Field Notes
What's actually happening on job sites.
First-hand observations from Canadian construction — gates, compliance, and the gap between what looks valid and what is.
Not Every Contractor Has a Safety Manager
Certs live with one person — the owner, an office admin, whoever's good with the spreadsheet. At 7 AM at the gate, that person isn't answering.
Who Owns the Risk?
An electrician's ticket expired three weeks ago. The regulator doesn't just ask the sub why it wasn't renewed. They ask the GC why he was let in.
Software Doesn't Replace Verification
Every site superintendent we've spoken with uses software to track certificates. Every one of them still checks in person.
The Sub-Trade Blind Spot
The framing sub showed up Monday with four workers. The GC's binder had the sub's COI. It said nothing about the four guys on the roof.
What We Actually Check When We Verify a Certificate
Most platforms let workers upload a photo and call it verified. We don't stop there.
The Compliance Package Request
Friday at 4 PM. The GC needs your full compliance package by Monday morning.
The Spreadsheet That Ran the Site
47 workers. One Excel file. Three people with edit access. Nobody agreed on which version was current.
Expired But 'Looks Valid'
The date said 2025. The card was laminated and worn. That cert had been cancelled by the issuer in 2023.
The Morning Gate Problem
7:12 AM. A worker arrives. His ticket looks valid. Nobody checks the issuer.