compliance Oversight for Building Owners

Posted on by anthony@the-robinson-agency.com

Want to reduce your compliance workload while improving your building’s safety? Our SafeSite program simplifies OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) safety compliance for buildings, specifically for façade access and fall protection equipment. As a SafeSite Program member, you’ll benefit from expertise, testing and certification, inspections, risk mitigation, and training.

Our comprehensive approach to compliance oversight reduces the stress of staying current with evolving compliance regulations and removes the administrative burden. With fines and inspections increasing each year, compliance isn’t something worth leaving to chance. This article explains how the SafeSite program offers the easiest path to meeting compliance standards.

Navigating Through Building Compliance Complexity

With compliance regulations and safety audits, there’s always that concern, “Did we miss something?”. For instance, can you provide supporting documentation of annual anchor inspections and employee safety training? The consequences of noncompliance are steep, with one contractor receiving over $1 million in fines for repeatedly exposing workers to fall hazards.

Our team of experts is deeply entrenched in building compliance regulations and industry standards, so you don’t have to be. As a SafeSite customer, we help you develop a path to achieve compliance and keep you compliant. Our consultative approach leverages proactive communications, building reviews, and training. We know compliance can be a burden and can easily consume a big chunk of your time. Our SafeSite program provides you the opportunity to forego this burden and devote your time where it’s needed most.

Your Safety Compliance Ally

A1 is your compliance ally, helping you navigate regulations. The primary focus of our SafeSite services includes anchor inspections, certifications, and testing to meet OSHA’s varying compliance cadence. When we perform these services, we also address non-compliant areas and make a plan with the client so that they can become compliant.

We do this through our Five Pillars:

  1. Dedicated Team of Compliance Experts – Our team solidifies its expertise in the field, completing over 1,500 rooftop anchor inspections each year. Our team is available where and when you need them, and we are there to focus on all your compliance requirements.
  2. Commitment to Safety & Compliance Standards – Our window cleaners, for instance, rely on the same fall protection equipment we help design, install, and certify. This isn’t a responsibility we take lightly. Our commitment to safety shines in our ability to not only meet industry standards but exceed them.
  3. Exterior Building Maintenance Expertise – A1’s building services teams frequently work at heights, performing not only window cleaning services but also façade repair and restoration, waterproofing, and rapid leak investigation. This expertise is invaluable to training, learning, and reducing the risks of fall-related incidents.
  4. Professional Engineer Partnerships – Just as we count on you to trust us and our expertise, we rely on third-party engineers to help design, certify, and inspect our rooftop anchor systems. In addition to receiving your final certification report, you’ll receive the added assurance of meeting compliance regulations.
  5. Annual Anchor Inspections – OSHA requires annual inspections by a qualified person. After our team completes your required inspection, we provide a fall protection assessment and a comprehensive report. This confirms that you meet the inspection requirement and gives you an action plan to maintain compliance.

We believe in eliminating risk first and foremost, and when that isn’t possible, we provide the next best line of defense through fall protection systems. Our turnkey approach to safety decreases your liabilities, reduces the stress of the unknown, and gives you back the precious resource of time.

Tailored Plans for Tailored Needs

We know not all buildings and budgets are the same. During our building review, we pinpoint any shortfalls in documentation and record-keeping. From there, we dive into compliance requirements and budgetary considerations to identify the best path to bring your rooftop safety into full compliance. You can count on our SafeSite team to tend to your building’s compliance services, including inspections and certifications of anchors.

We get to know your building, which aids in identifying unique risks. Armed with this knowledge, we ensure our third-party engineer identifies and inspects various types of anchor points for integrity and feasibility with your building’s structure. Increasing safety, ensuring compliance, and decreasing liabilities isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach. For this reason, we designed our SafeSite program to be comprehensive and flexible, providing you with a one-stop shop for safety compliance.

Key Benefits of Joining SafeSite

For good reason, OSHA will continue to focus heavily on inspections, fines, and awareness campaigns to reduce safety incidents. With SafeSite, you gain a dedicated team of compliance experts, consultation resources, compliance and safety reports, and more. Here are more ways we ease compliance oversight.

Streamlined Compliance Documentation

Documentation plays a critical role in meeting requirements. Our SafeSite Portal keeps you organized with easy access to compliance documents, inspections, testing reports, certifications, and compliance proposals. In addition, the portal helps you stay informed with our education tools, compliance manual, and other resources.

Proactive Risk Management

A proactive approach is the best way to mitigate risk in an environment of rapidly evolving regulations. We take pride in our industry expertise and leverage this knowledge to keep our customers informed through updates and their journey toward meeting compliance regulations. Staying ahead of regulations helps minimize potential legal and safety risks.

Optimizing Time and Resources

As a building owner, you have a lot on your plate. Attempting to manage compliance oversight on your own could result in you stepping over dollars to save a dime. We offer a strategy to optimize your time and resources while assuring your building achieves compliance standards.

Simplified Compliance Oversite with SafeSite

You don’t need to wonder if your building meets compliance requirements. With SafeSite, we take a consultative approach to informing our clients about rooftop safety. The program reduces your compliance risk by covering annual anchor inspection requirements as well as testing and certification. Our combination of industry knowledge backed with hands-on expertise helps spot safety risks and provide fall hazard analyses to deliver you the easiest path to achieving and maintaining building compliance.

To take the first step towards confidence in compliance, you can review your rooftop safety with our Fall Hazard Assessment. Contact us today and see the difference we can make in your building compliance strategy.

 

Fall Protection Systems

Benefits of Turnkey Fall Protection Systems: Design, Installation, and Certification

Posted on by anthony@the-robinson-agency.com

In the book How Big Things Get Done: The Surprising Factors That Determine the Fate of Every Project, from Home Renovations to Space Exploration and Everything In Between, researchers analyzed projects of all sizes to understand why they succeed and fail. They found a shocking number of projects: 91.5% go over budget, don’t finish on time, or both.

One way to improve project success rates is through a turnkey approach. Turnkey solutions deliver enhanced control and consistency to your building’s fall protection project. This strategy helps combat the challenges of miscommunication, material shortages, and poor planning. Keep reading to explore the advantages of a comprehensive service package for fall protection requirements, providing confidence and security in turnkey fall protection systems.

Why You Need Comprehensive Fall Protection Systems from Start to Finish

Falls from heights are a significant risk in the construction and general industry. Second only to highway crashes in avoidable workplace fatalities, falls from heights are also a leading cause of injuries, time away from work, and regulatory citations. In efforts to reduce these tragic incidents, OSHA released the National Emphasis Program (NEP) on Falls, and continues to increase inspections, citations, and awareness for safely working at heights. As a building owner or property manager, you must provide proper fall protection to meet OSHA requirements.

Too many cooks in the kitchen, in this case, multiple vendors, can prolong the project. Turnkey solutions mitigate these challenges through a comprehensive approach to the entire fall protection project. Our turnkey process removes the project management piece from your plate. Furthermore, our experiences accessing building facades and working on roofs allow us to design systems that will meet the needs of the facility and the people who have to use them. In short, we handle everything, so you don’t have to.

Here’s how we do it:

We begin by learning how you plan on using the fall protection system and what your building requires. With this knowledge, we design a system that meets your needs and safety regulations. From there, we seamlessly pass the baton to our installation team. Lastly, if applicable, we certify the system using OSHA guidelines.

Throughout the project, we serve as your single point of contact to leverage from initial design through installation, leaving nowhere to point fingers except back at us.

Streamlined Installation Processes

By leveraging the expertise of a single provider, you ensure everyone is on the same page. This strategy also delivers consistency, from design to certification. It also saves you the time of having to manage multiple vendors. You can be confident that your fall protection system meets stringent safety and regulatory standards.

  • Streamlined Process: Turnkey solutions integrate the design, installation, and certification phases into a seamless process.
  • Expertise and Consistency: Working with a single provider guarantees consistent quality and adherence to safety standards throughout the project, instilling confidence and security in the process.
  • Cost Efficiency: Turnkey solutions help control costs by minimizing delays and ensuring all project aspects are managed by experts, preventing budget overruns. Our solution helps avoid delays and costly rework by completing the job correctly the first time.

Substandard fall protection can cause preventable incidents. Leveraging our turnkey approach can protect workers to reduce this risk as well as the associated noncompliance costs.

Certification and Compliance Assurance

Meeting compliance requirements can complicate a project, especially when there is confusion or contention between the design and installation. Again, the consistency of turnkey solutions comes into play to ensure the system meets requirements and can be installed properly, given the building’s architectural features. Our building services divisions use the same fall protection systems, so we have a unique perspective when designing and installing these systems. We always keep the end use and longevity in mind. Additionally, our team of experts installs fall protection systems using the best resources available so you can feel confident that your building has the highest level of protection.

From initial design to final certification, a single point of contact simplifies the process, relieving you of potential complexities. Our process provides a smooth, compliant, and cost-effective solution for installing and maintaining your fall protection system. You also gain the added assurance of knowing your system meets OSHA requirements after the third-party engineer completes the testing.

Ensure Building Safety and Compliance with Turnkey Fall Protection Systems

Installing fall protection systems that comply with OSHA regulations is crucial for worker safety and avoiding costly fines. We expect organizations like OSHA to continue to enhance measures to help eliminate fall hazards, such as the NEP on Falls and the National Safety Stand-Down held in early May.

Turnkey solutions for fall protection systems offer a strategic approach to eliminating fall hazards while helping avoid project delays. This approach can significantly reduce costs, leaving you optimistic about the financial benefits.

How confident are you in your building’s fall protection system?

Our Rooftop Safety: Fall Hazard Assessment enables you to review your rooftop safety to determine where your building stands and identify your fall protection needs. Don’t leave fall protection to chance. Contact A1 today and take the first step to ensuring your building’s fall protection system is part of the solution to creating a safer work environment for everyone working at heights.

 

 

Safety Compliance Across Building Services

How Expertise Drives Safety Compliance Across Building Services

Posted on by a1_admin

At A1, we specialize in various building services, including window washing and facade repair. This work requires our teams to traverse over 13,000 building facades yearly, and it’s not a responsibility we take lightly. While we are experts in working at heights, we also respect the inherent dangers. To reduce risks, we develop unique job site safety plans and hazard analysis before starting a project. We also provide thorough safety training and continuing safety education to our operational teams.

By incorporating safety into every step of the job, we assure building owners and property managers of a safe and successful project. This article aims to convey the value of choosing a building service provider who is not only skilled at their craft but also committed to safety compliance.

Going it Alone into the Building Compliance Unknown

One of the best ways to reduce the risk of legal liabilities, financial penalties, and injuries is to prioritize safety compliance. But compliance is complex, regulations change, and it’s easy to miss something if you don’t stay current.

The latest edition of The Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Title 29 Standard 1926 is a whopping 628 pages long. This publication covers labor and is only one of many standards building owners must be familiar with. The sheer volume of Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations—thousands of pages detailing everything from stairwell widths to emergency exit signage—can overwhelm even the most diligent property managers.

With OSHA fines increasing yearly, hoping you are covered is not a risk worth taking. It’s no wonder the number of jobs in the occupational health and safety field will grow by more than two times the national average in the next decade. You can’t plan for everything, but you can bolster confidence in your compliance by working with service providers specializing in safety.

Why Expertise Matters in Safety Compliance

Safety experts know all the ins and outs of OSHA regulations, so they translate legal jargon into clear steps. Plus, these experts create safety plans that fit each specific project. For example, the risks in regular maintenance work, like window cleaning at heights, are different from those in larger capital projects, like waterproofing, so a one-size-fits-all approach to safety will not be effective. Compliance with local and federal regulations is critical, and when paired with industry expertise, injuries and incidents are less likely to occur.

When you choose to work with A1, you gain access to our extensive knowledge of fall protection systems. Our turn-key solutions for installing state-of-the-art safety systems provide a comprehensive understanding of their use and the requirements for compliance. This expertise is a valuable asset in ensuring the safety of your building and its occupants.

Navigating Building Safety Compliance 

Understanding OSHA regulations is the first step towards compliance; implementing OSHA standards solidifies the journey to full compliance. Our team leverages decades of hands-on experience and theoretical learning to design government-approved training courses and develop better safety guidelines through the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).

Creating a Safe Working Environment 

A safe job site starts with preventative measures such as conducting a Job Safety Analysis (JSA). During this phase, the goal is to remove hazards altogether, and when that isn’t possible, we devise a written work plan for the safest way to navigate the hazard. When hazards exist, expertise lends itself to properly using fall protection equipment, mitigating the risk of incidents. One example is our initiative to switch from hard hats to safety helmets on the job site, adding an extra layer of precaution while reinforcing our commitment to safety.

Onboarding with Safety in Mind

With a passion for improving the safety of all workers through compliance and education, we deliver seminars and create safety training programs for organizations like the International Window Cleaning Association (IWCA). Our onboarding process includes a thorough screening and a robust training program. Employees must complete field training and pass written tests for work eligibility. Our training programs, thoughtfully crafted by our experts who are recognized by the industry for their lifelong commitment to safety, exceed OSHA and industry standards.

Continuous Safety Training and Awareness

We further supplement our safety culture through weekly on-site safety inspections of all work sites and personnel. In addition, we are proud to participate in events such as OSHA’s National Safety Stand-Down. Our newsletters share practical safety tips and serve as a great avenue for keeping safety top-of-mind.

Maintaining Compliance and Document Management

Lastly, documentation and certification round out critical building safety compliance requirements. Our SafeSite Program is designed to help building owners manage documentation and meet inspection and certification requirements.

Case Study: From Safety Repair to Maintenance

Our skill set came into play during a recent renovation in Washington, D.C. While the existing building envelope was to remain the same, the building’s fall protection systems needed rooftop anchors, new davit pedestals, and arms to meet compliance regulations. Our sister company, Valcourt Safety Systems team worked closely with the owner, architect, and our third-party engineer to design a plan and carry out the work.

Once complete, Valcourt’s window washing team won the window maintenance contract and began regular window cleaning with the peace of mind of working with certified fall protection and rooftop anchorage systems. In turn, the building owners knew they took the necessary measures to meet compliance regulations and moral obligations.

Our comprehensive solutions and industry expertise help you achieve and maintain compliance with complex regulations.

Keeping Your Building Safe and Compliant 

For property managers, the checklist for maintaining building compliance may seem never-ending. All the requirements can leave you wondering if you have checked every compliance box. The risk of fines, litigations, and potential injuries is motivation enough to remove all uncertainty. Our commitment to safety across building services removes that uncertainty, saving you time and worry.

Our top priority is ensuring the safety of our people and community. Contact us today for a quote and enjoy the assurance of working with professionals who prioritize safety and quality workmanship.