CLIENT SAFETY AUDITS AND SAFTEY INSPECTIONS: THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF A PEO SAFETY PROGRAM

Safety audits and safety inspections are useful compliance tools; however, each differs in purpose, concept, objectives and scope. Knowing why, when and how to conduct each is imperative to the effectiveness and success of a PEO’s safety management program. A well-developed safety management program should include both safety audits and safety inspections which manage risk, safety, and regulatory agency compliance in the client’s workplace.

Within a PEO it is imperative to explain and identify the techniques used in safety audits and inspections. A PEO should also discuss the differences in purpose and scope with each client. This article focuses on the essentials of planning and conducting safety inspections rather than safety audits since the concept and objective of a safety audit differs significantly from a safety inspection. Both are methodical processes performed to identify and evaluate the overall safety and compliance of the workplace yet have different objectives, focuses and outcomes.

SAFETY AUDITS VS. SAFETY INSPECTIONS

Safety audits focus more on a client’s overall safety program and regulatory compliance rather than the environment and processes the employees engage in. A well-developed safety audit focuses on the administrative side of the organization’s safety management system as a whole and not specifically localized on the employees’ tasks as a safety inspection would be. The safety audit should include identifying and understanding all the rules and regulations applicable to the operations promulgated by local, state, or federal agencies.

While audits focus more on the “whys” of safety, safety inspections are more limited in their scope and focus on the “hows” specific to the tasks and the environments the employees are exposed to while performing their duties. Safety inspections will also vary in multiple ways by the type of inspection being planned and are systematic assessments that focus on potential hazards, conditions, physical and environmental conditions, and machinery being used within the facility. Another benefit of conducting safety inspections is to support the organization’s compliance with OSHA’s General Duty Clause. “Each employer shall furnish to each of his employees’ employment and a place of employment which are free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to his employees.” Both audits and inspections are essential building blocks of a PEO’s safety management program.

Employees, safety committees, and OSHA compliance officers typically conduct safety inspections while safety experts or third-party safety consultants conduct safety audits.

2 ESSENTIAL PLANNING STEPS OF A SAFETY INSPECTION

Conducting a safety inspection involves planning before the inspection ever takes place to ensure that the objectives of the inspection are accomplished effectively. One of the most critical steps in conducting a safety inspection is determining the type of safety inspection to be conducted. The planning stages of a safety inspection include developing detailed inspection specific documentation as this will significantly assist in documenting that a thorough inspection is accomplished during and after the inspection process. Another critical step is consulting with the client to select the team members who will conduct the safety inspection. The type of inspection to be conducted will determine the skills and expertise needed by the team members selected to conduct the inspections as well as assist in providing guidance in determining and developing the technology, format, tools, and documentation to be used.

DETERMINE THE TYPE AND FOCUS OF THE SAFETY INSPECTION

Safety inspections have several focused purposes. The first step is to identify the type of inspection to be conducted. This will facilitate compiling the right team members for the event as the inspection may have been triggered by an incident that took place at the establishment such as near misses or a scheduled routine inspection. Distinct reasons for inspections may include periodic safety inspections, accidents or near misses, ergonomic assessments, or a focus to integrate a new process, recently added equipment, new lines, during shut-downs or procedures being introduced into the operations. After the type of safety inspection to be conducted has been determined, several tools and action items will need to be developed and accomplished.

PLANNING FOR THE INSPECTION

After determining the type of safety inspection to be conducted the selected inspection team can begin to plan for the event. Since planning for safety inspections can vary again by the type of inspection, assembling a team of knowledgeable and qualified team members to conduct the inspection is essential. Each member of the team brings his or her expertise to the group and should have a clear understanding of his or her responsibilities and roles. The team should include a team leader. Another key planning component is having the capabilities to download or obtain the data collected by any continuous monitoring devices or equipment placed within the work areas to collect and record specific environmental parameters if in place. This could include ambient temperatures, dust levels, and noise levels within the monitored areas.

Planning an inspection requires developing specific documentation to be used by the team during the inspection. This documentation varies depending on type of safety inspection being conducted and should be tailored to the environment in which the inspection is performed. Inspection documentation will vary vastly by the industry type being inspected. For example, inspection documentation for a construction site will differ significantly from a manufacturing facility or a hospital environment. Knowing key industry specific standards/best practices and developing the proper inspection documentation is key to a successful safety inspection.

Planning for the inspection should also include the team’s safety. This includes knowing the emergency procedures applicable to the location as well as knowing the locations of eye wash stations, first aid kits and emergency exits should any members on the team not be familiar with the facility. Another key element for the team is knowing the identified hazards within the work areas coupled with observing the proper travel lanes delineated for pedestrians, equipment, or forklifts. All facility specific safety rules applicable to the workers are also pertinent to the inspection team.

CONDUCTING THE INSPECTION

A critical compliance component is confirming that the team is properly equipped with any required PPE to be donned during the inspection process. All required PPE shall be used during the inspection process where required to be worn.

The inspection team is tasked with systematically observing the environment of risk closely focusing on the processes and safety procedures in which the activity is being conducted, or the tasks being performed. The environmental elements of the inspection may include identifying the ambient temperatures or obtaining temperature readings, observing lighting, ergonomic factors, air quality and the noise levels that the operator may be exposed to just to name a few.

Another area of focus should be centered on the client’s employees that are being exposed to machine guarding or the lack thereof, work practices, tooling, floor surfaces, signage, electrical hazards, and PPE usage should all be observed. This is why it is critical to develop a team knowledgeable of the industry specific hazards and environments to which the workers are exposed to as well as knowledge of the tools and machinery being used at the facility by the employees. Safety inspection steps and procedures may vary significantly depending on the industry the operations are engaged in. This may also include the type and lay-out of a facility, and the specific regulations that apply to the client’s operations.

INSPECTION REPORTING DOCUMENTATION

Following the safety inspection, a structured report should be generated to summarize and prioritize the findings and recommend corrective actions. Each action item should be time bound and have a follow-up inspection to ensure corrective actions have been made and documentation is generated identifying completion of the observed corrective actions.

In summation, a well planned and executed safety inspection will systematically identify and address safety hazards. The inspection will also assist in preventing injuries, provide steps in building and developing a positive safety culture which leads to a safer work environment and increased overall safety performance. Safety inspections play a pivotal role in achieving these objectives and should be an integral part of any client’s comprehensive safety management system that will provide positive results specific to risk reduction, continuous improvement and regulatory compliance as well as enhancing the success of a PEO’s comprehensive safety management program.