How to manage contractor inductions and compliance across wind and solar farms
Grace Clueit 4 min read
Learn how to manage contractor inductions and compliance across wind and solar farms to improve safety and reduce risk.
Compliance within the Renewables Sector
From navigating power stations to wind turbines and electrical risks, the renewables industry is fast-paced and complex. It has unique challenges and safety risks that require structured induction and compliance processes in order to meet safety regulations.
From multiple sites to thousands of contractors, high turnover, diverse job roles, and risk-management, compliance is a vital consideration for companies within renewable operations.
Safety Risks and Hazards
From working with high voltage equipment and electrical hazards to high-risk environments, confined space entry, equipment failure, extreme weather, and working at heights, there are many safety requirements that need to be followed to ensure a safe working environment.
Industry Challenges:
Diverse job roles
Managing such a diverse workforce can be challenging. With multiple roles, job functions, seniorities and safety risks, a streamlined intuitive induction and contractor safety system can allow you to tailor induction workflows and compliance to roles.
High turnover
Renewables can be a high turnover industry with large numbers of contractors. Ensuring compliance for each worker and contractor would be extremely convoluted using traditional induction methods. A digital onboarding system allows you to simply send each worker a link and they can complete their induction, compliance and documentation requirements all on a centralised dashboard. Each worker will have their own profile so you can easily track compliance and induction status.
Tight deadlines
With tight deadlines on projects, companies operating in renewables don’t have time for lengthy face to face inductions or compliance processes. An induction and contractor management system provides you with time savings, reduced resources and less administrative load.
High risk nature
Being a high-risk industry, adhering to compliance and safety regulations is paramount. Traditional or paper-based onboarding is high-risk prone and important requirements or documentation can be missed or incomplete - putting you and your workforce at risk. Easily induct workers safely and keep on top of all risk assessments and safety protocols with a digital onboarding software.
Remote areas
Many renewable energy industries operate in remote areas which can make traditional inductions almost impossible. A digital induction and compliance system will allow your workforce to complete onboarding and safety standards remotely. A digital sign-in system facilitates worker check in on arrival - allowing you to track attendance and monitor who’s on site. This is also a great way to keep on top of incident reporting and emergency evacuation protocols.
Induction systems and contractor management systems are great tools to utilise to help safety and site managers stay on top of data and reporting, helping you to mitigate risk, prepare thoroughly, and identify gaps before they become an issue.
Contractor Management
A streamlined contractor management process helps ensure safety and compliance across the renewable energy industry. Site inductions, training and risk management are paramount in keeping your workers safe and meeting industry compliance requirements.
Digital learning management systems are exceptionally useful in facilitating contractor onboarding within these industries such as solar and wind farms.
Contractor Compliance Tools
Ensuring contractors are fully compliant is vital for smooth operations. A contractor management system is the perfect tool to ensure your contractors are fully vetted, insured and have met all safety regulations.
Here’s how Altora’s system helps you meet contractor safety expectations:
1. Create and invite your contractors:
Invite contractors to complete the prequalification process on Altora’s CMS. This will help you reduce administration time and overheads whilst providing an efficient process for your contractors to get started.
2. Prequalification
The contractor submits the required information and compliance documents such as permits, certifications, insurance documents, licences, and company policies.
3. Review and verify
Check compliance and ensure contractors have the correct WHS documents. Altora’s system will flag any missing or incomplete items, providing you with a safe, smooth and efficient way of ensuring compliance and risk management.
4. Worker inductions
You’ll be able to independently manage your own staff inductions and compliance. Altora’s system helps you ensure you’re providing a thorough and consistent induction that can be tailored to different job roles along with versatile training formats to suit different learning styles. Easily track completions and induction status to ensure your workers are fully compliant before commencement.
5. Automated reminder
Mitigate risk with automatic notifications for insurance renewals and expiring documents such as licences and certificates - keeping your workforce compliant and your mind at ease.
6. Manage and evaluate
Evaluate contractor compliance with comprehensive overviews and reporting tools. Easily pull up data to track trends, contractor performance and prepare for audits. Capitalise on a centralised dashboard to pull up contractor compliance with ease.
Altora's Renewable Energy Onboarding Solution
Combine our three products for the ultimate renewable energy onboarding experience:
