SAFETY AND HEALTH INSPECTION CHECKLIST1

Safety and Health Inspection Checklist

Alpheus Tyav

Columbia Southern University

Abstract

This paper outlines a safety and health inspection checklist for some selected hazards including ergonomic hazards and the associated musculoskeletal disorders, excessive lifting tasks hazards and extreme temperature hazards. Routine inspections form critical component of workplace accident prevention and also help in ensuring that work environment comply with requirements specified by Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards (Goetsch, 2015).Regular inspection of the work environment as well ashealth and safety equipment or measures required to be available in workplace is essential in ensuring a safe and healthy work behavior. To be able to perform an effective inspection, a checklist is thus used by inspectors or designated persons carrying out such inspection.Workplace injuries can have drastic consequences on both the employer and the employees making it necessary for a frequent safety inspection and application of appropriate action or corrective measures to prevent or at least minimize the occurrence of these injuries.

Safety and Health Inspection Checklist

An adequate design of workplace including equipment, work methods and tools is necessary to prevent or minimize the occurrence of work-related accidents (Goetsch, 2015).However, these designs and the job itself may pose a great hazard to employees. A routine inspection helps control these hazardsand it’s doneusing a suitable checklist. Goetsch (2015) also requires a means for feedback and follow-up. According to Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (2016), the safety inspection checklist should include the date of inspection, name and signature of person(s) carrying out the inspection amongst other items as presented below.

SAFETY AND HEALTH INSPECTION CHECKLIST

ITEM / YES / NO / CORRECTIVE ACTION
  1. ERGONOMIC HAZARDS

  1. Noise Hazards

Is there excessive noise?
Is the source of noise close to employee?
Are there guards and sound damping devices in place?
Are noise producing equipment well maintained (e.g. lubrication of machine parts)?
  1. Vision Hazards

Are there poor lighting conditions?
Is there excessive lighting?
Are there any chemicals toxic to the eyes?
Are there available safety glasses or lens?
  1. Vibration Hazards

Do employees use vibrating tools?
Do employees wear hand gloves or other appropriate personal protective equipment(PPE)?
Are there vibration-absorbing floor mats?
Are there vibration-absorbing seat covers?
  1. Seating and Standing Hazards

Is there improper seating or standing?
Does the seat have adequate cushioning?
Does the backrest provide support for employee’s lower back?
Do employees stand over prolonged periods?
Do employees stand on chairs or desks?
Are there anti-fatigue mats?
Are there foot rails and shoe inserts?
2. ASSOCIATED MUSCULOSKELETAL DISORDERS (MSDs) OR CUMULATIVE TRAUMA DISORDERS (CTDs) TO THE ABOVE HAZARDS.
Is there case of hearing loss?
Is any employee experiencing communication difficulty?
Is any employee experiencing visual impairment?
Any case of anxiety?
Any case of motion sickness due to vibration?
Is there any case of hand-arm vibration (HAV) syndrome?
Is there case of back pain?
Any case of osteoarthritis?
Any employee with heaviness and pain in the leg?
  1. EXCESSIVE LIFTING TASKS HAZARDS

Are the loads heavy?
Does the task involve holding loads away from trunk?
Does the task involve twisting?
Are there constraints on posture?
Are there poor floors?
Is there absence of suitable PPE?
Does the job need special training?
Does the job require unusual capability?
Does the task involve repetitive handling?
Is there any appropriate lifting formula available?
  1. EXCESSIVE TEMPERATURE HAZARDS

Are there very hot conditions?
Are there proper and adequate hydration tools available?
Do employees engage in adequate hydration?
Is there available first aid procedure?
Are employees wearing appropriate clothing?
Are employees trained to recognize and manage heat stress?

References

Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety. (2016). Inspection checklists-Sample

checklist for offices. Retrieved from

Goetsch, D.L. (2015). Occupational safety and health for technologists, engineers and managers

(8th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.

Professor’s feedback

Alpheus, this was the right idea! You just needed to have secondary sourced as appropriate (even in the abstract) to CSU APA Guide p. 6 style, created a checklist (not a form), not pluralized nouns with (s), cited every single checklist item to defend your use of the list, not use "e.g." in scholarly writing, and not used ALL CAPS in your document except for the running heads.