Conduct Inspections
Managers and employees should inspect the materials, equipment, and tools they use at their workstations for hazardous conditions at the beginning of each shift.
They should inspect equipment they work with, such as forklifts, trucks, and other vehicles before using them at the start of each shift. It is best to inspect closely and often.
Inspection Checklists: Use checklists, such as those included in OSHA's Small Business Handbook (PDF), to help identify problems.
If you are asked to write questions for a safety inspection, use the following steps:
- Determine the area to be inspected.
- Ask workers in the area what tasks/jobs they do.
- Ask them to send you a copy of the applicable rules.
- When you receive the rules (don't panic) read through the applicable sections and mark those rules that you think might result in serious injury if violated.
- Change each marked rule into a simple question. Questions will start with the words: Do, does, is, are.
- Construct your checklist using the questions you developed.
- Be careful your checklists do not cause "tunnel vision" in which hazards can be missed if they are not listed on the checklist.
The walk-around inspection, as a process, is ineffective in uncovering most of the causes of accidents (unsafe behaviors). This is because most inspectors look primarily at hazardous conditions and do not take enough time to watch and analyze work procedures effectively.
Sometimes the inspectors walk into an area, look up, look down, look all around, and possibly ask a few questions, and then move on to the next work area.
It is possible to inspect a work area on Monday, and then experience a fatality on Tuesday because of unsafe work behavior that the inspection failed to uncover the day before. The solution is to take your time when inspecting, watch work being done, and ask questions.
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
3-5. Which of the following is the primary reason walk-around safety inspectors fail to detect most of the surface causes of accidents?
You forgot to answer the question!