Policy: /

Workplace Inspections

Owner of Policy:
SLT Sponsor:
Approval By: /
Date:
Original Effective Date: / Reviewed Date(s): / Revised Date(s):

POLICY STATEMENT

Regular workplace inspections are a proactive means to reducing risk to the health and safety of those in the workplace and is a necessary and critical part of a health and safety program. Inspections also help to ensure that XXXX meets the requirements of the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OHSA).

The goal of XXXX’s inspection program is to prevent injuries and illnesses by identifying and eliminating actual and potential hazards before they occur. In addition to identifying hazards, inspection reports are used to monitor standards and procedures and recommend changes. An inspection program will only be successful when there is a proactive approach and action taken to eliminate, or reduce the hazards found.

Workplace inspections ensure an effective audit of a department’s Internal Responsibility System (IRS) and its Occupational Health and Safety Management Programs.

Written workplace inspection reports serve as a valuable confirmation of due diligence, documenting that XXXX is taking every reasonable precaution under the circumstances to protect its employees, affiliates, students and volunteers.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Area Leadership (Director, Manager, Coordinator, Team Leader, Research and Clinical Leaders) will –

  • Conduct an annual workplace inspection (or on a more frequent basis when circumstances dictate) of their areas of responsibility.Every attempt should be made to conduct inspections on the opposing 6 months of the Joint Health and Safety Committee (JHSC) inspection.
  • Use accompanying tools, where relevant (checklist and workplace inspection form) to complete workplace inspections.
  • Send a copy of the completed workplace inspection to Occupational Health and Safety (OHS). The report must provide actions taken,or planned to take,to reduce or eliminate the risk
  • Work together with employees, where possible, to eliminate workplace hazards, exercise appropriate due diligence, and prioritize safety concerns on a daily basis.
  • Accompany or select individual(s) to accompany theJHSC in conducting workplace inspections.
  • Respond to recommendations made by the JHSC during their workplace inspection and within 10 days forward a copy of the completed and signed form to OHS. This response should include the actions taken, planned actions or an explanation indicating why you believe the hazard is not safety related.

Employees and Affiliates will –

  • Report to their immediate area leader any potential or actual workplace hazards they come across during their workday and complete a Workplace Occurrence Report – see Workplace Occurrence: Employee Injury/Illness, Near Miss, Hazardous Situation.
  • Take all reasonable precautions to minimize risk in the performance of their duties.
  • Work with area leadership to eliminate workplace hazards and exercise appropriate due diligence.

Joint Health and Safety Committee (JHSC) Members will -

  • Conduct annual workplace inspectionsof all areas of XXXX as required under the OHSA.
  • Introduce themselves, and where possible, arrange for area leader or an assigned representative to accompany JHSC members on their inspection.
  • Use accompanying tools, where relevant (checklist and workplace inspection form), to complete their inspection.
  • Provide thecompleted workplace inspection and recommendations (to reduce or eliminate risk) tothe area leader of each area inspected.
  • Send a copy of the completed workplace inspectionforms and recommendations to OHSS.

Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) will -

  • Review and follow up (where necessary) onworkplace inspections.
  • Monitor workplace inspections submitted.
  • Provide information, support and advice regarding health and safety legislation and workplace inspections.
  • Support employees and leadership to assess risks and implement controls to help minimize risk.

PROCEDURES

A Workplace Inspection Checklist provides a series of questions relating to certain categories of risk (chemical, compressed gas, etc). Different types of checklists are available that provides questions on a specific area of risk (i.e. general, laboratory and external areas – Appendix C). In addition, each checklist is accompanied by instructions for use (Appendix B) and a risk assessment form (appendix D) and is found on the OHS website:

These checklists and the completed risk assessment form can be filled out online and emailed to OHS or printed and mailed to OHS (

Leadership Procedures

Leadership Initiated Workplace Inspection

Area leadership will arrange workplace inspections in their areas of responsibility at least once a year with the aid of the workplace inspection checklist. These inspections should be arranged in the opposing 6 months to the JHSC inspection.The process for a workplace inspection, when initiated by leadership, includes (appendix A):

  1. Walk through your area of responsibility with the appropriate inspection checklist, and complete the document according to instructions provided (appendix B).
  2. For any identified risk, fill out the risk assessment form outlining any hazards and actions taken/to be taken to eliminate the risk.
  3. Send a copy of completed and signed risk assessment form and accompanying checklist to OHSS (

Workplace Inspections Receivedfrom JHSC

The JHSC are required by the OHSA to conduct an inspection of a portion of the workplace at least once every month. Thecompleted inspection must be provided to the leader with responsibility of the area. The leader must review the recommendations submitted by the JHSC and complete the following steps (appendix A):

  1. Complete “Action” portion of risk assessment form - include the actions you have taken, and/or actions you plan to take and/or reasons you do not believe the recommendation made is a hazard.
  2. Send completed form, or copy of the completed form, to OHSwithin 10 days (

DEFINITIONS

Affiliates - Individuals who are not employed by the organization but perform specific tasks at or for the organization, including appointed professionals (e.g., physicians/midwives/dentists), students, volunteers, researchers, contractors, or contractor employees who may be members of a third-party contract or under direct contract to the organization, and individuals working at the organization, but funded through an external source.

Due Diligence–As applied to occupational health and safety, due diligence means that employers shall take all reasonable precautions, under the particular circumstances, to prevent injuries or accidents in the workplace. This duty also applies to situations that are not addressed elsewhere in the occupational health and safety legislation.

IRS (Internal Responsibility System) - Everyone in the workplace has a role to play and a duty to actively ensure workers are safe. Every worker who sees a health and safety concern, such as a hazard in the workplace, has a duty to report the situation to leadership. Once a hazard has been identified, the employer and supervisor have a duty to look at the problem and eliminate or reduce any hazard that could injure workers.

REFERENCES

Occupational Health and Safety Act

http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/statutes/english/elaws_statutes_90o01_e.htm

Response to JHSC recommendations: R.S.O. 1990, c.O.1, s.9 (20).

http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/statutes/english/elaws_statutes_90o01_e.htm#s9s20

JHSC Inspections: R.S.O. 1990, c.O.1, s.9 (26).

http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/statutes/english/elaws_statutes_90o01_e.htm#s9s26

Appendix A–Checklist Process

Appendix B– Checklist Instruction

INSPECTION CHECKLIST PROCESS

HOW TO USE THE DOCUMENT

This document has been provided to assist you in undertaking inspections of your area/s. Use the assessment form to identify and/or monitor health and safety standards and hazards.

Step 1 – Details of the Inspection
  • Record the following information on the checklist document–

-Inspection date,

-Location of the inspection - site building and floor

-Reference the “report number(s)” from the “H&S Workplace Inspection Risk Assessment form(s)

Step 2 – Checklist Document
  • The safety inspection checklist involves undertaking a “walk-through” assessment of the premises, using the inspection checklist (or relevant sections) as a guide.
  • Systemically proceed through the checklist –

-Recording a tick () in the “Yes” column if the area is free from any hazards or repairs, or

-Recording a tick () in the “No” column if a hazard exists, need for repairs or further control measures are required, or

-Recording a tick () in the “N/A” column if the question does not apply to the area you are inspecting.

Step 3 – Risk Assessment Guideline Document
  • If a tick () has been recorded in any “No” column, you must refer the hazard to the ““H&S Workplace Inspection Risk Assessment form(s)” and record the following information -

i)Specific area / room of the hazard, i.e. room number

ii)Identify the Activity /hazard, i.e. waste is overflowing, trip hazard, etc.

iii)Record the Risk Level (refer to “Risk Matrix”), assessing how severe the activity or hazard could injure someone and estimating the likelihood of that activity or hazard occurring.

iv)Provide any risk controlrecommendations you feel are necessary to eliminate or control the hazard (see Hierarchy of Controls).

v)Allocate the action item to the relevant department or manager who is responsible for implementing the controls.

vi)Based on the risk level from the “Risk Matrix”, record the action priority in the target date column (this will act as the Action Plan).

  • Any hazards/risks identified during the “walk-through” not already included in the “checklist document” must be recorded in the checklist and transferred to the “Action Plan”.

Step 7 – Completing Action / Assessment
  • The area leader will review, sign and date the Action Plan.
  • Once an action item has been implemented, record the completed date.
  • Update the action plan as and when required.
  • Retain all documentation for your records and send a copy to the OHSS department.
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Appendix C– Sample Checklist

Appendix D– SampleWorkplace Inspection Risk Assessment Form – Side A

Appendix E– Sample Workplace Inspection Risk Assessment Form – Side B