Search

In this paper, workplace safety in high-risk industries is explored in relation to outsourcing and multi-employer worksites. Relevant industries in this case are those that traditionally have been high-risk due to hazards in the physical work environment and the occurrence of unsafe work processes and practices, such as construction, mining and petroleum production. After conducting a comprehensive literature review, we compile a number of key terms and concepts that have been the subject of interest among researchers and divide them into three broad categories: 1-contract work characteristics; 2-structural/organizational factors and conditions; 3-cultural conditions. We conclude by discussing the results in terms of challenges for safety in these shared work settings as well as suggest directions for future research. KEYWORDS: safety, multi-employer worksites, outsourcing, subcontracting, contractors. This paper focuses on safety on multi-employer worksites in high-risk industries. Relevant industries are those that utilize flexible labour arrangements and specialization, such as construction, mining and petroleum production, and that traditionally have been high-risk due to hazards in the physical work environment and the occurrence of unsafe work processes and practices. These industries also share common characteristics in matters of overall work environments, multi-employer worksites (including subcontracting chains), as well as tasks performed by contractors, making it relevant to explore and clarify the situation regarding the safety of the affected groups. A comprehensive review is performed of 43 peer-reviewed research articles published up until early 2015, with a main focus on international studies covering safety issues on multi-employer worksites in construction and industrial work settings such as mining, petroleum production and manufacturing. The results show that previous research has focused on a number of key issues that may be divided into three broad categories: 1-contract work characteristics; 2-structural/organizational factors and conditions; 3-cultural conditions. Much of the focus is on structure and organization, for example, how multi-employer arrangements can lead to breakdowns in communication and overall disorganization effects in relation to safety. There is, however, a need for further studies on the nature of these structural and organizational factors and conditions, such as focused studies on the consequences of power asymmetry for the ability of contractors to adhere to safety laws and regulations. Furthermore, we argue that the development towards blurred organizational boundaries in these networks due to extensive outsourcing and long-term contracts may be a worthwhile avenue for future research into safety on multi-employer worksites. KEYWORDS: safety, multi-employer worksites, outsourcing, subcontracting, contractors. Cet article se concentre sur les mesures de securite dans les chantiers multiemployeurs d'industries a hauts risques. Les industries concernees sont celles qui font appel a l'organisation du travail flexible et a la specialisation, telles que la construction, l'activite miniere et l'industrie petroliere, et qui sont traditionnellement reconnues comme comportant des risques eleves a la sante a cause des dangers inherents a l'environnement physique du travail et a l'existence de pratiques et de processus de travail non securitaires. Ces industries ont aussi en commun certaines caracteristiques en matiere d'environnement de travail general dans des milieux de travail multi-employeurs (incluant des chaines de sous-contractants), de meme qu'en matiere d'activites exercees par les entrepreneurs, justifiant ainsi le besoin d'explorer et de clarifier la situation en regard de la securite au travail des groupes affectes. Pour ce faire, nous avons mene un examen approfondi de 43 articles de recherches evalues par des pairs et publies jusqu'au debut avril 2015, avec une attention particuliere envers les etudes internationales couvrant les questions de securite au travail dans des milieux multi-employeurs dans la construction et dans des secteurs industriels, telles l'activite miniere, la production petroliere et l'activite manufacturiere. Les resultats indiquent que ces recherches ont jusqu'ici identifie un certain nombre d'enjeux-cles qui peuvent etre regroupes en trois grandes categories : 1-les caracteristiques du contrat de travail; 2-les conditions et les facteurs structurels et organisationnels; 3-les conditions culturelles. L'attention principale porte sur les dimensions structurelles et organisationnelles, a savoir comment les dispositions multi-employeurs peuvent conduire a des ruptures dans la communication et a des effets de desorganisation generale en matiere de securite au travail. Il y a, egalement, un besoin de poursuivre les etudes sur la nature de ces facteurs et de ces conditions structurelles et organisationnelles, notamment la realisation d'etudes portant sur les consequences de l'asymetrie de pouvoir et sur la capacite des entrepreneurs d'adherer aux reglementations et aux lois en matiere de securite au travail. De plus, nous soutenons que la croissance de frontieres organisationnelles floues dans ces reseaux, en raison de l'existence d'une importante sous-traitance et de contrats a long terme, devrait se reveler une avenue prometteuse pour les futures recherches sur la securite au travail dans des milieux multi-employeurs. MOTS-CLES : securite au travail, lieux de travail multi-employeurs, impartition, soustraitance, entrepreneur. Este articulo focaliza las medidas de seguridad en los empleos multi-patronales de las industrias a alto riesgo. Se trata de las industrias que utilizan la organizacion de trabajo flexible y la especializacion, tales como la construccion, la actividad minera y la produccion petrolera, tradicionalmente reconocidas como actividades de alto riesgo debido a los peligros inherentes al entorno fisico del trabajo y a la existencia de practicas y procesos de trabajo inseguros. Estas industrias comparten tambien ciertas caracteristicas comunes en materia de ambiente general de trabajo, los empleos multi-patronales (incluyendo las cadenas de subcontratacion) asi como las actividades ejercidas por los contratistas, confirmando asi la pertinencia de explorar y esclarecer la situacion respecto a la seguridad ocupacional de los grupos afectados. Para ello, se llevo a cabo un estudio exhaustivo de 43 articulos cientificos publicados hasta principios de 2015, con un enfasis particular en los estudios internacionales que cubren las cuestiones de seguridad ocupacional en los empleos multi-patronales del sector de la construccion, asi como de las industrias minera, petrolera y manufacturera. Los resultados muestran que las investigaciones anteriores se han centrado en una serie de cuestiones claves que pueden ser reagrupados en tres grandes categorias: 1) las caracteristicas del contrato de trabajo; 2) las condiciones y factores estructurales y organizacionales; 3) las condiciones culturales. La atencion principal es puesta en las dimensiones estructurales y organizaciones, asi, por ejemplo, como los acuerdos entre multiples empleadores pueden conducir a rupturas en la comunicacion y provocar efectos de desorganizacion general en materia de seguridad. Se constata, sin embargo, la necesidad de continuar los estudios sobre la naturaleza de dichos factores y las condiciones estructurales y organizacionales, y de realizar estudios sobre las consecuencias de la asimetria de poder y la capacidad de los contratistas de adherir a las leyes y reglamentaciones en materia de seguridad ocupacional. Es mas, sostenemos que el crecimiento de fronteras organizacionales nebulosas en esas redes, debido a la amplitud de imparticion externa y de los contratos a largo tiempo, puede constituir una via prometedora para futuras investigaciones sobre la seguridad ocupacional en los lugares de trabajo multipatronales. PALABRAS CLAVES: seguridad ocupacional, lugares de trabajo multi-empleadores, imparticion, sub-contratacion, contratistas., Introduction For the past century, work organization based on flexible labour arrangements and specialization has been common in some industries, such as construction (Johnstone et al., 2001; Weil, 2014). Over [...]

The most critical capabilities which are common to some of the best Western aerospace manufacturing subcontractors are intangible, difficult to imitate or not easily transferable. These capabilities indicate that leading subcontractors have a specific competitive advantage that is difficult for others to imitate. However, the case contrasts with less performing subcontractors, who, in the near future, may encounter competitive pressures resulting from the new industrialized countries.

Introduction Study of the literature on subcontracting and related issues has revealed a dearth of work in this area in the manufacturing sector[1]. This, despite recent initiatives aimed at highlighting [...]

Real estate assets are playing a smaller role in manufacturing as technological and management innovations allow for greater synergies between companies. Companies such as Benetton, Microsoft, Nike and Sun Microsystems require little space since most of their manufacturing activities are contracted out to foreign suppliers. Advances in computer and telecommunications technology allow these manufacturing relationships to become viable and profitable. These changes force a corporate real estate manager to assume the role of an integrator, rather than supplier.

New partnerships between large firm and small firm are being forged in the U.K. through subcontracting. An emerging model of 'Japanese-style' partnerships is being introduced through Japanese direct investment and emulation by Western firms. This article reports on research into four large manufacturers and a selection of their suppliers and describes this transformation away from an adversarial form of contracting to higher trust obligational relationships. It also analyses the barriers to implementation and the pressures that it poses for the supplier firms.

A proposed method to analyze whether or not a company should outsource the information systems (IS) function and to what degree of outsourcing is presented. The analytical hierarchy process (AHP) provides an effective method for analyzing and justifying IS outsourcing alternatives. AHP uses valuation ratings and involves structuring hierarchies, calculating priorities and relative weights.

Claus Reichmann tries to be careful about who he works with. Reichmann, owner of Global Tile Co., a Waukesha firm that installs ceramic tile, checks up on general contractors, building [...]

From afar, some might think subcontractors working on commercial and residential projects have it easy. Get in, get the job done, get out, get paid. Not so, say some local [...]

There are a number of provisions in the subcontract used by Laing Management which give cause for concern. Subcontractors are required to pass the terms of the subcontract on to their subcontractors, for example, having already been forced to accept unreasonable conditions which appear in the main contract. The company gives itself extensive rights to make set-off deductions, and these could make the subcontractor's cash flow very exposed. A further provision states that the subcontract must be carried out 'within times allocated by the contractor.'

Subcontractors should be very cautious about the 13-page subcontract used by Birse Construction. The conditions of this subcontract contain a large number of provisions which could potentially cause problems for subcontractors. Furthermore, they could have a negative impact on the reasonable balance of standard DOM/1 conditions. Areas of danger include rules relating to daywork sheets, with the subcontractor having to overcome a number of barriers before payment can be obtained.

Clauses of Hayden Young's subcontract are analyzed, with a response by the firm. Analysis note 97 from the Confederation of Construction Specialists comprises the analysis.

St. Louis has traveled far to increase minority- and women-owned business participation in construction projects, but the community has miles to go before it sleeps, contractors and officials say. In [...]

SMACNA to AGC: Two subcontracts best, sometimes SAN FRANCISCO - The direct bidding dispute between sheet metal and mechanical contractors moved here last month as officers representing the feuding associations [...]

If you do a lot of business with professional customers you may have noticed some of the subtle changes taking place within the building and remodeling industry. For retailers who [...]

Subcontractors in the construction industry generally have a negative image, being associated with high bills and poor quality work. However, the new concept of partnering could change this. Under this system, closer links are established between clients, contractors and specialists, moving away from the wide gaps which are still very common within the construction industry. Partnering has already attracted some of the leading construction industry clients.

The freight industry is constantly being told of huge new warehousing and logistics centres being set up by specialist companies. We gain the impression that industries and businesses all over [...]

Lockheed to Keep F-22 Subs WASHINGTON -- Lockheed will not re-compete any of its F-22 Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) avionic subsystems if the firm wins the flyoff competition against Northrop, […]