What is the ideal safety inspection? It certainly isn’t a surprise visit from an OSHA inspector. And it’s not one that follows a safety incident. It isn’t even an inspection that’s part of a workplace safety audit. The ideal inspection is a routine that you and your employees faithfully observe and manage yourselves.
Five Good Reasons to Inspect
To protect workers and prevent accidents, you need to know everything about the areas you supervise and the work that goes on there. Routine inspections help you:
- Make sure that safety and health policies and procedures are being followed.
- Identify and correct safety and health hazards before they cause injuries or illnesses.
- Determine the need for safety training.
- Ensure that your work areas will fare well in the next workplace safety audit and would pass an OSHA inspection with flying colors.
- Show employees you’re concerned about their safety and health.
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When and How
The OSHA Required Training for Supervisors monthly newsletter says that the optimum timing of safety inspections depends on the type of work areas you supervise. Very hazardous areas might require formal, scheduled weekly inspections, whereas office areas may need only a monthly inspection.
Supplement formal, scheduled inspections with informal daily walkaround inspections of most or all work areas. Also, conduct some unscheduled inspections, especially targeting areas that have had more than their share of safety problems. Use follow-up inspections to make sure that problems identified in prior inspections have been effectively fixed.
Create and use checklists for every safety inspection. For daily walkarounds, you may carry the list in your head. But for more detailed inspections, use a written checklist so you can check off each item as you inspect it. Leave space for notes and descriptions of issues that need attention.
Employee Involvement Is a Big Plus
As the supervisor, you take the lead in work area inspections. You’re also the one responsible for making sure action is taken to correct problems. But you don’t have to go it alone. Work area safety inspections are a great training tool and a good way to involve employees in safety programs. Getting employees involved motivates them to work more safely as well as saving you time.
Here’s how employees can help with inspections:
- Ask workers to help develop inspection checklists for their work areas.
- Appoint individuals or a team to conduct inspections under your supervision. Members can serve on a rotating basis to involve everyone.
- Meet with employee inspectors after the inspection, and discuss safety problems and corrective action.
- Talk about the results of work area inspections with all employees in weekly safety meetings.
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What to Look For
Depending on the type of inspection you’re conducting, your inspection checklists will vary in length and detail. Here are some common inspection lists.
Housekeeping and General Storage
- Are work areas neat, clean, and orderly?
- Are aisles clear?
- Are floors free of tripping and slipping hazards?
- Are trash and other waste material placed in proper containers and disposed of regularly?
- Are materials and supplies stored safely?
- Is ventilation operating properly?
- Is lighting adequate?
- Are stairways clean, clear, and well lit?
- Are appropriate warning signs posted where necessary and do workers obey them?
Fire Prevention
- Are flammable materials stored properly?
- Are “No Smoking” signs posted in appropriate areas?
- Are fire alarms and extinguishers accessible?
- Are fire extinguishers fully charged and ready to use?
- Are sprinkler systems operating properly and not blocked by stacked materials?
- Are emergency exits open and accessible?
Machinery and Equipment
- Are machines and equipment clean and well-lubricated?
- Are machines equipped with required guards and safety devices, and are they operating properly?
- Are electrical cords, wires, and plugs in good condition?
- Are machine repairs being performed only by qualified personnel?
- Are lockout/tagout procedures followed for equipment maintenance and repairs?
Emergency Preparedness
- Are emergency exits and routes clearly marked and known to all employees in the work area?
- Are eyewash stations and emergency showers available if required and working properly?
- Are first-aid supplies available?
- Are emergency numbers posted by all telephones in the work area?
Clearly, you will want to create checklists for other purposes, including personal protective equipment (PPE) and hazardous substances, to name just two.
Tomorrow we’ll look at some of the legal, management, and training issues involved with self-inspections.