Editorial from BIC Magazine – May/June 2022
Part 1 – Safety
The “gray wave” presents major challenges to plant managers as workers retire and take their experience and knowledge with them. These workers are not easy to replace, and their exodus is having a significant impact on plants, especially when it comes to safety. Studies show experience and safety are linked, and more accidents tend to happen with workers who are less experienced. Safety on-site is a main concern for plant managers, especially when outside contractors are involved.
Therefore, safety is an investment. The more experienced and safer a contractor is, the more its services will cost. This is the simple reality, but in the long run, fewer safety issues and higher skilled workers avoids unexpected costs and setbacks.
North American ContractorLink was created to solve a common frustration amongst buyers of industrial maintenance services: locating an experienced and safe contractor. North American ContractorLink’s network of contractors maintain current safety training and have an EMR of 0.8 or lower and a TRIR below 1.0.
Finding a contractor in a specific field or with specific expertise can be difficult. North American ContractorLink has connections with contractors who specialize in multi-craft services, enabling them to handle multiple projects.
Rusty Carter is a customer solutions advisor for North American ContractorLink who has over 20 years of industry experience. As an experienced foreman, general foreman, safety manager, superintendent and construction manager, Carter sees the correlation between experience and safety firsthand.
“With facilities increasing their contractor base, the importance of safety-conscious personnel is at an all-time high,” Carter said. “Facilities do not need contractors who are simply in it for a buck; they need new ‘family members’, who are invested in the success of the plant as a whole. I’ve witnessed firsthand when a plant was short-changed, and they brought in a fly-by-night operation because it was cheaper. The operation lacked experience; but more than that, it wasn’t completely vested in the success of the facility. Consequently, its work effort and attention to safety demonstrated this.”
Carter recommends that industrial facilities utilize North American ContractorLink’s expansive contractor network.
“In my own territory of the Mid-Atlantic, there are many plants that have trouble finding experienced contractors they can rely on to perform the job correctly and safely,” Carter explained. “This is a particular problem for plants located in sparsely populated areas. Because we have a deep bench of experienced, qualified, multi-craft and safety-conscious contractors, we have resources that many facilities do not — even when it’s a unique situation. In the end, North American ContractorLink wants to make the connection for you and put safety at the forefront.”
For more information, visit https://nacontractorlink.com or call (844) 500-LINK [5465].
