What is a WHS Site Inspection?
What is a WHS Site Inspection?Workplace Inspections are an essential part of your general duty of care and hazard reduction program that should be completed on parts or whole of the business from time to time. This will assist in ‘getting a handle’ on how the safety management system is being implemented in the business. On the other hand, the Safety Audit is an interrogation of the entire Safety Management System against an approved measuring system to gauge the robustness of the processes as implemented. A safety consultant can assist with compliance to WHS legislation relating to a WHS site inspection by providing advice on the best practices for conducting a safe and compliant inspection.
DRA have been completing these entry level inspections at many inspections for many years. They may be part of a pre hand over inspection; compliance check or as a lead into an audit to test the systems in any organisation both small and large. The safety consultant can also provide guidance on the necessary steps to ensure that the inspection is conducted in accordance with the relevant WHS legislation.
These inspections identify and report potential hazards that could be removed or avoided and allow for effective risk management in the workplace. Our industry experienced safety consultants go to your workplace and complete this workplace safety heck at your work site. they can also help assist in reducing work related injury and illnesses and compliance with work health and safety legislation.
We also complete specific WHS site inspections that target specific hazards such as machine guarding, confined spaces, lock out tag out, office inspections and hazardous chemicals management. These WHS Site Inspections reference the WHS Legislation, Australian Standards and at times the National Construction Code, formerly the Building Code of Australia.
These types of inspections should form part of your business overall hazard control strategy. Businesses often have our safety consultant mentor their safety staff through these WHS Safety inspections to assist in providing reasonably practicable advice.
What is part of a WHS Site Inspection?
These WHS Site Inspections can be part of
• office environment audits
• plant and equipment audits;
• high risk work environments; and
• hazardous chemicals in the workplace;
What Does the WHS Site Inspection Involve?
WHS Inspections may be completed on a building, worksite or specific operations. This process will assist in ensuring that your organisation is aware of their hazards and risks. As part of the process, the Safety Consultant can also develop a hazard and risk register with the assistance of your staff to ensure that it is relevant to your business. This may include providing advice on the types of safety equipment and procedures that should be used, as well as the necessary documentation and reporting requirements.
Effective workplace inspections include the following:
• Including workers and health and safety representatives to discuss specific workplace hazards and developing reasonably practicable controls.
• Reviewing workplace hazard and incident reports
• Discussing foreseeable hazards (existing and potential) in the workplace and recommending a range of suitable controls
• Reviewing the effectiveness of existing controls implemented in the workplace.
• Ultimately this process is an interrogation of the work environment, equipment, and work processes.
Our WHS Site Inspection normally includes evaluation of the following:
• Access & Egress
• Amenities
• Asbestos & Hazardous Materials management
• Building Management System
• Confined Spaces
• Contractor WHS Management
• Ergonomics
• Fire Safety & Emergency
• First Aid
• General Electrical Safety
• Hazardous Chemicals
• Housekeeping
• Lighting
• Manual Handling
• Noise
• Personal Protective Equipment
• Plant Maintenance, Safety & Guarding
• Safe Work Procedures and Processes
• Work at Heights & Fall Prevention
• Workplace Consultation Arrangements
• Workplace Facilities, and
• General WHS Documentation
Where required our Safety Consultant may include testing and measurements of noise, vibration, air quality, floor slip testing, hazardous chemicals. Hazards identified as part of this process are documented along with reasonable practical recommendations to assist in meeting legislative compliance. At the completion of the WHS Site Inspection the safety consultant will provide you with a clear and actionable property risk assessment report for health, safety, environmental and public liability. This report will include a range of recommendations to consider as part of the elimination or reduction of the hazard.
Organisations should have a Safety Management System to assist in ensuring risks such as these to not eventuate or are kept low. We have more information on the Safety Management System we support (Safety Directtm) and the various function it can perform for your organisation.
If you are seeking further information on Audits we have more information in posts and general information, at
- Safety Audits for Systems Improvements,
- Internal Safety Auditor Training, and
- What is a Safety Audit and why have one?
If you are interested in our WHS Consultancy services, you can contact David, Andrew or Mark to discuss your Health and Safety Issues.
We have qualified and certified Safety Consultants that can assist you in your business and offer a range of WHS consulting services along with general and specific health and safety training courses.
Contact us today for an obligation free quote on any of our services.