Daily site inspections are to be completed by the worker safety representative (or owner) on site each day at each job site

Special site inspections are to be completed by the supervisor/owner when a daily inspection report identifies the presence of an A-Hazard, B-Hazard, or a C-Hazard that was not resolved on site

Review the following information to learn how to conduct a site inspection. 

Classify each item that you observe and record during your inspection. This hazard rating establishes priorities for corrective action and also highlights the level of severity or seriousness of the hazards. 

How does the ABC rating system work? 

The A, B, C rating method is used to rate items observed during a safety inspection. The reason for this system is to highlight the degree of severity of those hazards and to assist both the inspectors and the employer in carrying out corrective actions. 

The following examples can be used as guidelines. 

“A” Hazard 

• Any condition or practice that has potential for causing loss of life, body part and/or extensive loss of structure, equipment or material. 

• Generally this means that immediate corrective action is required. Work should be discontinued until the hazard is corrected 

• Example of 'A Hazard: A worker is seen on the roof without any fall protection; a worker using a grinder is suspected to be intoxicated, etc.

• Identification of any A Hazard on site requires immediate stop workage, phone call to Darcy and completion of Incident Report Form

“B” Hazard

•  Any condition or practice with the potential for causing a serious injury, illness or property damage. 

• Urgent situation. Requires attention as soon as possible.

• Examples of B Hazard: Someone has spilled oil on the floor leading to the areas where workers must gain access, Workers observed smoking in a flammable storage area, etc.

• Identification of any B Hazard on site requires immediate remediation of the problem (if possible), stop work if not resolvable, a phone call to Darcy and completion of Incident Report Form

"C" Hazard

• Any condition or practice with a probable potential for causing a non-disabling injury or non-disruptive property damage. 

• These types of hazards should be eliminated without delay, but the situation is not an emergency

• e.g.  Worker using a hammer with a loose head, in use on a daily basis for odd jobs, Worker using a heavy file without file handle, Oxygen and acetylene cylinders stored together, caps on, good ventilation, fireproof surroundings. 

During an inspection, identify unsafe conditions and activities that may cause injury or illness, so you can take corrective measures. Follow these guidelines:

• Use a checklist to ensure that your inspection is thorough and consistent with previous inspections.

• Ask yourself what hazards are associated with the job that you are observing or that would be performed in that work area.

• Observe how workers perform tasks. Do they follow safe work procedures and use personal protective equipment as required?

• Ask workers how they perform their tasks.

• Talk to workers about what they're doing. Ask them about concerns they may have about health and safety.

• Record any unsafe actions or conditions that you observe.

• Consider tasks that the worker may also perform that you did not observe.

What to Focus on:

There are different ways to approach safety inspections. Looking at the components of your health and safety program will help. For example, you can focus on the most common tasks your workers perform or on specific issues addressed by your program, such as material handling, confined space entry, or workplace violence. You may wish to break up the worksite into specific segments with focused checklists to look at specific hazards and activities in each area.

Here are some examples of things to look for:

• Uncorrected problems from the previous inspection report

• Workers not following safe work procedures or procedures that aren’t correct

• Improper storage of materials (for example, in front of emergency exits or electrical panels, or blocking aisles or stairs)

• Accumulation of liquid or grease on floors

• Failure to put a sign or barrier near wet floors

• Lack of guarding on equipment

• Lack of visibility through swinging doors

• Poor maintenance of equipment

If your inspection reveals a problem, try to get to the root of it. For example, if you see a wet floor, ask why. Possible explanations could include a water leak, a job process that's creating the problem, or a lack of training on how to clean up the hazard. Fix it right the first time and the problem is less likely to occur.

Examples: What to look for

Guards 

• Missing guards on gears, belts, pulleys and shafts 

• Missing guards on power saws 

• Grinding wheels guarded and tool rests adjusted. 

• Pinch points guarded against inadvertent contact. 

Support and Structure / Floors / Access

• Access to mechanical room / work location

• Poor housekeeping 

• Proper storage of flammable liquids 

• Exits clear for emergencies 

• Sharp-edged, jagged splinters 

• Worn, cracked, broken conditions 

• Slippery walking and gripping surfaces 

• Uneven surfaces 

• Missing hand rails and platform guardrails 

• Broken steps 

• Crating potential for worker or equipment to trip, fall, roll, collapse, slide etc 

• Protruding objects 

Electrical 

• Ungrounded machines and equipment 

• Low voltage leaks 

• Obstructed switch panels 

• Use of “lockouts” for mechanics and electricians 

• Close proximity to stop buttons on all machines 

• Defective cords, plugs, receptacles  

• Overloaded circuits 

• Use of light duty extension cords instead of approved wiring 

• Power cords across aisles, under rugs etc. 

• Use of low voltage systems or ground fault interrupters in wet locations Ventilation, Illumination, Noise, Radiation • 

Exposure / Materials

• Excessive dust 

• Presence of Abestos tape

• Exposure to toxic dust, fumes, gases 

• Gas leaks 

• Excessive noise 

• Poor ventilation for chemical use and storage 

First Aid / Fire / PPE

• Adequate first aid supplies 

• Fire extinguisher in working condition 

• Damaged rigging 

• Vehicle neglect 

• Eye protection, head protection 

• breathing protection available 

• Warning devices for work in streets 

• New employees informed of work hazards 

Work Practices (Reportable as Incidents - complete Incident Report if seen)

• Failure to use PPE  

• Horseplay 

• Failure to follow safety/health rules and procedures 

• Misuse of tools and equipment  

• Failure to follow safe working procedures  

• Poor housekeeping 

• Homeowner safety risk

Follow these guidelines to address issues and conclude the inspection:

• Remedy serious hazards or unsafe work practices immediately; this is a legal obligation. For example, if you find that a ladder has a loose or damaged rung, immediately remove the ladder from service and repair or replace it.

• Prioritize other, less serious hazards and assign someone to remedy each one.

• Follow up on any actions that will take time to complete (for example, purchasing new equipment).

• Communicate inspection findings to workers.

• Ensure that the safety committee has access to, and reviews, the inspection reports and process.