Safety sampling procedures and techniques

Safety sampling: -

This is a random sampling exercise in which observers follow a pre-determined route usually at normal walking pace and note any omissions or non-compliances. The number of non-compliance’s etc. are counted to provide a score of the overall effectiveness of the safety performance. The technique has little scientific validity (the observer’s attentiveness is sure to vary) but has the advantage of raising the profile of the safety improvement effort.

Safety sampling is a technique performed in a workplace or hazardous area that is used to measure potential for accidents. This is done using a list of standards or regulations from a federal agency including The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), or The American National Standards Institute (ANSI), and any unacceptable deviations from those standards or regulations. Safety sampling is performed by routine checks or inspections. It is a repeatable process designed to ensure compliance to federal standards over a long term basis and to keep safety levels high consistently. Employers should work with a qualified safety coordinator who has experience in creating, reviewing and maintaining standard operating procedures and their documentation, as well as perform safety inspections and help staff to comply with federal standards through staff training procedures.

Even if safety inspections were not strongly recommended, they are an excellent way for the department to reference the commitment to safe work practices, provide practical training in safety awareness and minimize hazards at the workplace. These inspections provide a systematic method for involving supervisors, employees, safety coordinators, and/or safety committees in the process of eliminating workplace hazards.

Types of Safety Inspections

There are several ways to perform safety inspections of a workplace, task or job. The most popular ways include using checklists, general knowledge, and risk mapping. To be effective, safety inspections must be individualized or tailored to meet the needs of a specific workplace, task or job.

Safety Checklist Inspections

A checklist is very good for the regular inspection of specific items. However, they may not be as useful in identifying previously unrecognized hazards. Many different checklists are available from a variety of sources. Unfortunately, since these readymade checklists are generic, they rarely meet the needs of a specific workplace, task or job. However, you may find them useful to inspect a part of your area. For instance, the owner's manual for a table saw may have a checklist that works perfectly for inspecting the saw in a department shop. Taking parts of several ready-made checklists and putting them together may be an easy method of beginning the development of your customized checklist.

General Knowledge Safety Inspections

Another way of conducting inspections is to use the information you have in your head and just walk around looking at what is going on. You do not use a pre-made checklist for this type of inspection. This method keeps you from getting stuck looking at the same things every time. However, the effectiveness of this inspection method is dependent on the individual's level of knowledge about workplace related safety practices. It is important to document the results of the inspection and any action taken in resolving or addressing safety hazards.

 

 

Risk Mapping Safety Inspections

The third inspection method is called risk mapping. It is a good method to use at a safety meeting where everyone there is familiar with the workplace or process. This technique uses a map/drawing of the workplace or a list of steps in a process. People in the group then tell the leader the hazards they recognize and where they are located in the workplace or process. The leader uses different colours or symbols to identify different types of hazards on the map or list of steps. This type of inspection is valuable for involving all employees in identifying and resolving safety hazards.

What should you include in your inspections?

When you do your inspections make sure you are looking at your entire operation's safety program.

Remember to evaluate:

• processes
• equipment
• workplace environment
• employee training
• emergency plans

Where a health and safety representative has drawn your attention to the findings of an inspection they have carried out, you should consider the matter and decide what appropriate follow-up action should be taken. Union-appointed health and safety representatives can inspect the workplace. They have to give reasonable notice in writing when they intend to carry out a formal inspection of the workplace, and have not inspected it in the previous three months. If there is substantial change in conditions of work or HSE publishes new information on hazards, the representatives are entitled to carry out inspections before three months have elapsed, or if it is by agreement. The frequency of inspections will depend on the nature of the work. Inspections may be less often, for example, if the work environment is low risk like in a predominantly administrative office. But if there are certain areas of a workplace or specific activities that are high risk or changing rapidly, more frequent inspection may be justified, for example on a construction project.

Following-up after an inspection: -

After an inspection:

Explain the reasons for any follow-up action you decide to take to your representatives. Let the representative who notified you of the inspection have the opportunity to inspect again so they can check if the issues raised got appropriate attention, and record their views. Share the follow-up action taken throughout the workplace and other relevant parts of the business, including the health and safety committee where there is one. There may be times when action may not be appropriate, you may not be able to act within a reasonable period of time, or when the action you take is not acceptable to your safety representatives. It is advisable to explain the reasons for the action you have decided to take in writing to your representatives.

Requirements: -

Employers are required to develop procedures and schedules for regular workplace inspections. They are also required to maintain a workplace and the necessary equipment, systems and tools that are safe and without risk to their workers. Maintaining a healthy and safe workplace would also include ergonomic considerations. To determine how often workplace inspections, need to be conducted – daily, weekly, monthly, annually, etc. – employers need to determine what is necessary to ensure the recognition, evaluation and control of workplace hazards. Reviewing the following may assist them to make that determination:

• the industry involved;
• the kinds of work carried out;
• the risks and hazards involved in the work and in the environment,
• including ergonomic risks;
• the number of different work areas;
• the number of workers in each work area;
• the hours of operation;
• the pace of the work; and
• other factors that are reasonable to include.

Employers must also consult with their OH&S committees about scheduling workplace inspections and ensuring their committees actively participate in conducting them. Employers must also comply with industry-specific or hazard specific legislation. Some of these fall under: Asbestos Abatement Regulations; Asbestos Exposure Code Regulations; OH&S First Aid Regulations; Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) Regulations; and Regulations; Mines Safety of Workers Regulations; and Regulations. Employers should be aware of the legislation related to their industry and to specific hazards in their workplaces.

Procedures: -

As an important part of the OH&S program, workplace inspections should have procedures to ensure their effectiveness. are the step by step process for completing workplace inspections? The procedures should identify those responsible for conducting and those responsible for communicating each step of the inspection. Ergonomic considerations should be a part of all workplace inspection procedures.

Reasons for conducting workplace inspections are to

 prevent workplace injury, illness and property damage;

 recognize existing and potential hazards including ergonomic risks;

 recommend and monitor corrective actions;

 gain a better understanding of work processes and tasks;

 improve communication between workplace parties;

 encourage workplace parties to voice their OH&S concerns;

 increase knowledge and understanding about preventing injury, illness and property damage;

 raise awareness of the role of OH&S committees;

 improve OH&S in the workplace; and

 ensure a healthy and safe environment.

Employers are to: -

• provide the resources – human and financial – to carry out regular workplace inspections;
• ensure workplace inspections procedures are developed;
• ensure all workers are provided with the education and training needed to understand their responsibility and to co-operate with those conducting workplace inspections;
• consult with OH&S committees about scheduling workplace inspections;
• ensure OH&S committees take an active role in workplace inspections;
• review workplace inspections reports;
• ensure recommendations for corrective action are implemented, monitored, evaluated and communicated; and
• review workplace inspections procedures at least every three years.

All Workers including Managers and Supervisors are to: -

• participate in workplace inspections when requested;
• make suggestions for corrective actions to those conducting workplace inspections; and
• take part in training or the development of safe work practices and procedures required as the result of the workplace inspections.

OH&S Committees are to: -

• co-operate with the employer in scheduling workplace inspections;
• actively participate in workplace inspections;
• review all workplace inspections reports;
• make recommendations for corrective action to the employer;
• monitor implementation, follow-up, and evaluation of corrective actions;
• regularly monitor the effectiveness of workplace inspections and make recommendations for improvement when appropriate;
• review workplace inspections procedures; and
• ensure ergonomic considerations are included in all workplace inspections.

Steps in the workplace inspection process: -

The workplace inspections procedures should outline a step-by-step process for carrying out each step in workplace inspections. The major steps involved in workplace inspections are:

Step 1: - Planning workplace inspections

Scheduling Workplace Inspections

Employers must consult with OH&S committees to schedule workplace inspections. A step-by-step process for scheduling should be included in the workplace inspections procedures. Consider the following when developing the schedule:

• who will conduct workplace inspections;
• the size of the workplace;
• the operations carried out in the workplace;
• kinds of existing and potential hazards including ergonomic risks;
• hours of work;
• number of shifts;
• seasonal operations; and
• any other aspects specific to the workplace that may affect how and when inspections can be conducted.

It is important for those conducting workplace inspections to observe workers and supervisors while they are working and to ask questions about work processes, safe work practices and procedures, training, etc. Therefore, workplace inspections should be scheduled during hours of operation and take into account all shifts. The workplace inspections procedures should include a process for reviewing the items on the checklist. The checklist should never be considered a permanent document. It should be reviewed regularly and revised when there are changes to equipment, tools or work processes, and when hazards are identified either by staff or as the result of an accident/incident investigation or a workplace inspection.

The checklist should be used as a guide only. Those conducting the inspections must be constantly alert to and record hazards that may not be on the checklist. All workplace parties should work co-operatively to develop the best workplace inspections checklist for their specific work area. Supervisors and workers know their work processes and work areas the best. Therefore, they can add great value to the development of the checklist. Ergonomic risks must be included on all workplace inspections checklists. There is no one best way to design a workplace inspections checklist. Depending on the workplace, checklists may be designed based on work areas, equipment, work processes, etc. If the workplace is large or has many complex work processes, more than one checklist may be required.

The steps involved in preparing for workplace inspections should be detailed in the workplace inspections procedures. This should include a review of appropriate legislation, industry standards, manufacturer's equipment specifications, etc. Previous workplace inspections checklists and reports, recommendations from the previous workplace inspections for possible follow-up, floor diagram and route for inspections and accident/incident investigation reports for possible follow-up.

Step 2: -Conducting workplace inspections

The following suggestions for conducting effective workplace inspections should be included in workplace inspections procedures.

Tips for conducting effective workplace inspections: -

• Draw attention to the presence of any immediate danger other items can await the final report.
• Shut down and lock out any hazardous items that cannot be brought to a safe operating standard until repaired.
• Do not operate equipment. Ask the operator for a demonstration. If the operator of any piece of equipment does not know what dangers may be present, this is cause for concern. Never ignore any item because you do not have knowledge to make an accurate judgment of safety.
• Look up, down, around and inside. Be methodical and thorough. Do not spoil inspections with a once-over-lightly approach.
• Clearly describe each hazard and its exact location in your rough notes. Allow on-the-spot recording of all findings before they are forgotten. Record what you have or have not examined in case inspections are interrupted.
• Ask questions, but do not unnecessarily disrupt work activities. This may interfere with efficient assessment of the job function and may also create a potentially hazardous situation.
• Consider the static (stop position) and dynamic (in motion) conditions of the item you are inspecting. If a machine is shut down, consider postponing inspections until it is functioning again.
• Discuss as a group: "Can any problem, hazard or accident generate from this situation when looking at the equipment, the process or the environment?" And determine what corrections or controls are appropriate.
• Do not try to detect all hazards simply by relying on your senses or by looking at them during inspections.

Step 3: -Completing workplace inspections reports

Completing workplace inspections reports is a critical step since it summarizes the findings of inspections and provides recommendations for corrective actions. The attached list will help to ensure all important items are included in the inspections report.

Items to be included in workplace inspections reports: -

• time, date and area/department inspected;
• a clear description of existing or potential hazards observed;
• priority ranking according to risk: some corrective actions need to be immediate; others require more planning; while others may require temporary measures until a permanent solution can be implemented;
• recommendations for corrective actions, target date and person responsible for implementation;
• name of person(s) who conducted the inspection and completed the report;
• date the report was sent to the employer; and
• dates for and names of individuals responsible for follow-up/monitoring of corrective actions.

A copy of the workplace inspections report form should be included in the workplace inspections procedures, and those conducting workplace inspections should be trained in its use. The report should be written as soon as possible after inspections and follow a standardized format to help ensure consistency among the reports.

 

Distributing Copies of Workplace Inspections Reports: -

The workplace inspections procedures should list those who will receive the workplace inspections reports. Before being distributed, the report should be reviewed by those who conducted the inspections to ensure it is accurate, clear and complete. Copies should be distributed to:

• the employer;
• managers;
• supervisors;
• OH&S committees; and
• workers (the workplace inspections procedures should outline how the report is communicated to workers).

Step 4: -Monitoring corrective actions

Monitoring corrective actions is an important means of preventing injury, illness and property damage and ensuring implementation and effectiveness of corrective actions. The monitoring process should be included in the workplace inspections procedures. Ways to ensure corrective actions are monitored include:

• assigning follow-up responsibility to an individual;
• identifying the date for follow-up;
• documenting the individual(s) responsible for follow-up;
• including the follow-up date on the workplace inspections report;
• adding the corrective action to workplace inspections checklists for future monitoring; and
• training workers, including managers and supervisors, to note the effectiveness of the corrective action during their informal workplace inspections.

Role of OH&S Committees in Evaluating Workplace Inspections: -

OH&S committees actively participate in workplace inspections. The workplace inspections procedures should outline the role of OH&S committee’s in workplace inspections. As part of the internal responsibility, workplace inspections should be evaluated by OH&S committees. Following are sample questions OH&S committees may use when evaluating the effectiveness of workplace inspections.

• Is there a procedure(s) for conducting workplace inspections?
• Are regular workplace inspections conducted?
• Are workplace inspections procedures followed?
• Are all workers including managers and supervisors involved in workplace inspections?
• Does the employer consult with OH&S committees about scheduling inspections?
• Do OH&S committees actively participate in workplace inspections?
• Is a workplace inspections checklist used when conducting workplace inspections?
• Does the workplace inspections checklist include ergonomic risks?
• Is senior management involved in conducting workplace inspections?
• Are supervisors and front-line workers involved in workplace inspections?
• Are all areas of the workplace inspected (exterior and interior of facility)?
• Do OH&S committees review all workplace inspections reports?
• Are workplace inspections reports communicated to the employer and workers?
• Are workplace inspections reports kept by the employer and by OH&S committees?
• Are corrective actions put in place to prevent injury, illness and property damage?
• Are corrective actions monitored for effectiveness?

Conclusion: -

Workplace inspections are a key prevention tool. Employers are required to carry out formal workplace inspections and consult OH&S committees in scheduling them. Employers should also ensure OH&S committees actively participate in these inspections. In addition to actively participating, OH&S committees are responsible for monitoring the effectiveness of workplace inspections. Effective workplace inspections strengthen the overall OH&S program in a workplace and are critical to preventing injuries, illness and property damage. Having procedures that identify those responsible for the steps in workplace inspections and ensuring all workers understand their responsibility to cooperate with those conducting workplace inspections, strengthens the internal responsibility system. And this goes a long way to building a positive health and safety culture in a workplace.