Workplace Health and Safety Inspection Process

After the planning has been done, an appropriate inspection team have been identified, trained and assembled and all arrangement have been made to obtain all the specialized equipment and tools, the inspection can proceed.

The team leader should take charge of the inspection process, irrespective of the composition of the team and the seniority of the hosts.

At the commencement of the inspection discuss the planned route the inspection will be following. The leader of the group should reconfirm the role and responsibility of each team member by confirming the focus area of each member individually. It may sometimes be necessary to agree upon certain communication codes and signs between inspection team members. This eliminates the need for arm waving, shouting and other unsatisfactory methods of communication in high noise areas.

The full team should not all inspect the complete area. Each team member should have a clipboard or note pad, and appropriate checklists for the area or items to be inspected by him. Each team member should be allowed to conduct his part of the inspection at his own tempo.

The team leader should arrange before the start of the inspection that maintenance personnel and technical specialists are available during the inspection. This is necessary to ensure that the appropriate information and skills are available about any special equipment or processes that may be encountered during the inspection. At the start of the inspection their availability should be confirmed.

In some countries it may also be necessary (or even a legal requirement) to invite the union health and safety representative to accompany the inspection team.

It is essential that all members of the team and those accompanying them must wear personal protective equipment (PPE) according to the company standard. Individuals who do not have the required PPE and cannot get any, may not enter the area. This should be listed as a deficiency found during the inspection.

During the in inspection ensure that all the persons needed to operate machinery or provide technical information are available for interviews and to give explanations of the workplace being inspected.

On arrival at the inspection site, the specific area must be defined and pointed out to the hosts.

The leader must take charge of the inspection process. Prior to entering the inspection site the area should be assessed for the safety of the party. Special care should be taken not to expose the inspection team and other members assisting them to unnecessary risks.

Inspect the scene for any hazards that could cause an accident. The key to a successful inspection is to personally interview everyone who can provide information. Inspectors should emphasise that their inspection is a fact-finding, not faultfinding mission, otherwise the workers and supervisors who have the information may conceal information that they may feel will protect themselves and their fellow employees.

The inspector should not try and remember what every person had to say and also should not try and record everything that every person says. He should make notes of the salient points mentioned by each interviewee and ensure that he knows who said what in the event of them wanting to clear up any uncertainty. The taking of pictures to support the note taking as well as for inclusion in the inspection report is encouraged as long as it can be done safely.

Conducting inspections effectively can add a lot of health and safety value to any workplace if it is done correctly. Following the basic process defined above will assist in this regard.

(C) Carl Marx 2009