Inspections
This administrative procedure is intended to ensure Southwest Horizon School Division complies with the Workplace Safety & Health Act wherein employers conduct an inspection of the workplace to identify and record hazards for corrective action.
Definition
Hazard – any source of potential damage, harm or adverse health effects on something or someone under certain conditions at work (Canadian Centre for Occupational Health & Safety, 2011).
Risk – chance or probability that a person will be harmed or experience adverse health affect if exposed to a hazard. It may also apply to situations with property or equipment loss (Canadian Centre for Occupational Health & Safety, 2011).
Guidelines
Prior to conducting a Workplace Safety and Health Inspection, the following materials shall be gathered:
Workplace Inspection Checklist
Previous Inspection Reports
Ensure recommendations were implemented from prior inspections or Workplace Safety and Health minutes.
Workplace Hazards
When conducting a workplace inspection, the inspector may encounter some or all of the following hazards:
Safety hazards (i.e., inadequate machine guards, unsafe workplace conditions, unsafe work practices)
Biological hazards (i.e., viruses, bacteria, fungi, parasites)
Chemical hazards (i.e., liquid, vapors, fumes, dust, gas)
Ergonomic hazards (i.e., repetitive and forceful movements, temperature extremes, improperly designed work stations)
Physical hazards (i.e., noise, vibration, energy, water, electricity, radiation, pressure)
Inspection Team
The Joint Safety and Health Committee (JSHC) complete workplace inspections. The members have been trained in the following criteria:
Knowledge of regulations and procedures
Knowledge of potential hazards
Workplace Inspection Principles
Draw attention to the presence of any immediate danger -- other items can await the final report.
Shut down and "lock out" any hazardous items that cannot be brought to a safe operating standard until repaired.
Do not operate equipment. Ask the operator for a demonstration. If the operator of any piece of equipment does not know what dangers may be present, this is cause for concern. Never ignore any item because you do not have knowledge to make an accurate judgment of safety. Seek the knowledge necessary to ensure safety.
Look up, down, around and inside. Be methodical and thorough. Do not spoil the inspection with a "once-over-lightly" approach.
Clearly describe each hazard and its exact location in your rough notes. Allow "on-the-spot" recording of all findings before they are forgotten. Record what you have or have not examined in case the inspection is interrupted.
Ask questions, but do not unnecessarily disrupt work activities. This may interfere with efficient assessment of the job function and may also create a potentially hazardous situation.
Consider the static (stop position) and dynamic (in motion) conditions of the item you are inspecting. If a machine is shut down, consider postponing the inspection until it is functioning again.
Discuss as a group, "can any problem, hazard or accident generate from this situation when looking at the equipment, the process or the environment?" Determine what corrections or controls are appropriate.
Do not try to detect all hazards simply by relying on your senses or by looking at them during the inspection. You may have to monitor equipment to measure the levels of exposure to chemicals, noise, radiation or biological agents.
Take a photograph if you are unable to clearly describe or sketch a particular situation.
Final Inspection Report / Corrective Action Form
If there are any unfinished items on the previous report, record them onto the next report to ensure they are first on the list to be inspected.
A Workplace Inspection Report will contain the following information:
Location of the inspection.
The name of the staff member completing the inspection.
Location of the identified hazard.
Priority scale.
Corrective actions.
Date/Time of completed corrective action.
Name of the staff member responsible to correct the action.
Comments.
Immediate supervisors signature.
Responsibilities
Board of Trustees, Superintendent and Secretary Treasurer
The executive team will be responsible for directing formal inspections for the SHSD facilities.
The executive team will ensure the Joint Safety and Health Committee and any SHSD employees are included and are trained in the inspection process.
Principals and Supervisors
The supervisor will be responsible for the overall operations of the inspection program.
Worker
Workers are responsible for participating in and contributing to the inspection program.