An owner wishes to consider contractor safety records as a prequalification criterion. Which information should be requested from bidders?

• A. Contractor safety training certificates
• B. Contractor experience modification rates
• C. General liability limits
• D. Past project awards

Answer: (B)

Evaluating safety performance is about predicting on-site risk, not just credentials. The experience modification rate (EMR) is a payroll-based indicator that reflects a contractor’s past workers’ compensation claims relative to exposure, effectively showing how safely they operate and what claim costs to expect. A lower EMR signals better safety performance and lower project risk, making it the most informative prequalification measure for safety among the options. Training certificates show that some training occurred but not actual safety outcomes; general liability limits address financial protection rather than safety performance; past project awards don’t indicate how well a contractor manages safety. So, requesting the EMR from bidders best informs the owner about safety risk.