Workplace inspections are planned walk-throughs of a specific location in the workplace. They’re used to examine several factors to prevent any possible injuries or illnesses.

Any workplace that deals with hazardous assets needs to perform inspections to protect the safety of personnel and the optimal operation of assets in question—and these inspections should be conducted regularly. That's because, without regularity, inspections won't be as effective as they are supposed to be.

Conducting Regular Inspections

A good example of the importance of frequency can be seen in Part II of the Canada Labour Code. According to it, an employer is obligated to perform workplace inspections every month. Failing to comply with this code can lead to the suspension or closure of your facility. Even worse, it can lead to serious accidents or death.

And for many work environments, following the minimum inspection requirements isn’t enough. Inspections may be necessary for every new shift.

However, the inspection schedule is not the same for everyone and will depend on several factors:

  1. The number of processes and operations at the location to be inspected
  2. The number of processes with higher hazard potential, as these often need more frequent inspections
  3. The number of different hazardous assets you have, as many of these have specific intervals at which they need to be inspected
  4. All the shifts your personnel have, as inspections shouldn’t happen in one particular shift.

In addition to this, you need to alter your schedule whenever a new asset is introduced to the workplace. Naturally, the rules about hazardous assets still apply.

After the inspection is conducted, if a hazard is identified, the employer has 30 days to resolve the issue, relying on recommendations from its health and safety leaders.

Takeaway

Regular inspections are crucial to minimizing the risk of accidents and the chance of an unsafe workplace. Not only does conducting inspections on schedule ensure costly equipment runs smoothly and effectively, it ultimately prevents injuries or illnesses and saves lives. Regular inspections also ensure you achieve compliance and meet the rules and regulations enforced by local, provincial, and state agencies.

If you want to make your regular inspections truly successful, you should consider using checklists that will help you cover all items the inspections should include, without omitting something or making an error.

The Checker offers more than a hundred checklist books designed for specific types of equipment, so take a look here to find the ones you need. For further information, feel free to contact us.

Image: Shutterstock

Tags: inspection best practices, facility audits, safety audits

FREE eBOOK
WHY INSPECT?

Learn how inspections can increase productivity, reduce costs, and improve safety in a systematic way that can be sustained as a competitive advantage.

Checker-Why-Inspect-Book-Blog-Graphic