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In some industries, such as mining, once-a-shift observations of workplace conditions are a regulatory requirement. But even when no legal requirement exists, routine workplace observations—ideally at the beginning of each shift—have become a recognized safety best practice.

The bottom line is that in every jurisdiction and industry in the U.S. and Canada, employers are legally responsible for providing a safe and healthful workplace, and workplace observations are an essential aspect of fulfilling that responsibility, regardless of whether they are specifically required by law.

Workplace observations can go by many names—“worksite inspections,” “health and safety inspections,” “hazard assessments,” “pre-job inspections,” etc. Whatever you call them, they keep personnel safe, and they demonstrate an organization’s commitment to safety—a commitment that regulators will favorably react to during inspections or incident investigations. A record of routine workplace observations and prompt corrective actions will also prove highly valuable in case of a liability question.

How to Conduct Workplace Observations

Workplace observations should be conducted by personnel with the experience, knowledge, and training to properly inspect the work area

The observer should look at all the workplace elements—people, environment, equipment, and processes. A checklist, such as The Checker, should be used to prevent the observer from overlooking anything.

Specific items to observe will of course vary between workplaces based on the type of work, industry, and unique environmental conditions. However, general areas to cover include:

  • environmental hazards (excessive noise, vibration or heat; poor lighting; poor ventilation; etc.)
  • personnel not following safe work practices
  • processes that put personnel at undue risk
  • equipment not working properly
  • chemical hazards (fumes, volatile materials, etc.)
  • biological hazards (viruses, bacteria, etc.)
  • fire safety (sprinklers, suitable egress, etc.).

The completion of the observation checklist is only the beginning of the process. Once hazards have been identified, they must be immediately corrected. And you’ll want to keep a record of both the problem and the corrective action.

You Don’t Have to Recreate the Wheel

If you want to begin conducting routine workplace observations, or if you want to improve how you do them, we’ve already created the tool you need.

You can use The Checker’s Worksite Reporter checklist books to conduct workplace observations for any type of worksite or industry (industrial, construction, public works, municipalities, mining, forestry, pulp & paper, warehousing, transportation, etc.) These checklists have been used by hundreds of organizations over many years to ensure that all necessary elements of the workplace are inspected, as well as to facilitate the corrective follow-up and recordkeeping.

The easy-to-use checklist form helps the observer identify problems, describe corrective actions that need to be done, prioritize the problems’ urgency, and set a timeline for completion. With two carbon copies under each form in the book, communication of results and record archiving is made easier.

For those interested in a software solution, The Checker Software can be used to conduct workplace observations—resulting in even faster and easier communication, instantaneous prompting of corrective actions, and automatic archiving. Plus, you gain the many other far-reaching benefits of the software!

Takeaway

Even if workplace observations aren’t explicitly required by regulations, they are a best practice for any organization serious about reducing the costs and consequences of poor safety. Checklists such as The Checker Worksite Reporter are a key tool in this observation process.

 

Tags: audit software

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