Primary Department: Commissioner, Precinct 1
Primary Department Head/Elected Official: Commissioner Rodney Ellis
Secondary Department: Choose an item.
Secondary Department Head/Elected Official:
Regular or Supplemental RCA: Supplemental RCA
Type of Request: Policy
Project ID (if applicable):
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MWBE Contracted Goal (if applicable): N/A
MWBE Current Participation (if applicable):
Justification for 0% MWBE Participation Goal: N/A - Goal not applicable to request
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Justification for 0% Grant Indirect Costs Rate (if applicable): Choose an item.
Request Summary (Agenda Caption):
title
Request by the Commissioner of Precinct 1 for discussion and possible action on revisions to the Contractor Safety Record Policy.
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Background and Discussion:
In January 2025, the Commissioners Court direct the Department of Economic Equity & Opportunity (DEEO) to collaborate with Purchasing, the County Attorney’s Office and key stakeholders to apply lessons learned to the Contractor Safety Record Policy. The original goal was to provide revisions to the Court by April 2025.
The policy is intended to eliminate the most egregious violators of worker safety regulations and to ensure require that vendors’ workers have OSHA-10 certification and that vendors have not been listed on OSHA’s Severe Violator Enforcement Program. By focusing on OSHA’s Severe Violator Enforcement Program (SVEP) Log and firms with a conviction of a criminal offense in connection with a workplace incident that resulted in serious bodily harm or death, Harris County can keep workers and workplaces safe.
Texas leads the nation in workplace fatalities, with 564 in 2023 - over 10% of work-related deaths nationwide. Investing in worker safety and training protects the health and safety of workers, leads to better quality projects, reduces turnover, and helps people build a viable career in construction. The Contractor Safety Record Policy workgroup included feedback from Labor, Contractors and vendors that implement OSHA standards. The revisions to the policy have experienced significant delays.
Expected Impact: Hold contractors accountable for worker training and safe worksites.
Alternative Options: Less accountability for safe worksites for workers.
County Strategic Plan Goal: 3. Make our economy more inclusive.
County Strategic Plan Objective: L: Foster more living-wage jobs that ensure worker safety, benefits, and stability across all educational levels.
Justice/Safety Initiative (Goal 1): Choose an item.
Infrastructure Initiative (Goal 2): Choose an item.
Economy Initiative (Goal 3): L2: Further expand and enforce contractor worker safety policy/standards.
Health Initiative (Goal 4): Choose an item.
Climate/Resilience Initiative (Goal 5): Choose an item.
Housing Initiative (Goal 6): Choose an item.
Additional notes related to the Strategic Plan:
Prior Court Action (if any):
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Date |
Agenda Item # |
Action Taken |
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1/7/2025 |
279 |
Approval to start process to update the Contractor Safety Record Policy |
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Address (if applicable):
Precinct(s): Countywide
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Anticipated Court Date: 10/16/2025
Anticipated Implementation Date (if different from Court date): 12/1/2025
Emergency/Disaster Recovery Note: Not an emergency, disaster, or ARPA related item
Contact(s) name, title, department: Erica Lee Carter, Policy Director, Office of Commissioner Rodney Ellis, Pct. 1
Attachments (if applicable): Current Contractor Safety Policy