Workplace Safety Inspections

What is this about?	Workplace inspections are a useful method of identifying hazards and reporting them before they cause an incident.
Who has to do it?	Anybody but ideally a OHS representative and an area supervisor.
Why am I required to do this?	Identifying hazards through hazard inspections is a vital part of the risk management process at UOW.
When do I have to do this?	All areas of the university are required to be inspected at least annually.
What do I do?	1.Take immediate action to prevent further damage; 2. Report any identified hazards SafetyNET; 3. Provide information to the supervisor or OHS Unit if required.
More info...	Workplace Safety Inspection Guidelines Workplace Safety Inspection Checklists Workplace Safety Inspection Summary Report Form Risk Management Guidelines

What is a workplace safety inspection?
Who can do a workplace safety inspection?
How do you complete a workplace safety inspection?
What type of inspection checklists are there and how often should they be carried out?
I have completed an inspection, what next?

What is a workplace safety inspection?

A Workplace Safety Inspection is a planned event, where the workplace is inspected to identify potential hazards. It is the best way of pro-actively identifying hazards before they have the ability to cause an injury.

Download the Workplace Inspection Guidelines

Download the Workplace Inspection Summary Report Form

Who can do a workplace safety inspection?

Anybody can do an OHS inspection. Ideally though, an inspection would involve an experienced person from the area, a WAC representative and the supervisor of the area.

How do you complete a workplace safety inspection?

Workplace Safety Inspections use a checklist to help identify hazards. Using the checklist and looking at the area of concern is the best way about doing an inspection.

Once hazards are identified solutions are to be put in place to ensure the hazard is controlled.

What type of inspection checklists are there and how often should they be carried out?

There are a number of checklists depending on the type of area being inspected. These checklists include a detailed list of items to inspect, however you may wish to modify the checklist to make it more specific to your area.

Inspections should be carried out on a regular basis according the level of risk. The following checklists are available for use:

Laboratory
Workshop
General (Office, Common Teaching Area)
Accommodation

I have completed an inspection, what next?

Once an inspection is completed those items that require corrective actions should be addressed. Any hazards identified throughout the inspection should have corrective actions assigned to an appropriate person and the hazard entered through the online hazard reporting system, SafetyNet. As part of the review process the inspection team should follow-up to see whether the corrective action has commenced or is completed.

Need more information? Please refer to the Risk Management Guidelines.