Is the CAE more than just requesting documents from contractors on a platform?

Technology allows us to automate a large number of processes, drastically reduce workloads and facilitate collaboration between companies. However, we need to be aware that even car manufacturing is not fully robotised. In fact, the first cars that come off the production line of a new model are for scrap. Everything requires a minimum of running-in. At dokify we make it easy for you, with expert support right from the start.

A recurring theme when talking about CAE at events and conferences is the risk of forgetting the purpose of CAE and getting lost in the vast amount of document management involved. A CAE platform like dokify helps you eliminate a lot of the work by automating processes and this leaves you with more resources dedicated to focusing more on the goal of prevention.

In this article I discuss the need for exchange of documentation in a procurement, beyond the strict requirement of the CAE, different types of exchange between the companies involved and solutions to facilitate it.

But where do so many documents come from?

In addition to the CAE's responsibility for the outsourcing of services at their workplaces, companies assume responsibilities that go beyond this and involve a business risk for them. Naturally, we are already in a broader environment, which we can call risk management with third parties. Additional documents arise that need to be managed.

These risks are so closely linked to procurement that it makes no sense to separate the management of this documentation from the CAE.

We enter into the broader field of risk management with third parties.

Thus, for example, in cases of own activity, the main company "shall be jointly and severally liable for the Social Security obligations of contractors and subcontractors during the term of the contract for the three years following the termination of the contract". This is a risk that we must manage. And let us not forget that in this same case, written documentation must also be requested, such as the "negative certification for overdrafts in the General Treasury of the Social Security".

Although I sometimes meet prevention officers who complain about this increase in the management burden, theoretically unrelated to the coordination of business activities, the link is inescapable.

With whom are documents shared?

In the CAE process, there is an exchange of documentation, which is an essential support to the objectives of this process.

This exchange is mainly generated by the request for documents from the main company to the contractors. But there are other needs:

• The main company must share documents individually with each contractor. For example, prevention documents related to a workplace, such as an emergency plan, or a work procedure.
• The main company must transfer documents individually to a defined group of contractors. For example, the minutes of a planning meeting attended by all of them.
• Several undertakings must be able to exchange information of the same type among themselves: in particular reciprocal risks in a situation of concurrence, which must also be "in writing when any of the undertakings generates risks qualified as serious or very serious".

We see that the need for exchange of documents, written information, affects all CAE situations and in some particular cases we have higher requirements.

dokify is flexible enough to support different situations and makes it easy to work in a structured way:

• Dynamic templates generate customised pre-filled documents for contractors and streamline management.
• Downloadable documents linked to receipts give contractors access to prevention information and work procedures.
• The works and projects module, combined with the minutes module and the module for shared documents between concurrent companies, is perfect for working with special control in situations of greater risk or relevance.  

A CAE platform is a great help even when you are working with a small number of contractors, but it becomes essential as soon as the number of contractors starts to grow. With dokify, you can pay more attention to the most important aspects and exercise your monitoring duties more effectively. But don't forget that all automation requires supervision and has points where human intervention is essential. Our goal is to make the CAE process easier and reduce costs for everyone by applying technology.

We continuously improve our CAE platform to make the coordination of business activities and requirements management faster, more efficient and easier.

dokify is the easiest platform for the coordination of business activities (CAE), we create a collaborative network of companies.

request a demo

Excerpts from legislation on the coordination of business activities and the workers' statute

In case you are interested, here are some extracts from the applicable legislation: it never hurts to refresh concepts!

Royal Legislative Decree 2/2015, of 23 October, approving the revised text of the Workers' Statute Law.

Article 42. Subcontracting of works and services.

1. Employers who contract or subcontract with others for the performance of works or services corresponding to their own activity must check that the said contractors are up to date in the payment of Social Security contributions. To this end, they shall request in writing, with identification of the company concerned, negative certification for overdrafts at the General Treasury of the Social Security, which must inexcusably issue this certification within thirty non-extendable days and under the terms established by regulation. Once this period has elapsed, the applicant employer shall be exonerated from liability.
2. The principal employer is jointly and severally liable for the social security obligations of the contractors and subcontractors during the term of the contract, except for the expiry of the aforementioned period with regard to social security, and during the three years following the termination of the contract.

Royal Decree 171/2004, of 30 January 2004, which implements article 24 of Law 31/1995, of 8 November 1995, on the Prevention of Occupational Risks, on the coordination of business activities.

Article 4. Duty to cooperate.

1. When workers from two or more companies carry out activities in the same workplace, they shall cooperate in the application of the regulations on the prevention of occupational hazards in the manner established in this chapter.

The duty to cooperate shall apply to all undertakings and self-employed workers present at the workplace, whether or not there is a legal relationship between them.

2. The undertakings referred to in paragraph 1 shall inform each other of the risks specific to the activities they carry out at the workplace which may affect workers of the other undertakings operating at the workplace, in particular those which may be aggravated or modified by circumstances arising from the concurrence of activities.

The information shall be sufficient and shall be provided before the start of activities, when there is a change in concurrent activities relevant for preventive purposes and when an emergency situation has arisen.

The information shall be provided in writing when any of the undertakings generate risks classified as serious or very serious.

Article 10. Duty of care of the principal employer.

1. The principal employer, in addition to complying with the measures established in Chapters II and III of this Royal Decree, must monitor compliance with occupational risk prevention regulations by contractor or subcontractor companies for works and services corresponding to its own activity and which are carried out in its own work centre.
2. Prior to the commencement of the activity at his place of work, the principal employer shall require contractors and subcontractors to provide written proof that they have carried out, for the contracted works and services, the risk assessment and the planning of their preventive activity.

The principal employer shall also require such undertakings to provide written proof that they have fulfilled their information and training obligations in respect of the workers to be employed at the workplace.

The accreditations foreseen in the previous paragraphs must be required by the contracting company, to be handed over to the main contractor, when it subcontracts the execution of part of the work or service to another company.

3. The principal employer shall check that the necessary means of coordination have been established between the contractors and subcontractors operating at his worksite.

‍