Business owners are responsible for maintaining a safe and healthy environment for their employees and members of the public. Anyone can perform a workplace inspection; however, a safety officer or a safety and health representative from the area should carry out a WHS inspection. Workplace inspections use checklists to help identify hazards. If during an inspection, a hazard is found, it is imperative that a solution is developed and put in place to ensure the hazard is contained and controlled.
WHS regulations provide a framework for employers to use when developing ways and means to protect the health of their workers. The underlying principles embodied in the act, and subsequent regulations are that all people, workers, and others, should be protected against harm from hazards and risks from the work they do and the place in which they do it. WHS inspection procedures help to ensure worker health and safety and are a part of the duty of care expected from employers. Inspections alone are no guarantee that a workplace is free from hazards. Inspections are used to identify areas in the workplace environment that have the potential of contributing to an unsafe situation.
SESA (Safety & Environmental Services Australia) provides effective workplace safety solutions that are cost effective. During a typical inspection, which is carried out by an experienced occupational health & safety consultant, potentially hazardous issues are identified, assessed, and reported. The team then identifies and assesses the results in the elimination of the hazard. Once risks have been reduced, workplace safety improves. Typical inspections from this team include an audit of plant and equipment, material control, the introduction of tried and proven safety procedures, and employee training. To assist you in maintaining and monitoring various programs, the importance of supporting data cannot be underestimated. It is documents of this nature that allow for effective communication of any deficiencies found and must be addressed. These same documents remain tangible proof that the results of the inspection were acted upon. There is no substitute for an in-depth WHS inspection, and without it, you are putting the health and welfare of your employees at serious risk.
