Contractor selection is a critical and often complex process for any organization. The companies you choose to work with directly impact your organization’s safety record, and if you are not careful, this can carry negative consequences.
According to a recent story in Professional Safety Journal, contractors have higher fatality rates than hiring organizations. In fact, 72% of incidents occur from contractors with a previous incident in the last 12 months. And 60% of Incidents occur from contractors with 2 more incidents in the previous 12 months.
As a company that prioritizes safety and risk management, you must set requirements for the contractors you work with. Maintaining a comprehensive workplace safety program requires a contractor qualification system and management system that evaluates a firm’s safety program, establishes metrics for success, and measures them against performance benchmarks.
Software tools that assist in managing this data help streamline workflow related to contractor prequalification. The benefits of utilizing a contractor prequalification software are many – and being able to customize and update your own data is even more valuable.
3 Reasons to Use Contractor Prequalification Software
Read on to learn more about the benefits of efficient and effective contractor prequalification software.
1. Simplify Data Management
Contractor prequalification software makes it easy to collect various data and capture it all in one place. There is much value in owners, contractors, and subcontractors all being able to view and collaborate on one platform. This way, owners can stay updated, identify compliance issues that may lead to increased liability or risk, and celebrate best practices and good catches that contribute to a zero-incident workplace.
Moreover, the software allows contractors to be less burdened by administrative tasks so they can focus on implementing safe work practices. Some examples of applicable data to input into your software are:
- Corporate Safety Metrics
- OSHA Logs
- Experience Modification Rate
- Certificate of Insurance
- Client Specific Documents
2. Customize Scoring For Any Organization
There is no one-size-fits-all method for scoring in the prequalification process. The ability to customize a scoring method that fits your program is a great incentive. Software that carries this feature will take out the guesswork and give your team confidence when approving or denying a contractor. Listed below are some of the scoring methods that software should provide:
- Pass / Fail
- Predetermined Range
- Benchmark Metrics
3. Annually Updating Your Prequalification Standards Is a Must
Collecting and reviewing safety information every year ensures qualification is up to date and contractors continue to meet work requirements. Utilizing software that allows you to customize and update annually will ensure that your company’s prequalification standards are continually met and that your safety program continues to thrive.
The risks of working with underqualified and unsafe contractors are too high. For the safety of your people and the security of your company’s finances, working with safe and qualified subcontractors is the only way to maintain a successful safety program.
Rely on SMG’s VERO for Contractor Prequalification Software
SMG’s VERO Data Management Software checks all of the boxes when it comes to contractor prequalification software.
VERO is a complete software solution easily tailored to integrate all the elements of your safety program. With VERO, you can collect all of your data into one platform, track and trend leading and lagging indicators from a single dashboard, and automate necessary actions and communications for continuous improvement – all while reducing risk.
The best way to understand VERO’s capabilities is to see it in action. Schedule a VERO demo today, and see how simple yet powerful this system is.