HRANB Newsletter

How can we know how much in control we are in our workplace if we don’t stop for a moment and verify how we are doing. No wonder why Theodore Roosevelt decided in 1906 to create a Pure Food and Drug bill as more control was needed in the food and drugs industry to protect the public. Just as it was 30 years ago not usual to find quality manager in workplaces. Today it is not unusual to have at any kind of workplace people in charge of quality. Just like it is for quality, a moment to check if the product delivers to the customer in respect of the manufacturing requirement. In that line of thinking can we compare workplace quality control to workplace inspection, absolutely! That is why these days there is so much emphasis on how in control are you with your workplace. Is it just a question of legislation, legal obligation, diligence, moral or more a question of productivity and profitability?

You will find some requirement under the regulation 91-191 (general regulation under OHS Act). Under the OHS Act all employers must take every reasonable precaution to ensure the health and safety of your employees. Section 9 (2) go in more detail as it says “ensure that the necessary systems of works, tools, equipment, machines, devices and materials are maintained in good condition (…)”. That mean, we must stop and verify our equipment depending on the exposition as we have to make sure it’s still safe to use it! Section 9 (2a1) says to “ensure that the place of employment is inspected at least once a month to identify any risks to the health and safety of his employees”. No more dough about the fact that all workplace are legally accountable to inspect their workplace. In addition, section 9 (3) an employer as to develop an inspection program in collaboration with the joint health and safety committee. The committee mention above may participate in the identification and control of health and safety hazards at the place of employment. They also will have to ¹participate in all inspection, inquiries and investigation concerning the health and safety of employees.

Now that we clear up the legal things let’s move on the discussion to a different level. Workplace inspection is a legal requirement, it as to be performing once a month. Although the act does not specify that it could be needed more than once a month depending on the situation. Once a month is a fair start when it comes to workplace inspection but it is also a good start to an effectiveness program. It is the opportunity for more control in the workplace, as all the operation will benefit from a more effective process of work. At a frequencies of once a week or once a month, taking a few minutes using a simple form containing check boxes. A train employee, supervision will take a bit of time to check about house keeping, machine guarding, hazard at workplace, defective tools, object in the way, safety boards, broken parts, PPE, signs, vehicle inspection, yard, exit doors, extinguisher and name it. There is a wide variety of things we can put in a simple workplace inspection form. Keep in mind that workplace inspection is a walk around.

It’s a good continuity to continuous improvement as the results of an inspection will tell it all. It could identify possible failure, needs for more maintenance, training, procedure change and modification change of a process. It involves employees in their work place because after all it’s a place where they will spend a fare amount of time. What a good safety awareness to have employees doing the inspection and communicating the result at their safety meetings.

After all, it will help having a better workplace, a better place to spend half of our lives! It’s a good tool to use in prevention, because it’s made in collaboration of both employers and employees, to help employers and employees. It a communication panel as inspection can be use for safety meeting when follow are done with everyone.

After a workplace inspection, some observation and correctives actions may occur. It will be the time to set the correction plan and dates. The entire thing that needs to get fix as a priority and when they will get fix it will make a safe place and will send a clear safety message. Keep in mind that corrective action are window to improvement, everyone will benefit from a good facility inspection. It solicited the collaboration of employees, it a way to have them involves, and it will bring more people to do prevention. Make sure to post workplace inspection report in the safety board and keep in files all the previous other one. You may want to use it a history to track any kind of situation that could occur involving equipment, tools, building or machines use in the course of work.

In conclusion, all employers have to do at least one inspection a month to comply with the act. Why don’t you take this opportunity to improve and keep up to date the entire systems? It will also show implication, accountability and involvement for both parties.

¹ NB OHS Act section 15 (j)

Martin Logan
Health and Safety Manager in Eastern Canada
Aluma Systems

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