MODULE 5: HAZARD IDENTIFICATION AND CONTROL

The Hazard Inspection

What's the major weakness of the safety inspection?

By it's very nature, the walkaround inspection can be ineffective in uncovering unsafe work practices because most inspectors do not take enough time to effectively analyze individual task procedures. Usually the inspectors walk into an area, look up.. .look down.. .look all around.. .possibly ask a few questions, and then move on to the next area.

Consequently, the safety inspection is may be quite effective in uncovering the 3% of the causes for workplace accidents, yet not effective in discovering unsafe behaviors causing 95% of all workplace accidents (SAIF Corp.). Isn't it possible to inspect a workplace on a Monday, and then experience a fatality on Tuesday as a result of an unsafe work practice, which was not uncovered the day before?