First, contractors will receive an invitation to register their company at our partner Achilles' website and enter basic contact and company information. Registration takes about 10 minutes to complete. When registering, contractors must accept ABB's Supplier Code of Conduct and Cyber Security Requirements.

Read more > Supplier Code of Conduct

Read more > Cyber Security Requirements

> Read more about Achilles

Next, in the self-assessment phase, contractors fill in a questionnaire (Construction Contractor Qualification Questionnaire, CCQQ) that covers the following areas of the contractor company:

• Current policies (e.g. Quality Policies)
• Standards adhered to (ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 / ISO 45001 or similar)
• Compliance (e.g. REACH and RoHS in the EU)
• Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) policies
• Previous project experience
• Performance and benchmarking
• The scope of offered services
• Staff resources.

The form and scope of the questionnaire is adjusted according to project’s requirements. Filling in the questionnaire includes reading and consenting to the ABB Code of Practice for Safe Working.

Based on the contractor’s self-assessment, ABB evaluates different areas of the contractor company, related risks and the capability to function as a contractor for ABB. Evaluation may include audits at the contractor’s site.

Contractors will be notified of the result of the qualification process: Qualified, Conditionally qualified or Disqualified. ABB may also give improvement suggestions. Getting Qualified status is the first step and a minimum requirement for ABB's contractors. ABB evaluates the suitability of contractors case-by-case.

In the contract negotiation phase, contractors shall deliver the information required by the Act on Contractors’ Obligations and Liability when Work is Contracted Out (in Finland). They shall also accept ABB HSE Contract terms and conditions, project specific terms and conditions, non-disclosure agreement and ABB General Terms and Conditions (ABB GTC).

Examples of required information according to the Act on the Contractors’ Obligations and Liability when Work is Contracted Out:

• Information on whether the enterprise is entered in the Prepayment Register and in the Employer Register in accordance with the Act on Prepayment of Tax, and registered as VAT liable in the Value Added Tax Register in compliance with the Value Added Tax Act
• Extract from the trade register
• Information showing that the enterprise does not have tax debts or a certificate provided by an authority showing the amount of the tax debt
• Certificates of employee’s pension insurances taken out and of pension insurance premiums paid, or an account that a payment agreement on outstanding pension insurance premiums has been made
• An account of the collective agreement or the principal terms of employment applicable to the work
• An account of provided occupational healthcare
• A certificate of mandatory accident insurance required in the building sector.
  

If the contractor is a foreign enterprise, corresponding information is required.
Read more > www.tem.fi/en/contractor-s-obligations-and-liability

Project specific Health, Safety and Environment contract terms and conditions cover, for example, the following topics:

• Safety responsibilities between the end customer, ABB and the contractor
• Supervision of work
• Site safety induction and guidance
• Collaboration and communication
• Lifting work and transportation
• Man lifts, ladders and scaffolding
• Electrical safety
• Chemicals
• Personal protection equipment and other protection equipment
• Site housekeeping
• Fire safety and hot work
• Site access control and data protection
• Prohibition of alcohol and drugs
• Occupational health care and first aid
• Insurances
• Inspections and audits.

ABB negotiates project contract with the contractor. The terms and conditions of the contract cover for example project technical and commercial requirements. Project specific terms and conditions may include terms and conditions defined by the end customer.

ABB General Terms and Conditions are always incorporated into the contract.

> All GTCs can be found here

Please select ABB GTC Civil and Installation Works or ABB GTC Site Services according to the contractor/work type.

Before starting work at the site, the workers should complete certain training and/or fulfill certain qualifications. Civil and Installation contractors will be required to deliver their project specific HSE Plan to ABB.

Examples of worker training that might be required in projects:

• General occupational safety training (Occupational Safety Card in Finland)
• Safety in electrical work
• First aid
• Hot work
• Lifting work
• Working at height
• Working in confined spaces
• Handling of compressed/hazardous gases

The contractor shall define with ABB and with the end customer the required worker qualifications of the project.

All workers shall, before starting work at an ABB site, complete ABB’s online training consisting of ABB’s general HSE training (Joint safety at work) and unit specific training that covers local HSE policies. All workers shall also participate in a site briefing/project specific induction on site. The end customer might also have their own inductions.

In Finland, each worker at the site must have Occupational Safety Card and ID card (with worker’s name, picture, tax number and the name of the employer). Foreign workers must also have an A1 (E 101) certificate.

On site contractors and workers shall follow local construction and installation regulations and the agreed HSE policies.

• In Finland, examples of HSE related laws and regulations are the Government Decree on the Safety of Construction Work (VNA 205/2009) and the Electrical Safety Act (1135/2016). Regarding materials and work methods, mostly The National Building Code of Finland (RakMK) and Eurocode standards should be applied.
• Workers shall follow ABB's safety policies, and also the end customer might have their own safety requirements. Please note that these policies and requirements can be stricter than local laws.
• Workers must report hazards, near misses, incidents and accidents and other safety related issues as agreed.
• Contractors shall deliver applicable work plans beforehand e.g. in case of lifting work, work in confined spaces or electrical installations.
• Contractors shall deliver a Safety Data Sheet when handling hazardous chemicals.
• Contractors shall regularly report to ABB of the progress of the work and attend agreed site surveys and audits.