📋 How to Build a Construction Safety Plan
A complete guide to creating a site-specific safety plan that actually protects your workers — not one that sits in a binder on a shelf collecting dust.
What is a Site-Specific Safety Plan?
A site-specific safety plan (SSSP) is a written document that identifies the hazards, controls, procedures, and responsibilities for a specific construction project. It's tailored to the actual conditions, scope, and risks of your jobsite — not a generic company manual.
Other names you'll hear:
- Health and Safety Plan (HASP)
- Site Safety and Health Plan (SSHP)
- Project Safety Plan
- Construction Safety Program (when project-specific)
When Do You Need One?
| Situation | Required? |
|---|---|
| GC on a commercial project | Yes — almost always required by the owner |
| Subcontractor on a commercial project | Yes — GC will require it during prequalification |
| Government / public works projects | Yes — often required by specification |
| Projects with hazardous materials or operations | Yes — OSHA requires a HASP (29 CFR 1926.65) |
| Residential construction | Recommended but not always required |
| Any project where you want to win bids | Yes — a strong safety plan wins work |
Who Writes It?
| Role | Responsibility |
|---|---|
| Safety Director | Primary author — writes the plan, ensures regulatory compliance, customizes for site conditions |
| Project Manager | Provides project-specific details — scope, schedule, subcontractor list, owner requirements |
| Superintendent | Reviews for field practicality — "will this actually work on this site?" |
| Estimator / Pre-Con | Identifies safety costs during bidding — include plan requirements in the bid |
If you don't have a dedicated safety director, the project manager or superintendent writes the plan. Use this guide as your template. Consider hiring a safety consultant to review your first plan — it's worth the investment.
Company Safety Program vs. Site-Specific Safety Plan
These are not the same thing. You need both.
| Company Safety Program | Site-Specific Safety Plan | |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | Covers all company operations | Covers one specific project |
| Content | Policies, procedures, training requirements | Hazards, controls, emergency info for THIS site |
| Updates | Annually or when regulations change | When site conditions change, new phases begin, or incidents occur |
| Length | 50–200+ pages | 20–50 pages (focused) |
| Who reads it | All employees (during onboarding) | Everyone on this project (during orientation) |
| Example | "Our company requires 100% tie-off above 6 feet" | "On this project, fall protection anchor points are installed at grid lines A, C, and E on Level 3. Rescue equipment is located at the tool trailer." |
What Belongs in the Plan
Below are the 25 sections every comprehensive site-specific safety plan should include. For each section, you'll find what to include and a pro tip for making it effective.
1. Project Information
Include:
- Project name and address
- Owner, general contractor, and construction manager names and contacts
- Project description (building type, size, number of stories, scope)
- Estimated project duration (start and completion dates)
- Number of workers expected at peak
- Project phases and major milestones
Include a site map showing the project boundary, access points, trailer locations, laydown areas, and nearby roads. A visual reference makes orientation faster for every new worker.
2. Safety Policy Statement
Include:
- Company's commitment to safety in clear, direct language
- Statement that safety takes priority over production
- Signed by the company president or owner — not a middle manager
Keep it to one page. Workers read short, direct statements. Nobody reads a 3-page "corporate values" essay. Say it like you mean it: "No job is so important that we cannot take the time to do it safely. Every worker has the right and the responsibility to stop work if they see an unsafe condition."
3. Roles and Responsibilities
Include:
| Role | Key Safety Responsibilities |
|---|---|
| Safety Director | Plan development, training oversight, incident investigation, regulatory compliance, safety audits |
| Project Manager | Safety budget, subcontractor safety compliance, owner communication, safety metrics reporting |
| Superintendent | Daily safety enforcement, pre-task planning oversight, emergency coordination, weekly safety inspections |
| Foreman | Toolbox talks, JHAs, crew PPE compliance, hazard reporting, first-line emergency response |
| Workers | Follow safety rules, wear PPE, report hazards, participate in training, stop unsafe work |
| Subcontractors | Comply with site safety plan, provide their own safety plans, attend site safety meetings |
Add a "Stop Work Authority" section here. State clearly that every worker — regardless of rank or employer — has the authority and obligation to stop work when they see an imminent danger. This single statement changes culture.
4. Emergency Action Plan
Include:
- Emergency phone numbers (911, nearest hospital, poison control, company contacts)
- Nearest hospital name, address, phone number, and driving directions (with map)
- Evacuation routes for each work area (update as the building changes)
- Muster point locations
- Emergency alarm signals (what they sound like, what each means)
- Fire extinguisher locations
- First aid kit and AED locations
- Severe weather shelter locations
- Emergency roles: who calls 911, who leads evacuation, who does headcount
Post the emergency contact sheet at every entrance, in every trailer, and at every break area. Include a map to the hospital. New workers should be able to find emergency info in under 30 seconds without asking anyone.
5. Training Requirements
Include:
| Training Type | When | Who | Documentation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Site safety orientation | Before starting work | All workers, every employer | Signed acknowledgment |
| Daily toolbox talks | Every morning | All workers | Signed attendance |
| Task-specific training | Before performing the task | Workers assigned to the task | Training records |
| OSHA 10/30-hour | Before project start (per requirement) | As required by contract or law | Completion cards |
| Competent person training | Before supervising relevant work | Foremen, superintendents | Certificates |
| Equipment operator certification | Before operating equipment | Operators | Certification cards |
| First aid / CPR / AED | Before starting (2 per crew min.) | Designated first responders | Current certificates |
Use Safety Meetings to deliver orientation, toolbox talks, and task-specific training with built-in digital attendance tracking. This eliminates the paper chase and gives you instantly searchable training records for every worker on the project.
6. Hazard Communication (HazCom)
Include:
- Location of Safety Data Sheets (SDS) — must be accessible to all workers at all times
- Chemical inventory for the project (updated as chemicals arrive/leave)
- Container labeling requirements (GHS labels)
- Worker training on reading SDS and understanding labels
- Subcontractor chemical notification requirements
Keep a master SDS binder in the job trailer AND a digital copy on a tablet or phone. If a worker gets a chemical splash at 2 AM, they need the SDS immediately — not locked in an office.
7. PPE Requirements
Include:
| PPE | Site Minimum (All Workers, All Times) | Task-Specific (As Required) |
|---|---|---|
| Hard hat | ✅ | — |
| Safety glasses | ✅ | Goggles for grinding, cutting |
| High-visibility vest | ✅ | Class 3 near traffic |
| Steel/composite-toe boots | ✅ | Rubber boots for concrete |
| Hearing protection | — | When noise exceeds 85 dBA |
| Gloves | — | Task-specific (cut-resistant, chemical, welding) |
| Fall protection harness | — | Above 6 feet (or as specified) |
| Respiratory protection | — | Silica, welding fumes, painting, chemicals |
| Face shield | — | Grinding, chipping, chemical handling |
State the site minimum PPE clearly in the orientation and post it at every entrance. The most common OSHA citation on construction sites is PPE violations. Make the minimum non-negotiable.
8. Fall Protection Plan
Include:
- Trigger height (6 feet per OSHA, or lower if specified by owner/GC)
- Fall protection systems by work area and phase (guardrails, PFAS, safety nets, covers)
- Anchor point locations and rated capacities
- Harness and lanyard inspection requirements (before each use)
- Leading edge work procedures
- Controlled access zones (if used)
- Fall rescue plan — how will you rescue a worker suspended in a harness within 15 minutes?
Don't just write "100% tie-off above 6 feet." Specify WHERE workers tie off. Identify anchor points, install them before the work begins, and mark them clearly. A fall protection plan without identified anchor points is useless.
9. Electrical Safety Plan
Include:
- Assured grounding / GFCI requirements (GFCI on ALL temporary power per OSHA)
- Extension cord inspection and tagging program
- Lockout/tagout procedures (reference Section 16)
- Overhead power line clearance distances
- Temporary lighting requirements
- Qualified vs. unqualified electrical workers — who can do what
Color-code your cord inspection program by quarter (e.g., Q1 = red tape, Q2 = blue, Q3 = green, Q4 = yellow). This makes it instant to spot an uninspected cord on site.
10. Excavation / Trenching Plan
Include (if applicable):
- Utility locate requirements (811 call 48+ hours in advance)
- Competent person designation and qualifications
- Soil classification procedures
- Protective systems by depth and soil type (sloping, shoring, shielding)
- Access and egress (ladder within 25 feet of workers)
- Spoil pile placement (minimum 2 feet from edge)
- Atmospheric monitoring (when required)
- Daily and post-rain inspections
Name your designated competent person in the plan. OSHA will ask "Who is your competent person?" during any excavation inspection. "We have one" is not an answer. "Mike Johnson, who completed XYZ training on [date]" is.
11. Confined Space Plan
Include (if applicable):
- Permit-required confined space identification and inventory
- Entry permit procedures
- Atmospheric testing requirements (O2, LEL, CO, H2S — before and during entry)
- Ventilation requirements
- Rescue plan (on-site rescue team or arranged emergency services)
- Attendant responsibilities
- Entrant responsibilities
- Entry supervisor responsibilities
If you don't have a trained, equipped rescue team on site, you MUST arrange rescue services with the local fire department and confirm their response time and capabilities BEFORE any entry. Get this in writing.
12. Crane and Rigging Plan
Include (if applicable):
- Crane selection criteria and lift planning
- Critical lift procedures (lifts over 75% capacity, personnel hoisting, blind lifts)
- Rigging inspection requirements
- Signal person qualifications
- Operator certification requirements
- Power line clearance procedures
- Ground conditions and outrigger/mat requirements
- Pre-lift meeting requirements
Every critical lift needs a written lift plan reviewed by a qualified person BEFORE the crane arrives. Include the load weight, rigging configuration, boom length, radius, and ground bearing capacity. No plan = no lift.
13. Hot Work Procedures
Include:
- Hot work permit process (who authorizes, duration, conditions)
- Fire watch requirements (during and 30 minutes after)
- Combustible material clearance (35 feet or covered/shielded)
- Fire extinguisher requirements (charged, within 20 feet)
- Sprinkler impairment notification (if applicable)
- Prohibited areas for hot work (near fuel storage, flammable liquids, etc.)
Hot work is a leading cause of construction fires. The fire watch person must have NO other duties during the watch. If your fire watch is also welding, you don't have a fire watch.
14. Fire Prevention and Protection
Include:
- Fire extinguisher types, locations, and inspection schedule (monthly)
- Flammable material storage procedures (approved cabinets, quantities, separation)
- Smoking policy and designated areas
- Temporary heating equipment safety
- Housekeeping as fire prevention (combustible debris, oily rags)
- Fire department pre-planning (access routes, water supply, key box)
Walk the site weekly and ask: "If a fire started right here, could we get a fire truck to this location?" Construction sites change daily — access routes that existed last week may be blocked by material deliveries today.
15. Scaffolding Plan
Include:
- Scaffold types used on the project (frame, systems, suspended, mast-climbing)
- Competent person designation for erection, alteration, dismantling, and inspection
- Inspection schedule (before each shift and after weather events)
- Tag system (green = safe to use, red = do not use, yellow = modifications needed)
- Fall protection during erection and dismantling
- Load ratings and maximum capacities posted
- Access requirements (ladder, stair tower — no climbing frames)
Implement a scaffold tag system from day one. A worker should never have to guess whether a scaffold is safe to use. Green tag = inspected and safe. Red tag = do not use. No tag = do not use.
16. Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) Procedures
Include:
- Energy sources covered (electrical, mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, thermal, chemical, gravitational)
- Authorized vs. affected employees
- Lockout/tagout sequence (shutdown → isolation → lockout → stored energy release → verification)
- Group lockout procedures
- Lock and tag requirements (one lock per worker, personally keyed)
- Removal procedures
- Shift change procedures
"I flipped the breaker off" is not lockout/tagout. Every worker who could be injured by unexpected energization must have their own lock on the energy isolation device. No lock = no work.
17. Housekeeping Standards
Include:
- Daily cleanup expectations (every crew cleans their work area before leaving)
- Debris removal frequency and methods
- Material storage standards (neat stacks, secured against wind, clear of walkways)
- Walkway and stairway requirements (clear, well-lit, handrails)
- Waste segregation (general waste, recyclable, hazardous)
- Housekeeping inspection frequency (daily by foreman, weekly formal inspection)
Housekeeping is the number one indicator of overall site safety culture. An OSHA inspector's first impression of your site is formed in the first 30 seconds — before they even get out of their car. A clean site signals a safe site.
18. Incident Reporting Procedures
Include:
- What to report (injuries, near-misses, property damage, environmental releases)
- Reporting timeline (immediately for serious, same shift for all others)
- Reporting chain (worker → foreman → superintendent → safety director)
- OSHA notification requirements (8 hours for fatalities, 24 hours for hospitalizations/amputations/eye loss)
- Investigation process overview
- Corrective action process
- Reference the Incident Reporting Playbook for full detail
Include a simple, 1-page near-miss reporting form. The easier it is to report, the more reports you get. More reports = more hazards caught before someone gets hurt.
19. JHA/JSA Requirements
Include:
- When JHAs are required (every new task, high-hazard activities, changed conditions)
- Who prepares them (foreman with crew input)
- Review and approval process
- Pre-task meeting requirements
- JHA revision triggers (incidents, near-misses, condition changes)
- Reference the JHA Guide and JSA/JHA Playbook
A JHA that's written by the foreman alone at a desk is half a JHA. The crew who will do the work must participate in developing it. They see hazards the foreman doesn't.
20. Subcontractor Safety Requirements
Include:
- Prequalification requirements (EMR, OSHA logs, safety program, training records)
- Site orientation requirements (before any sub starts work)
- Sub safety plan submission and approval
- JHA requirements for sub activities
- PPE compliance expectations
- Reporting requirements (incidents, near-misses, hazards)
- Right to stop sub work for safety violations
- Disciplinary process (verbal warning → written warning → removal from site)
Your EMR and safety record are only as good as your worst subcontractor. Prequalify rigorously — an EMR above 1.2 should trigger extra scrutiny. Above 1.5 should require a safety improvement plan before starting work.
21. Drug and Alcohol Policy
Include:
- Prohibited substances
- Testing requirements (pre-employment, post-accident, reasonable suspicion, random)
- Consequences of positive tests
- Prescription medication reporting requirements
- State-specific requirements (marijuana laws vary by state — know your state)
Be clear and consistent. Every worker signs the policy during orientation. Enforce it the same way for the superintendent and the first-day laborer. Inconsistent enforcement invites lawsuits.
22. Disciplinary Program
Include:
- Progressive discipline steps (verbal warning → written warning → suspension → termination)
- Immediate termination offenses (fighting, impairment, willful disregard for life-safety rules)
- Documentation requirements for each step
- Right to remove workers from site (yours and the GC's)
- Appeal process (if applicable)
Frame discipline as "accountability," not punishment. The goal is to correct behavior, not fire people. But be clear: some violations — removing fall protection, working impaired, bypassing LOTO — are immediate termination because they can kill someone today.
23. Safety Inspection Program
Include:
| Inspection Type | Frequency | By Whom | Documented? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foreman pre-task walkthrough | Daily | Foreman | JHA / pre-task plan |
| Superintendent site walk | Daily | Superintendent | Daily report notes |
| Formal safety inspection | Weekly | Safety Director or Superintendent | Written inspection report |
| Equipment inspection | Per OSHA schedule | Competent person | Inspection logs |
| Scaffold inspection | Before each shift + after weather | Competent person | Scaffold tag + log |
| Fire extinguisher inspection | Monthly | Designated person | Inspection tags |
| Owner/GC safety audit | Monthly or per contract | Owner/GC safety team | Audit report |
Use BLDR Pro to document weekly safety inspections with timestamped, geotagged photos. Tag each finding with a severity level and assign corrective actions with due dates. This creates a searchable, auditable inspection history for the entire project.
24. Safety Metrics and Goals
Include:
| Metric | Definition | Project Goal |
|---|---|---|
| TRIR (Total Recordable Incident Rate) | (Recordable injuries × 200,000) ÷ hours worked | Below 2.0 (or below industry average) |
| DART Rate | (Days Away/Restricted/Transfer cases × 200,000) ÷ hours worked | Below 1.0 |
| Near-miss reporting rate | Near-miss reports per 200,000 hours | Increasing trend |
| Toolbox talk completion | % of crews holding daily talks | 100% |
| JHA completion rate | % of tasks with completed JHA before work starts | 100% |
| Safety inspection completion | % of scheduled inspections completed | 100% |
| Corrective action closure rate | % of findings closed by due date | 95%+ |
| Orientation completion | % of workers oriented before first shift | 100% |
Track leading indicators (inspections, training, near-miss reports) not just lagging indicators (injuries, TRIR). Leading indicators tell you where you're headed. Lagging indicators tell you where you've been.
25. Plan Review and Revision Schedule
Include:
- Initial review and approval process (who approves the plan before project starts)
- Revision triggers: new phase of work, incident, near-miss, OSHA visit, subcontractor mobilization, seasonal change
- Formal review schedule (quarterly at minimum)
- Revision tracking (version number, date, what changed, approved by)
- Communication of revisions to all site personnel
A safety plan that was written at project start and never updated is a liability, not a protection. Assign someone to review the plan whenever a new trade mobilizes, a new phase begins, or an incident occurs. Put review dates on the project schedule.
Safety Plan Quick-Start
Building your first safety plan? Start here.
This 10-step process gets you from zero to a working safety plan:
| Step | Action | Time Estimate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Download or create a template using the sections above | — |
| 2 | Fill in project information (Section 1) | 30 minutes |
| 3 | Copy your company safety policy statement (Section 2) | 15 minutes |
| 4 | Define roles and responsibilities (Section 3) | 1 hour |
| 5 | Build the emergency action plan — hospital route, contacts, muster points (Section 4) | 2 hours |
| 6 | List training requirements (Section 5) | 1 hour |
| 7 | Identify project-specific hazards and write applicable sections (Sections 7–17) | 4–8 hours |
| 8 | Define subcontractor requirements (Section 20) | 1 hour |
| 9 | Set metrics and goals (Section 24) | 30 minutes |
| 10 | Have superintendent review for field practicality, then get final approval | 2 hours |
Total estimated time for a first plan: 12–16 hours
After you've built your first one, subsequent projects take 4–6 hours because you're customizing a proven template rather than starting from scratch.
Use the Safety Plan Generator to build a site-specific safety plan with guided prompts for each section. It walks you through the process step by step and outputs a formatted plan ready for review.
Common Mistakes When Writing Safety Plans
| Mistake | Problem | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Copy/paste from another project | Doesn't address THIS site's hazards, conditions, or layout | Customize every section for the actual project |
| Too long and generic | Nobody reads a 200-page document that says nothing specific | Keep it focused — 20–50 pages of site-specific content |
| No emergency action plan detail | Workers don't know where to go, who to call, or how to get to the hospital | Include maps, phone numbers, routes, muster points — test them |
| Written by someone who's never visited the site | Misses site-specific hazards (adjacent highway, overhead power lines, school next door) | Walk the site before writing the plan |
| No subcontractor requirements | Subs show up with no safety program, no training, no PPE | Prequalify every sub, require their safety plan, orient before work starts |
| Written once, never updated | Doesn't reflect current site conditions, new hazards, or lessons learned | Review quarterly, update after every incident and phase change |
| No worker input | Misses field-level hazards that supervisors don't see | Involve foremen and workers — they know where the real dangers are |
| All PPE, no engineering controls | Relies on the weakest controls, ignores the hierarchy | Apply elimination and engineering controls first, PPE as last resort |
| No metrics or goals | No way to measure whether the plan is working | Set specific, measurable goals and track them |
How to Make the Plan Actually Work
Writing the plan is step one. Making it a living document that changes behavior on the jobsite is the real goal.
1. Make It Accessible
- Keep copies in the job trailer, at the foreman's station, and digitally on a shared drive
- Every worker should know where to find it
- Post key sections (emergency plan, PPE requirements, emergency contacts) visibly on site
2. Orient Every Worker
- Every person who steps on site — employee, subcontractor, visitor — gets oriented to the plan
- Cover the critical sections: emergency procedures, PPE, reporting, stop-work authority
- Document the orientation with signatures
3. Reference It Daily
- Toolbox talks should reference the safety plan ("Our plan requires 100% tie-off above 6 feet — here's where our anchor points are today")
- JHAs should align with the plan's requirements
- Incident investigations should check whether the plan was followed
4. Update It Continuously
- New phase of work? Update the plan.
- Incident or near-miss? Review and update.
- New subcontractor mobilizing? Update subcontractor sections.
- Seasonal change? Update weather-related sections.
5. Hold People Accountable
- Safety inspections should audit plan compliance
- Non-compliance should follow the disciplinary process outlined in the plan
- Recognize crews and workers who demonstrate plan compliance
Use BLDR Pro to store your safety plan digitally with photo documentation of emergency routes, PPE stations, and hazard areas. Update sections in real time as site conditions change. Use Safety Meetings to deliver orientation and daily training tied directly to plan sections, with digital attendance records. Use BLDR Time to track safety training hours alongside production hours for compliance reporting.
Related Resources
| Resource | Link |
|---|---|
| Safety Plan Generator | Generate Safety Plan |
| Safety Compliance Guide | Compliance Guide |
| JHA Guide | Job Hazard Analysis |
| Incident Reporting Playbook | Incident Reporting |
| Toolbox Talk Playbook | Toolbox Talks |
| Emergency Drill Playbook | Emergency Drills |
| EMR Explained | EMR Guide |
| Workers' Comp Guide | Workers' Comp |
| OSHA Recordkeeping | Recordkeeping Guide |
| Toolbox Talk Library | Browse All Talks |