I have a client, one that has some potential of sending me business, in the past I've had quite a bit of work from them, but not much for about five years. One of the tasks I have to do to keep this one client is to sign up with a safety site. This site requires company information and sends out notices to me that I'm late providing it. Far as I can see that's all they do. Oh, and they send a bill for their "services" every year.
Two weeks ago I start getting urgent emails from them that I'm late filling out some forms.
They want to know why I didn't already send these forms in that I have no idea about.?ÿ
I then have to drop everything and figure out how to satisfy the forms.
The main question was about accidents, I put in none and sent it in.?ÿ
Well that wasn't enough, they need total man hours worked and a bunch of other stuff.
Why that makes a difference when you didn't have anything injuries or accidents to report is beyond me.?ÿ
So I dig all that up, fill out the form "correctly" and don't hear anything from them, I figure I'm good.?ÿ
Then a couple of days ago I find out that the company I'm doing this for is going out of business.
Would have been nice to find out that two weeks ago.?ÿ
I can't wait for the next bill to come due in August.
I'm going to enjoy very much not paying that one.?ÿ
That reminds me of getting an urgent letter from a client wanting proof that I carried $3 million in accident insurance because of their new requirements for contractors.
I called them and told them that they only gave me a half dozen jobs of 1 to 30 acres of boundary surveys each year and unless they wanted to pay my premiums, there was not going to be any proof. They exempted me from that and most any other requirement they had.
I would send them a bill for the time lost filling out useless forms.
?ÿ
I would cancel not now and ask for a prorated refund. You are not going to work for that client at this point. Are you??ÿ
reminds me of those firms who are hired to audit certificates of insurance for their clients. Always something and I got tired of sending their non compliance letters to my insurer to respond. Then out of the clear blue, they wanted me to insure against subsidence for a 50% bump on gen liability. I did not respond and they kept sending me letters and my Client kept paying our invoices. Weigh the cost of compliance and if you want to keep that client.
I won't be working with them, but there are some rumors that another company will take over their assets. It's possible, I guess, that I will still need to be signed up with this "service" after it all shakes out. I'm going to need some more commitment if anyone wants me to stay in this thing after August when the next "payment for services" will be due.?ÿ
MightyMoe it sounds like your dealing with MSHA (Mining Health and Safety) they are STUPID strict on safety matters and the monthly reports have to detail ALL incidents that cause over $200 in property damage or ANY bodily injury (includes scrapes, bruises bumps and ANYTHING bleeds) and every incident requires a drug / alcohol screening of ALL parties.?ÿ
It is a report for something to do with the government. I simply don't understand why I need to dig out man hours worked when there is 0 incidents to report. It can't be the ratio
If you do have an incident then the reporting gets huge. And this was for the entire year, we weren't on any MSHA jobs this year, the way it's going there may not be many left in a couple of years.