Washington Construction Accident Prevention Program (WAC 296-155-110)
The construction-context APP required of every WA construction employer. More detailed than the general-industry APP (WAC 296-800-140) — covers daily toolbox talks, multi-employer site coordination, qualified job-site inspections, and the rotating-workforce realities of construction.
When this template is required
Required of every Washington construction employer. WAC 296-155-110 specifies the construction-context APP requirements — more detailed than the general industry APP given construction-specific hazards (multi-employer sites, transient workforces, frequent task changes, exposure to mobile equipment). Daily site safety briefings (toolbox talks) are explicitly required.
Why this template
Construction-specific elements
Construction APPs differ from general-industry APPs in important ways: daily toolbox talks (vs. annual training cycle), multi-employer coordination (rather than single-employer fixed workplace), task-specific hazard analysis (rather than job-classification hazards), qualified inspector requirements. The plan addresses each construction-specific element.
52 weekly toolbox talk topics
Daily toolbox talks are required by WAC 296-155-110. The plan includes a 52-week rotating topic library covering common construction hazards (fall protection, electrical, struck-by, caught-in, PPE, weather, drugs/alcohol, etc.) — ready to use without further development.
Multi-employer site coordination
WA recognizes multi-employer site responsibilities (controlling, exposing, correcting, creating employer roles per WAC 296-155). The plan documents how the contractor's APP coordinates with other contractors' programs on shared sites.
Qualified inspector framework
Construction APPs require designated qualified persons to perform job-site inspections. The plan documents the qualifications, inspection cadence, and findings escalation.
What you receive
- WA Construction APP (Word .docx) — WAC 296-155-110 aligned
- Daily toolbox talk format and topic library (52 weekly topics)
- Qualified job-site inspector designation
- Multi-employer site coordination procedure (controlling vs. exposing vs. correcting vs. creating)
- New-hire and first-day-on-site orientation
- JHA framework adapted for construction tasks
- Subcontractor onboarding and qualification procedure
- Accident investigation procedure
- DOSH 'serious' citation defense documentation
- Annual program review
How you get it
This document is written and reviewed against the standard it cites, and it is ready now. The download link is emailed as soon as your payment clears.
Revisions included — if something about your operation changes what the document should say, reply to the delivery email and we will amend it.
Who buys this
- Washington general contractors (commercial, residential, civil)
- Washington specialty contractors (electrical, plumbing, HVAC, roofing, etc.)
- Washington heavy civil contractors (bridges, highways)
- Washington home builders and remodelers
- Washington solar/wind installation contractors
- Washington marine and shipyard work (with WAC 296-304 overlay)
Frequently asked
Why does WA construction have a separate APP requirement?
Construction has hazards and workforce realities that the general-industry APP (WAC 296-800-140) doesn't adequately address — multi-employer sites with overlapping responsibilities, transient workforces with constantly-changing exposure, task-by-task hazards rather than fixed workstation hazards, daily site changes. WAC 296-155-110 is built for construction; it complements (rather than replaces) other WAC 296-155 construction safety requirements.
What's a 'qualified inspector'?
Per WAC 296-155 definitions, a qualified person has the knowledge to identify hazards and the authority to take corrective measures. For construction APP inspections, the qualified person typically has formal training (10-hour or 30-hour OSHA training plus construction-specific experience) and the company's authority to stop unsafe work. The APP documents the qualifications.
How often are toolbox talks required?
WAC 296-155-110 requires regular safety meetings. Industry practice: daily before-shift toolbox talks (5-10 minutes) covering site-specific hazards, plus weekly more structured safety meetings (20-30 minutes) on broader topics. The plan provides a 52-week rotating topic library so each weekly meeting has fresh content.
What's multi-employer site coordination?
Most construction sites have multiple employers — GC, subs, sub-subs. WA OSH doctrine recognizes four roles: controlling employer (typically the GC, responsible for overall site safety); creating employer (whose employees created the hazard); exposing employer (whose employees are exposed); correcting employer (responsible for fixing the hazard). Each contractor's APP must address the multi-employer coordination. The plan includes the procedure.
Does this satisfy federal OSHA?
WA is a state-plan state. Federal OSHA does not apply to most WA private employers. The plan satisfies WISHA / WAC 296-155-110 (the WA construction standard). Federal contractors on federal projects in WA may have additional federal contractor requirements (EM 385-1-1) layered on; see our Federal Contractor AHA Pack for those.