Everything you need to know about the worksite prevention plan

In the building and civil engineering sector, it's not uncommon for several companies to carry out work on the same site. This simultaneous activity can lead to increased risks and accidents on a worksite. To analyze and prevent all risks, and ensure the safety of workers, companies can draw up a prevention plan. Everything you need to know about the worksite prevention plan: how it works, its usefulness, how it is drawn up and communicated, its obligations.

The site prevention plan is a document designed to prevent risks associated the intervention of an external company (EE) within a user company (EU)or on its premises or worksites.

These risks may arise from interference between the activities, installations or equipment of the two companies on the same site. The prevention plan thus makes it possible to identify and formalize the additional risks - called interference risks - caused by this co-activity. This document defines the preventive measures to be associated with each risk of interference between the two activities.

The worksite prevention plan must be drawn up jointly by the two companies and makes it possible, among other things, to :

• define the scope of work by the outside company ;
• identify potential hazards ;
• indicate access and circulation routes to EU facilities for EE employees.

The rules applicable to the prevention plan are defined by the French Labor Code. A joint inspection must be carried out before starting work whatever the circumstances. For example, even if the outside company is already familiar with the site.

The site prevention plan must be be communicated at any time by :

• labor inspection ;
• occupational physicians from both companies;
• prevention officers of social security organizations ;
• delegates from the Organisme Professionnel Prévention Bâtiment Travaux Publics (OPPBTP);
• members of the Health, Safety and Working Conditions Committee (CHSCT);
• Social and Economic Committees (CSE).

The content of a worksite prevention plan is likely to evolve according to the nature of the activities and work to be carried out, the number of companies involved, and the prevention measures deemed necessary by the companies.

However, certain certain criteria must be included in the in the prevention plan :

• description of hazardous activities and corresponding preventive measures;
• the suitability of equipment, devices and installations for the operations to be carried out, as well as their maintenance conditions;
• instructions to be given to workers ;
• emergency first-aid organization and description;
• the conditions for employee participation in the various jobs and the organization of command.

In addition to this information, other documents are appended to the site prevention plan:

• the list of positions occupied by workers subject to enhanced individual monitoring due to the risks associated with work in the EU ; 
• identification of asbestos-containing materials or asbestos survey reports.

According to the French Labor Code, the drawing up of a worksite prevention plan is is mandatory in two cases.

Firstly, if the work involves risks identified by thedecree of March 19, 1993. This applies in particular to :

• exposing to ionizing radiation ;
• exposing to explosive, flammable, toxic, harmful, carcinogenic, mutagenic substances and preparations, etc. ;
• maintenance on very high or very low temperature installations;
• exposing workers to the risk of falling from a height of more than 3 metres;
• exposing you to the risk of drowning;
• exposing you to the risk of burial, etc.

The worksite prevention plan also remains mandatory where the work carried out by the subcontractor represents a total of at least 400 working hours over a period of 12 months or less.

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