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Workplace Safety Inspection Checklist

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Workplace Safety Inspection Checklist

A workplace safety inspection checklist is an essential requirement for all employers to prevent any workplace hazards from occurring. It is the basic right of every employee to be provided with a safe and healthy working environment. If the employer does not provide his employees with this basic right, then legal action can be taken against him.

Thus, to prevent any workplace hazards from happening, workplace safety inspection checklists are used to identify any potential workplace hazards that can occur. These potential hazards are identified through safety inspections, and various steps are taken to prevent them from occurring.  

What are the Workplace Safety Inspection Checklists?

The workplace safety inspection checklists are essential tools, used by safety officers, to help ensure the safety of all employees and relevant personnel who are present on the premises of a workplace.

All the potential workplace hazards are identified through safety inspections, using workplace safety inspection checklists. This helps to assess the safety level of a workplace and in identifying all potential hazards that are addressed accordingly. All of this is done to help to prevent any workplace hazards from occurring.    

Why Are Workplace Inspections Important?

To provide a safe environment for your workers and visitors, you must conduct workplace inspections timely, by health and safety committees. Regular workplace inspections help to reduce, or eliminate, the chances of any injuries, accidents, and illnesses at your workplace. Providing a good occupational health and safety program and management system to employees is the duty of every employer.

What Is The Purpose Of Workplace Inspections?

Workplace inspections are deemed necessary to allow you to:

Workplace Safety Inspections

Every workplace has a different safety checklist to follow. The workplace safety inspection checklist for a construction site would be very different from the safety checklist used for an office environment. There are more chances of workplace hazards occurring at a construction site than in an office environment.

The workplace safety inspectors are required to examine all the processes and activities that are conducted in a workplace, that could pose a threat to the safety and well-being of all the employees and other people involved. Hence, it is safe to say that every workplace should have a tailored office safety checklist.   

To explain this further, let us talk about the workplace hazards which could take place in different setups. For example, the potential hazards that could take place in an office environment include fire incidents. Thus, the safety checklist for an office would focus mainly on fire safety, emergency evacuation, and ergonomics in general.

In a factory setup, the safety checklist would focus more on PPE, forklifts, signage, racks, and shelving. To discuss this further, a few of the workplace safety inspection checklists have been discussed below:

General Safety Inspection Checklist

A general safety inspection checklist usually contains basic inspection details about emergency equipment, pathways, such as aisles and stairways, and the lighting in work areas. A typical general safety inspection checklist usually contains the following:

COVID-19 (Corona Virus) Inspection Checklist

In this global pandemic of COVID-19, numerous businesses, including well-established ones, have suffered tremendously. It is not a feasible option for companies and businesses to allow their employees to work remotely anymore. Normal life must resume, with the implementation of some new protocols.

All businesses should set up a COVID-19 Crisis Management Committee at their workplace. These committees must follow the guidelines set by the World Health Organization (WHO), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, and country-specific public health guidance platforms.

All employees must be briefed with the new workplace protocols that must be followed under all circumstances. They must attend sessions to be well-informed about how to properly wear and discard face masks and gloves, practicing social distancing by staying 6 feet apart, hand hygiene practices, and the ability to identify the symptoms of this virus (cough, high temperature, shortness of breath), and to quarantine at home. Employees must be provided with paid leaves.

Since all workplaces have been unoccupied for quite a few months, they must be thoroughly inspected to ensure they are ready for occupancy. The site inspection checklist must include checking for mold growth, rodents, stagnant water systems, and must ensure proper ventilation of the workplace. Once that is sorted, potential workplace hazards must be identified, which could increase the risk of COVID-19 transmission.

These places include meeting rooms, cafeteria, locker rooms, elevators, escalators, door handles, light switches, waiting areas, and routes of entry and exit. 

The COVID-19 safety checklist includes the following:

Site Safety Inspection Checklist- Safety Walk

This inspection checklist deals with the surrounding environment, work areas, emergency exits. This usually includes details about:

Workplace Safety Inspection Checklist for the Construction Site

The construction site safety checklist is used to examine the construction site for any hazards seen in areas of scaffolding, signage, emergency evacuation, etc. A typical workplace safety inspection checklist for a construction site includes details about the following:

Workplace Safety Inspection Checklist for the Warehouse

Inspecting the warehouse is also important. Potential safety hazards include forklift use, racking, and shelving, aisle accessibility, etc. The following are inspected thoroughly in the workplace safety checklist:

Workplace Safety Inspection Checklist Template for the Office

The workplace safety inspection checklist for the office usually contains details about the offices’ emergency evacuation, security, fire safety, accessibility, hygiene facilities, etc. A typical safety checklist for an office usually contains details about:

Safety Observation Form

The safety observation form is used to identify any hazards in the workplace. All details regarding the hazard must be listed, with images from the hierarchy of controls that is already present in the form, to help provide the safety officers with adequate details. Details regarding the control measure should also be mentioned.

Workplace Safety Risk Assessment Form

This form is used to identify safety hazards and prioritizing the corrective action that must be taken. The onsite risk is identified and a detailed description of the hazard, along with images are provided. The risk is rated (high, medium, or low) and relevant control measures and recommendations are included to help in its correction.

Food Service Operations Safety Inspection Checklist

Just like any office’s safety checklist, the foodservice operations safety inspection checklist is more or less the same. Since this service involves food, extra care must be taken regarding the storage and usage of edible goods and combustibles. Extra care must be taken regarding the cleanliness of the surroundings and the air quality for the workers. Usually, a food service safety inspection checklist contains details about the following:

Fire Safety Inspection Checklist

The OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) Small Business Handbook, the U.S. Dept. of Labor provides all the essential safety checklists regarding fire safety. It contains basic detailed questions about:

The OSHA Small Business Handbook provides many details, which are way beyond the scope of this article to cover. They have provided minute details regarding the latches of doors, the size of signs, etc. to help ensure that no fire hazard takes place on the premises of your office.

Self-Inspection Checklists

OSHA is the regulatory authority for occupational safety in the United States, has set up a few standards, which must be met to provide occupational safety to all your employees.

These safety audit checklists come in handy for managers, you can refer to them during regular audits and mock inspections. Seven of the OSHA checklists have been discussed below. Each heading has numerous questions that scrutinize the whole workplace.

1. Self Inspection Checklist for Construction

This inspection checklist contains different sections, which require details about the following:

2. Self-Inspection Checklist for General Industry

This inspection checklist contains different sections, which require details about the following:

3. Housekeeping Inspection

The OSHA housekeeping inspection checklist contains questions about residual dust, vacuum cleaners, flooring, potable water, toilets, handwashing facilities, cleaning schedules, changing rooms for housekeeping staff, etc.

4. Personal Protective Equipment Checklist

This checklist contains details about the PPE provided to the workers; how, why, and when do they wear it, etc.

5. Electrical Inspection Checklist

This checklist mainly emphasizes on the condition and maintenance of electrical wires and cords used in the facility.

6. Fall Protection Checklist

This checklist contains questions regarding scaffolds, ladders, aerial lifts, etc.

7. Truck Safety Inspection Checklist

This checklist has questions regarding the engine, service, headlights, indicators, brakes and brake lights, etc., of the truck being inspected.

What Type Of Hazards Do We Look For In A Workplace?

Hazards can be classified broadly into:

How Are The Inspections Done?

Before the safety inspectors inspect your workplace, review the inspection plan with the inspectors before they begin inspecting the premises. You must provide the inspectors with PPE, where required. Safety inspectors follow certain inspection principles. These principles are:

How Do You Plan For An Inspection?

It is always a better idea to do your research and planning before going to any inspection site. You must identify the areas or machinery that could be potential workplace hazards, or could be unsafe conditions to work in, due to heat, corrosion, chemicals, etc.

All areas, people, environment, equipment, and machinery, and the processes involved must be thoroughly inspected.  

Who Should Be On The Inspection Team?

The first choice of officers are the members of the Health and Safety committee, certification or training for formal inspections is a plus point. Apart from these officers, the inspection team may include others who have knowledge about potential hazards, various procedures and regulations, and those who have experience with work procedures involved.

Moreover, health and safety professionals, occupational hygienists, supervisors or managers, engineers, and maintenance personnel may be a part of the team or maybe called if their expertise is required during a specific inspection. If a large workplace has to be inspected, more than one inspection team can be sent to the premises.

Should Supervisors Be On The Inspection Team?

It varies with every inspection site. Supervisors tend to have an edge over others in a safety inspection. This is because they are familiar with the environment, the workers, and the machinery. However, this familiarity can also be a disadvantage because it can cause bias in the supervisor’s objectivity.

In the case, when the supervisor is not a part of the inspection team, he must be contacted by the inspection team, before inspecting a specific area, but he should not act as a tour guide. When the supervisor does not accompany the team during the inspection, the inspection team must consult the supervisor before leaving that area.

All recommendations must be discussed with the supervisor, including those, which need immediate action to be taken. The inspection team, under any circumstances, must not be influenced by the supervisor and must maintain a firm, friendly, and fair attitude.

How Long Does It Take To Carry Out An Inspection?

For the inspections to be as thorough as possible, there is no time frame set for the inspections. It depends on the size of the premises, the findings, and the questions that were asked.

How Frequently Should Inspections Be Done?

It is recommended that inspections should be carried out as often as committee meetings. However, you must schedule the meeting and inspection one week apart, to allow time for small things to be fixed. How often inspections are conducted depends upon a few factors. These factors are:

What Should The Final Report Contain?

The final report should contain all the observations made during the inspection, which was concluded to be hazardous. Details about the unsafe condition should include the area where it was inspected, the date and time, and the name of all the members of the inspection team.

Then, a priority level is assigned to the hazard observed. The priority levels are:

A: Major (immediate action required)

B: Serious (short-term action required)

C: Minor (long-term action required)  

Once the hazards have been identified and prioritized, corrective action is also recommended. Once the report is ready, all members of the inspection team must review it, and check for the accuracy, thoroughness, and clarity of the report.

Final Words- A quick look at the Benefits of a CMMS for Workplace Safety Inspection

The Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) software is the ideal solution for every business for a workplace safety inspection. All your documents are stored electronically, reducing your time and efforts spent to maintain and track records.

The benefits of using the CMMS for Workplace Safety Inspection checklist are:

Audit Trail Capabilities

All changes are logged as work orders, with details such as what changes were made, who made them and when were they made. This way you would have work order history, with all the documents required to pass audits. If your firm has multiple locations, you can verify all procedures, in addition to being able to see work order change records.

Reporting

Maintenance reports show the compliance of the safety regulations. These reports include the ones related to your equipment, maintenance activities, and labor. Custom reports can be made that suit your business requirements.

Customized Fields

You can ensure that all essential data has been recorded, without leaving out any details by adding customized fields.

Digital Signatures

Instead of relying on paper records, you can make use of the digital signatures to set work order closure permission approvals.

Employee Information

It is essential to maintain all your employees’ information. This may include their certificates, work experience, personal data, etc.

Preventative Maintenance Tasks

Adding preventative maintenance tasks to work orders ensures that the correct procedure is followed every time. Maintenance history serves as a proof of the jobs being completed.

The workplace safety inspection checklist is a very thorough checklist that has to be fulfilled by all manufacturers. This helps in protecting the employees from any health and safety hazards. Thus, ticking all the boxes on their checklist is extremely important.

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