Why Do I need a Health and Safety Inspection Checklist?

By Graphic Products Editorial Staff

Life seems to be full of checklists— and for good reason. How else would we arrange the monstrosity of information we are faced with daily? Good thing we have a check list to keep you organized for what is really important—keeping your workers safe—by performing health and safety inspections.

Our health and safety Inspection checklist allows easier examination to identify hazards in the workplace that need corrective action. This checklist is only an example and can be used as framework for creating one to meet your businesses specific needs. Internal health and safety inspections should be performed on a regular basis by your designated safety team or site supervisors.

Health and safety inspections allow you to:

Understand the concerns of workers
Gain insight into jobs and tasks you have limited experience with
Identify existing hazards
Monitor hazard controls

Facility Location: _______________________________________________________________

Evaluated by: _____________________________________________ Date: _______________

Training
Yes □ No □	Is training provided for new hires and people newly assigned to a different job on a regular basis? Condition: ________________________________________________ Person responsible: ________________________ Due date: _____________
Yes □ No □	Are there appointed First Aid (and CPR) trained employees, and are they available for medical emergencies? Condition: ________________________________________________ Person responsible: ________________________ Due date: _____________
Yes □ No □	Are workers familiar with the hazards of chemicals and trade products? Are all employees up to date on the HazCom 2012 standards and the transition to Safety Data Sheets (SDS) from Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)? Condition: ________________________________________________ Person responsible: ________________________ Due date: _____________
Yes □ No □	Are all workers trained on the emergency evacuation plan? Condition: ________________________________________________ Person responsible: ________________________ Due date: _____________
Yes □ No □	Has fire extinguisher training been provided? Condition: ________________________________________________ Person responsible: ________________________ Due date: _____________ ABC-rated dry chemical extinguishers are appropriate in most areas. They should each have attached inspection tags that indicate they have been inspected within the last 12 months.
Environment
Yes □ No □	Are wall, floor, and ceiling penetrations for cables, wires, pipes and mechanical systems (such as ductwork) sealed to prevent the spread of fire and smoke? Condition: ________________________________________________ Person responsible: ________________________ Due date: _____________ Sealed wall penetrations prevent the spread of fire and smoke from one room to another. Penetrations can be sealed with drywall, fire-retardant pipe seal or fire stop pillows.
Yes □ No □ N/A □	Are flammable and combustible liquids stored in approved flammable storage cabinets? Condition: ________________________________________________ Person responsible: ________________________ Due date: _____________ Quantities of flammable and combustible liquids in excess of the following quantities should be stored in approved flammables storage cabinets: 25 gallons of Class IA liquids (flashpoint below73 degrees F. and boiling point below 100 degrees F.)* 120 gallons of Class IB, IC, II or III (flashpoint below73 degrees F. and boiling point above 100 degrees F.)* *Refer to the product’s material safety data sheet (MSDS) or safety data sheet (SDS) to determine its flammability/combustibility class.
Yes □ No □ N/A □	Are “No Smoking” signs posted in appropriate areas, and no smoking rules enforced? Condition: ________________________________________________ Person responsible: ________________________ Due date: _____________
Yes □ No □ N/A □	Have the facility’s sprinkler and/or fire alarm systems been inspected in the past 12 months? Is the fire suppression system tagged to verify this inspection? Condition: ________________________________________________ Person responsible: ________________________ Due date: _____________
Yes □ No □ N/A □	Do sprinkler heads have at least 18 inches of vertical clearance from material stored below? Condition: ________________________________________________ Person responsible: ________________________ Due date: _____________
Yes □ No □ N/A □	Are resources available to deal with very hot or very cold conditions (drinking water, appropriate personal protective equipment such as lined gloves or insulated boots)? Condition: ________________________________________________ Person responsible: ________________________ Due date: _____________ Additional inspection requirements may apply according to local regulations.
Hazard Communication and Substances
Yes □ No □	Does the facility have a written hazard communication program, including a complete chemical list and file of safety data sheets (SDSs) for chemicals used and stored in the facility? Are these SDSs accessible to all employees, visitors, and contractors for review upon request? Does the written program describe how the employer will meet the requirements of OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard? Condition: ________________________________________________ Person responsible: ________________________ Due date: _____________ SDSs should be on file for solvents, fuels, batteries, cleaners, lubricants, and other potentially hazardous materials.
Personal Protection Equipment (PPE)
Yes □ No □	Is required equipment provided, maintained, and used? Condition: ________________________________________________ Person responsible: ________________________ Due date: _____________
Yes □ No □	Does equipment meet requirements and is it reliable? Condition: ________________________________________________ Person responsible: ________________________ Due date: _____________
Yes □ No □	Is personal protection utilized only when it is not reasonably practicable to eliminate or control the hazardous substance or process? Condition: ________________________________________________ Person responsible: ________________________ Due date: _____________
Yes □ No □	Are areas that require PPE properly identified with signs? Condition: ________________________________________________ Person responsible: ________________________ Due date: _____________
Yes □ No □	Is hearing protection available and used properly? Condition: ________________________________________________ Person responsible: ________________________ Due date: _____________
Emergency Exit Procedures
Yes □ No □	Is there a clear fire response plan posted in each work area? Are all workers aware of the plan? Condition: ________________________________________________ Person responsible: ________________________ Due date: _____________
Yes □ No □	Are emergency exit drills held regularly? Condition: ________________________________________________ Person responsible: ________________________ Due date: _____________
Yes □ No □	Are there an adequate number of fire extinguishers present, and are they clearly marked and located in conspicuously marked locations? Condition: ________________________________________________ Person responsible: ________________________ Due date: _____________
Yes □ No □	Are all fire extinguishers fully charged and operable? Condition: ________________________________________________ Person responsible: ________________________ Due date: _____________
Yes □ No □	Are all exits clearly marked and unblocked for egress? Condition: ________________________________________________ Person responsible: ________________________ Due date: _____________
Yes □ No □	Are exits and exit routes equipped with emergency lighting or marked to illuminate in the dark? Condition: ________________________________________________ Person responsible: ________________________ Due date: _____________

Depending on the type of facility you work in will determine what areas you should inspect. Below is a list of categories that your safety committee should examine, and decide what to use in your own health and safety inspection checklist.

Warehouse and Shipping
Loading/Unloading Racks
Lighting
Sound Level/Noise
Materials Handling/Storage

Machine Guards
Electrical
Tools and Machinery
Elevating devices
Employee Facilities

Confined Spaces
Housekeeping
Floor and Wall Openings
Stairs, Ladders & Platforms
Medical and First Aid

Or Let Graphic Products Provide On-Site Safety Assessment Services For Your Facility.