It is fair to say that over the last several decades providing H&S has become a must for any diligent contractor, as clients also need to know that they have hired a competent business partner.
In that time and with the introduction of technology, H&S has become a huge business on its own. We would like to spend a little time discussing the differences in what a contractor may consider looking for when shopping for an H&S platform for their company. The most common denominator that is probably going to be one of the first will/should be the size of the workforce you are employing. The larger the workforce seems to dictate the size and cost of these platforms from the basic to the extremely detailed ones.
Let’s take a look at some numbers in Ontario to begin the conversation, as of late 2022 there are over 128,000 registered contractors with Workplace and Insurance Board (WSIB) in the construction sector. This includes all classes of employers. We can break down the size of the contractors even further by the number of employees to continue the conversation:
| Contractor Class | Contractor Size | Number of Contractors |
| 1 | 10 men or less | 121,147 |
| 2 | 10 men but less than 20 | 3,769 |
| 3 | 20 men and less than 50 | 2,419 |
| 4 | 50 men and less than 100 | 778 |
| 5 | more than 100 men | 521 |
I would say that those constructors in classes 3, 4, and 5 would have some form of a commercialized or in-house formal H&S platform to use. Constructors in 1 & 2 more than likely do not use a commercialized or in-house H&S platform. There are some very logical reasons for this such as (1) cost, (2) time, and (3) what/why it is needed.
When you consider the contractor’s size, it makes sense that the larger contractor will require all of the necessary paper/documentation to be stored in one place so others could access what they may need and/or keep up with retraining or adding new training.
Meanwhile, a small employer does not have the same needs as the larger one with H&S. However, it can still take advantage of new technology that will give them automation, speed, and accuracy at a reduced cost but with similar benefits.
workXid was designed to be used by the small to largest contractor as it has an expandable platform and our pricing is in-line with this concept, workXid and its data can be used via an API to any existing H&S platform.
Even though every contractor must comply with regulations and exercise due diligence, a smaller contractor might prioritize adhering to the Act and Regulations over analytics.
Some key areas that all contractors have in common would be, having your safety policy available, having all safety training & records up-to-date and available, doing “toolbox talks” and documenting where, when, and who attended them, making sure your supervisors are properly trained, have a supervisor log book that is active and accessible on a daily bases.
The workXid system offers numerous other contractor features that you can check out under the “features section”. We will be working on a “Supervisors Digital Logbook” in 2023 and considering the creation of a JSA’s (job safety analysis) tool soon.
workXid products are designed to support all sizes of contractors. However, there is no doubt that the 20 men and under constructors remain the largest group of contractors registered with the WSIB. This group does not get as much attention as they should regarding H&S platforms.
WorkXid is indeed trying to assist the 20 men and other constructors by providing cost-effective and easy-to-use products.
A small contractor with 10 or fewer employees can use our complete system, including all features, for an annual fee of less than $500.00 including taxes. For contractors eligible to participate in the workXid Trainer Discount Program, the price drops even more.
