Workplace inspections are one of the most effective ways to prevent injuries and accidents. As part of your Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) management system, regular workplace inspections can identify substandard conditions before workers are injured. These inspections involve a systematic review process by a trained team of inspectors. The inspection team documents all findings and presents them, along with recommendations, to the leadership team to address the hazards and prevent potential injuries.
There’s a lot to consider when creating your workplace inspection processes. Check out our templates and resources, created with social service workers in mind, to help your process.
Program Builder: Workplace Inspections Course
Program Builder: Workplace Inspections Manual
Program Builder: Workplace Inspections General Checklist
Program Builder: Workplace Inspections Record
WorkSafeBC Requirements
Workplace Inspections are a requirement of the WorkSafe BC Occupational Health & Safety (OHS) Regulations.
Learn more:
Workplace Inspections are a systematic process of reviews of the workplace for any hazards by a trained team of inspectors. Take our Workplace Inspections course to learn more and set your organization for success.
What Employers Need to Know
Inspection Process
- All workplaces, including buildings, grounds, tools, equipment, and work methods and practices, require regular inspections.
- The following types of workplace inspections should be incorporated into your program:
- Special inspections – following an incident or equipment malfunction/failure;
- Regular/general inspections – can be hazard-specific or generic;
- Pre-operational inspections;
- Preventative maintenance inspections;
- Job observations.
- The following types of workplace inspections should be incorporated into your program:
- The frequency of regular workplace inspections depend on the type of work, hazards, and risks present in the workplace.
- Example: If your primary risk involves client-related violence, you may choose to inspect and review behaviour care plans weekly.
- Example: In a low-risk office environment (e.g., potential tripping hazards from cords), inspections may be conducted quarterly.
Policies and Procedures
- Employers must have a workplace inspection policy and procedures in place. Use the CSSHSA Workplace Inspections Manual template to create your own workplace inspections program.
- All Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committee (JOHSC) members are required to be trained on how to identify hazards, interpret risk levels, and record and conduct inspections.
- The JOHSC must be involved with all workplace inspections.
- Each inspection team must include at least one worker representative and one employer representative (e.g. a shelter worker and a shelter manager).
- Any immediate unsafe or harmful hazard or condition must be remedied without delay.
- Inspection records (e.g., checklists, corrective action plans and follow up) must be kept for a minimum of three years.
Best Practices
Engage Your JOHSC
- Create an annual inspection calendar to inform all JOHSC members of their inspection turn and the required location.
- Outline how inspections are completed, as well as the frequency, procedures, and record-keeping methods in the JOHCS Terms of Reference.
- Create inspection teams with members who are subject-matter experts based on their training, education, or experience. Having team members who are not experts in the specific area can also be valuable, as they bring a fresh perspective and may identify overlooked hazards.
- Utilize site-specific inspection checklists to identify relevant potential risks and hazards in each work area.
- Inspection teams may consist of more than two members if desired.
- Rotate inspection team members regularly to promote full committee engagement and support skill development across the team.
Understand the Risks
- Rate each identified hazard using a standardized risk scale: Low, Medium, or High.
- Ask frontline workers standard safety questions to gauge the common ground of safety knowledge.
- Example: Where is the safety board located and what items are posted?
- Example: What is Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS)? Where can you find safety data sheets and what information can you find?
Take Action
- Develop corrective action plans to eliminate, mitigate, or control hazards, using the Hierarchy of Controls. Learn more about the Hierarchy of Controls in our Workplace Inspection course.
- Assign each corrective action to a responsible individual who will be accountable for its timely completion.
- Once corrective actions are implemented, ensure the JOHSC follows up to monitor effectiveness.
- Establish corrective action timelines based on the risk severity.
- Example: Low – one week, Medium – three days, High – within 24 hours
Promote a Safety Culture
- Engage frontline workers for feedback and observations during inspections.
- Use the interview results to further evaluate safety culture and knowledge, and bring the topics to staff meetings, safety meetings, and huddles.
- Recognize good safety practices during inspections to reinforce and celebrate safe behaviour.
Disclaimer: This resource is intended to help community social service organizations understand the requirements of developing different aspects of health and safety programs. It provides information on key concepts and directs users to relevant resources. The content above is not a substitute for professional legal advice. Please refer to the included links or consult official legislation and resources for current and accurate information.