What is a multi-employer worksite?

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Multi-employer worksites are sites at which two or more entities are performing tasks that will contribute to the completion of a common project. These employers are often performing very different types of work and may create hazards which other employers and their workers may not recognize. Therefore, special precautions must be taken when operating on a multi-employer worksite.
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What hazards are associated with multi-employer worksites?

1. Two or more activities are conducted by different employers, which are combined to create a hazard that was not previously there
2. One employer creates a hazard that exposes other employers and its workers to risk
3. Operational procedures of one employer conflict with another employer’s procedures and creates an operational hazard
4. Conflicting procedures on site cause confusion among workers and cause individuals to take risks they would not otherwise take
5. An employer assumes that the controlling employer has identified and mitigated all hazards, when they have not done so or have not done an adequate job of doing so
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What can you do to protect yourself and others against hazards created by multi-employer sites?

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1. Get acquainted with any site-specific safety plans which may be in place
2. Maintain a constant state of situational awareness
3. Stop, observe and think routinely about how other employer’s operations affect your safety and vice versa
4. Ensure that you are following the correct procedures for the task you are performing (some sites require you to use the controlling employer’s procedures while others may require you to use your employers procedures)
5. Pay special attention to heavy and mobile equipment being used by other employers and consider the impact of your heavy and mobile equipment activities on others
6. Never assume that another employer’s practice or procedure is safe without confirming with your supervisor
7. Report all multi-employer related hazards to your supervisor or someone else in your chain of command as soon as you become aware of them

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