What belongs in a site-specific safety plan
Five sections carry the weight: site and project identification, the scope of work actually performed at that location, assigned responsibilities (including the competent person by name), the hazards present at that site with the control for each, and emergency action information tied to that address — nearest medical facility, muster point, evacuation route, first aid and AED locations. A site orientation acknowledgement closes it out by proving the crew was briefed.
Why generic plans get rejected
Reviewers read the hazard and emergency sections first, because those are the ones a copy-paste plan can't fake. If the hazards listed don't match the scope, or the emergency information still names a hospital three states away, the plan comes back regardless of how complete the rest of it looks. More on making programs genuinely site-specific.
OSHA site specific safety plan requirements
OSHA does not publish one rule titled "site specific safety plan". The content comes from the standards that apply to the work being performed at that address — fall protection under 1926 Subpart M, excavation under Subpart P, hazard communication, and the competent-person duties each of those standards names. The site plan is where those obligations get stated for this location, this scope, and this crew, alongside the emergency information for that address.
What general contractors and client reviewers look for in an SSSP
Reviewers check that the hazards listed match the scope of work, that a competent person is designated with the duty spelled out, that emergency information names a facility and route reachable from that address, and that the orientation acknowledgement has real signature lines left for the crew to sign. Requirements vary by contract and by reviewer, so read the submission instructions you were given.
Difference between a company safety manual and an SSSP
The company safety manual states your written programs once — policy, procedure, responsibilities, training. The site specific safety plan applies those programs to one job: what is being built, the hazards actually present, who holds each duty on that site, and what happens in an emergency there. You need both; one does not substitute for the other.
Common questions
Who has to sign it?
Typically the preparer plus everyone who receives site orientation. Keep the signed acknowledgement with the plan — it's the part that demonstrates the briefing happened.
Do I need one per site or per project?
Per site, and re-issued when the scope, crew, or conditions materially change. One plan covering several unrelated locations defeats the purpose.
Does this replace my written programs?
No — it sits on top of them. See which written programs OSHA requires for your work.