The Relationship between Construction Contractors and Their Clients in Petrochemical and Related Industries

The construction industry has higher accident rates than normal manufacturing. Very high accident rates were found amongst contractors in parts of the Norwegian offshore industry. The term contractor includes individual workers, small firms, and large construction companies with many employees. The contractor is exposed to process risks and diverse occupational risks while doing maintenance or construction work. Clients have legal obligations to inspect contractors' safety performance. They are also accountable for contractors' accidents. A certain model used in the Norwegian offshore industry for managing contractor safety, the integration model, was developed from quality management principles. Contractors are hired for short-term and long-term construction projects, and during this time their safety programs are reviewed and adapted to the programs of clients. Results from American studies have shown many structural problems within the contractor-client relationship. This paper attempts to describe the main problems of contracting from a broad perspective, attempting to bring up relevant safety practices in construction with a view toward construction contractors in petrochemical and related industries.