Hazards can exist under desks, on the plant floor, in the air and pretty much
any place people work. Inspecting the workplace regularly for hazards is an
essential part of a health and safety program. Inspections help to prevent
injuries and illnesses by identifying and eliminating existing and potential
hazards.

There's more to a workplace inspection than just looking around. It involves
listening to people's concerns, fully understanding jobs and tasks, determining
the underlying causes of hazards, monitoring controls, and recommending
corrective action. Regular, thorough, workplace inspections by a trained
inspection team can help keep workers healthy and safe.

What the inspection should examine
An inspection must examine who, what, where, when and how, and include a
careful look at all workplace elements - the environment, the equipment and the
process. Particular attention should be given to equipment and items most
likely to develop unsafe or unhealthy conditions because of stress, wear,
impact, vibration, heat, corrosion, chemical reaction or misuse.

Workplace inspectors should look for biological (e.g. viruses and mould);
chemical (e.g., cleaners, adhesives, paints); ergonomic (e.g., repetitive and
forceful movements, and computer workstations); safety (e.g. inadequate machine
guards); and physical hazards (e.g. noise, heat, and cold).

Information needed for the inspection report

The information needed to complete the inspection report is very detailed.
Inspectors will need a diagram of the work area, a complete inventory of
equipment and chemicals used, as well as checklists to help clarify inspection
responsibilities and provide a record of inspection activities.

Conducting the inspection

Every workplace should have a schedule detailing when inspections will take
place and in which areas, who conducts the inspections, and how detailed the
inspections will be. The frequency of planned formal inspections may be set in
your legislation. High hazard or high risk areas should receive extra attention.

While conducting inspections inspectors must wear personal protective equipment
(PPE) where required, and should follow these basic principles:

• DRAW attention to the presence of any immediate danger - other items can await the final report.


• SHUT DOWN AND "LOCK OUT" any hazardous items that cannot be brought to a safe operating standard until repaired.


• LOOK up, down, around and inside. Be methodical and thorough. Do not spoil the inspection with a "once-over-lightly" approach.


• DESCRIBE clearly each hazard and its exact location in your rough notes.
  Allow "on-the-spot" recording of all findings before they are forgotten.


• ASK questions, but do not unnecessarily disrupt work activities.


• CONSIDER the static (stop position) and dynamic (in motion) conditions of the item you are inspecting. If a machine is shut down, consider postponing the inspection until it is functioning again.


• DISCUSS as a group, "Can any problem, hazard or accident generate from this situation when looking at the equipment, the process or the environment?"
  Determine what corrections or controls are appropriate.


• PHOTOGRAPH a particular situation if you are unable to clearly describe or sketch it.


• DO NOT OPERATE equipment. Ask the operator for a demonstration. If the operator of any piece of equipment does not know what dangers may be present, this is cause for concern. Never ignore any item because you do not have the knowledge to make an accurate judgement of safety.


• DO NOT TRY to detect all hazards simply by relying on your senses or by looking at them during the inspection. You may have to monitor equipment to measure the levels of exposure to chemicals, noise, radiation or biological agents.

What's in the final inspection report

To start, all unfinished items from the previous report should be carried over
to the new report for follow up. The new report should specify the exact
location of each hazard, a detailed description of the problem, the recommended
corrective action, and a definite date for correction. A priority level (e.g.
major, serious, minor) should be assigned to each hazard to indicate the
urgency of the corrective action required.

Follow-up and monitoring

Once an inspection is completed, it's not over. The health and safety committee
should review the reports to recommend corrective action where needed and then
review the progress of the recommendations. This will help in identifying
trends to maintain an effective health and safety program.

More info

AplusA-online.de - Source: Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety