Work site safety inspection - Part 1

Work Site Safety Inspection

    Follow some basics for site safety inspection. Below information helps you to easily find out the existing hazards in your workplace.

1. Abrasive wheel equipment grinders

• Is the work rest used and adjusted to within 1⁄8 inch of the wheel?
• Is the adjustable tongue on the top side of the grinder used and kept adjusted to within 1⁄4 inch of the wheel?
• Do side guards cover the spindle, nut, flange, and 75 percent of the wheel diameter?
• Are bench and pedestal grinders permanently mounted?
• Do employees always wear ANSI-approved goggles or face shields when grinding?
• Is the maximum RPM rating of each abrasive wheel compatible with the RPM rating of the grinder motor?
• Are fixed or permanently mounted grinders connected to their electrical supply system with metallic conduit or by another permanent wiring method?
• Does each grinder have an individual on/off switch?
• Is each electrically-operated grinder effectively grounded?
• Before new abrasive wheels are mounted, are they visually inspected and ring tested?
• Are dust collectors and powered exhausts provided on grinders used in operations that produce large amounts of dust?
• To prevent coolant from splashing workers, are splash guards mounted on grinders that use coolant?
• Is cleanliness maintained around grinders?

2. Accountability/Discipline

• Are employees disciplined only when they have an accident?
• Does discipline occur immediately after an infraction?
• Are employees disciplined for unsafe behavior and only when justified?
• Are employees disciplined only after objective root cause analysis has been performed and it has been determined discipline is justified?

3. Chemical exposures

• Is employee exposure to chemicals kept within acceptable levels?
• Are eyewash fountains and safety showers provided in areas where caustic corrosive chemicals are handled?
• Are all employees required to use personal protective clothing and equipment (gloves, eye protection, respirators) when handling chemicals?
• Are flammable or toxic chemicals kept in closed containers when not in use?
• Where corrosive liquids are frequently handled in open containers or drawn from storage vessels or pipelines, are adequate means provided to neutralize or dispose of spills or overflows (properly and safely)?
• Have standard operating procedures been established, and are they being followed when chemical spills are cleaned up?
• Are respirators stored in a convenient and clean location?
• Are emergency-use respirators adequate for the various conditions under which they may be used?
• Are employees prohibited from eating in areas where hazardous chemicals are present?
• Is personal protective equipment provided, used, and maintained whenever necessary?
• Are there written standard operating procedures for selecting and using respirators where needed?
• If you have a respirator protection program, are your employees instructed on the correct usage and limitations of the respirators?
• Are the respirators NIOSH-approved for particular applications?
• Are respirators inspected and cleaned, sanitized, and maintained regularly?
• Are you familiar with the Threshold Limit Value (TLV) or Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) of airborne contaminants and physical agents used in your workplace?
• Have you considered having an industrial hygienist or environmental health specialist evaluate your work operations?
• If internal combustion engines are used, is carbon monoxide kept within acceptable levels?
• Is vacuuming used rather than blowing or sweeping dusts whenever possible for cleanups?

4. Compressed gas and cylinders

• Do cylinders with water-weight capacity over 30 pounds equipped have a means for connecting a valve protector or device, or a collar or recess, to protect the valve?
• Are cylinders legibly marked to clearly identify the gas contained?
• Are compressed-gas cylinders stored in areas protected from external heat sources such as flames, intense radiant heat, electric arcs, or high-temperature lines?
• Are cylinders located or stored in areas where they will not be damaged or tampered with by unauthorized persons?
• Are cylinders stored or transported in a manner that prevents them from creating a hazard by tipping, falling, or rolling?
• Are cylinders containing liquefied fuel gas stored or transported so that the safety relief devices are always in direct contact with the vapor spaces in the cylinders?
• Are valve protectors always placed on cylinders when the cylinders are not in use?
• Are all valves closed off before cylinders are moved, when cylinders are empty, and at the completion of each job?
• Are low-pressure fuel-gas cylinders checked periodically for corrosion, general distortion, cracks, or other defects that might indicate a weakness or render them unfit for service?
• Does the periodic check of low-pressure fuel-gas cylinders include inspection of the bottom of each cylinder?
• Are regulator-pressure adjusting screws released when welding or cutting is stopped for an extended period of time?

5. Compressors and compressed air

• Are compressors equipped with pressure-relief valves and pressure gauges?
• Are compressor air intakes installed and equipped to ensure that only clean, uncontaminated air enters the compressor?
• Are air filters installed on the compressor intake?
• Are compressors operated and lubricated according to the manufacturers’ recommendations?
• Are safety devices on compressed-air systems checked frequently?
• Before any repair work is done on compressor pressure systems, is the pressure bled off and the system locked out?
• Are signs posted to warn of a compressor’s automatic starting feature?
• Is the belt drive system enclosed to provide protection on the front, back, top, and sides?
• Do you prohibit directing compressed air toward a person for any reason?
• Are employees prohibited from using compressed air over 29 PSI for cleaning purposes unless they use an approved nozzle with pressure relief and clip guard?
• When using compressed air for work-area cleaning, do employees use personal protective equipment?
• Are high-pressure hoses and connections in good repair?
• Before compressed air is used to empty containers of liquid, are the pressure limits of the containers checked?
• When compressed air is used with abrasive blast cleaning equipment, is the operating valve a type that must be held open manually?
• Is it prohibited to use compressed air to move combustible dust if such action could cause the dust to be suspended in the air and cause a fire or explosion?
• If plastic piping is used, is the plastic approved for air line service? (Some ABS is OK — PVC is not.)

6. Confined spaces: permit-required

• Do you have a written permit-confined-space program?
• Is the program available for inspection?
• Are confined spaces thoroughly emptied of any corrosive or hazardous substances, such as acids or caustics, before entry?
• Before entry, are all pipelines to a confined space containing inert, toxic, flammable, or corrosive materials valved-off and blanked or disconnected and separated?
• Are all impellers, agitators, or other moving equipment inside confined spaces locked out if they present a hazard?
• Is either natural or mechanical ventilation provided prior to confined-space entry?
• Before entry, are appropriate atmospheric tests performed to check for oxygen deficiency, toxic substances, and explosive concentrations in the confined space?
• Is adequate lighting provided for the work being performed in the confined space?
• Is the atmosphere inside the confined space frequently tested or continuously monitored during the work process?
• Is there an attendant outside the confined space whose sole responsibility is to watch the work in progress, sound an alarm if necessary, and help render assistance?
• Are attendants or other employees prohibited from entering the confined space without lifelines and respiratory equipment if there is an emergency?
• In addition to the attendant, is there at least one trained rescuer in the vicinity?
• Are all rescuers appropriately trained and using approved, recently inspected equipment?
• Does all rescue equipment allow for lifting employees vertically through a top opening?
• Are rescue personnel trained in first aid and CPR, and are they immediately available?
• Is there an effective communication system for whenever respiratory equipment is used and the employee in the confined space is out of sight of the attendant?
• Is approved respiratory equipment required if the atmosphere inside the confined space cannot be made acceptable?
• Is all portable electrical equipment used inside confined spaces grounded and insulated or equipped with ground-fault protection?
• Before gas welding or burning is begun in a confined space, are hoses checked for leaks, compressed-gas bottles removed, and torches lit only outside the confined space area, to be returned to the confined space only after testing for explosive atmosphere?
• When using oxygen-consuming equipment (such as salamanders, torches, and furnaces) in a confined space, is air provided to ensure combustion without reducing the oxygen concentration of the atmosphere below 19.5 percent by volume?
• Whenever combustion-type equipment is used in a confined space, are provisions made to ensure that exhaust is vented outside the enclosure?
• Is each confined space checked for decaying vegetation or animal matter that may produce methane?
• Is the confined space checked for possible industrial waste that could contain toxic properties?
• If the confined space is below ground and near areas where motor vehicles are operating, is it possible for vehicle exhaust or carbon monoxide to enter the space?

7. Cranes and hoists

• Are cranes visually inspected for defective components before the start of any work shift?
• Are all electrically-operated cranes effectively grounded?
• Is a crane preventive maintenance program established?
• Is the load chart clearly visible to the operator?
• Are all operators trained and provided the operator’s manual for the particular crane being operated?
• Have operators of construction-industry cranes of 5-ton capacity or greater capacity qualified for and been issued a valid operator’s card?
• Are operating controls clearly identified?
• Is a fire extinguisher provided at the operator’s station?
• Is the rated capacity visibly marked on each crane?
• Is an audible warning device mounted on each crane?
• Is sufficient lighting provided for the operator to perform the work safely?
• Are cranes with booms that could fall backwards, equipped with boomstops?
• Does each crane have a certificate indicating that required testing and examinations have been performed?
• Are crane inspection and maintenance records maintained and available for examination?

8. Electrical safety

• Are workplace electricians familiar with electrical safety rules?
• Do you require compliance with rules on all contract electrical work?
• Are all employees required to report as soon as possible obvious hazards to life or property observed concerning electrical equipment or lines?
• Are employees instructed to make preliminary inspections and/or appropriate tests to determine what conditions exist before starting work on electrical equipment or lines?
• When electrical equipment or lines are to be serviced, maintained, or adjusted, are necessary switches opened, locked out, and tagged?
• If portable hand-held electrical tools and equipment are not grounded are they double insulated?
• Are electrical appliances such as vacuum cleaners, polishers, and vending machines grounded?
• Do extension cords have a grounding conductor?
• Are multiple plug adapters prohibited?
• Are ground-fault circuit interrupters installed on each temporary 15-, 20-, or 30-ampere, 125-volt AC circuit where construction, demolition, modifications, alterations, or excavations are performed?

Or

• Do you have an assured equipment-grounding conductor program?
• Are all temporary circuits protected by suitable disconnecting switches or plug connectors at the junction with permanent wiring?
• Do you promptly repair or replace exposed wiring and cords with frayed or deteriorated insulation?
• Are flexible cords and cables free of splices or taps?
• Are clamps or other securing means provided on flexible cords or cables at plugs, receptacles, tools, equipment, and is the cord jacket securely held in place?
• Are all cord, cable, and raceway connections intact and secure?
• Are your electrical tools and equipment appropriate for use wet or damp locations (or otherwise protected)?
• Do you locate all electrical power lines and cables before digging, drilling, or doing similar work?
• Is the use of metal measuring tapes, ropes, hand lines, or devices with metallic thread woven into the fabric prohibited where they could come into contact with energized parts of equipment or circuit conductors?
• Are metal ladders prohibited in areas where the ladder or the person using the ladder could be exposed to energized parts of equipment, fixtures, or circuit conductors?
• Are all disconnecting switches and circuit breakers labeled to indicate their use or equipment served?
• Are disconnecting means always opened before fuses are replaced?
• Do all interior wiring systems include provisions for grounding metal parts or electrical raceways, equipment, and enclosures?
• Are all electrical raceways and enclosures securely fastened?
• Are approved cabinets or enclosures used to protect against accidental contact with energized parts of electrical circuits?
• Is sufficient access and working space provided and maintained around all electrical equipment to permit ready and safe operations and maintenance?
• Are all unused openings (including conduit knockouts) of electrical enclosures and fittings closed with appropriate covers, plugs, or plates?
• Are electrical enclosures such as switches, receptacles, and junction boxes provided with tight-fitting covers or plates?
• Are employees prohibited from working alone on energized lines or equipment over 600 volts?
• Are employees forbidden from working closer than 10 feet from high-voltage (over 750 volts) lines?

9. Elevated surfaces

• Have you posted signs, when appropriate, that show load capacities of elevated floors?
• Are elevated surfaces (more than four feet above the floor or ground) provided with standard guardrails?
• Are all elevated surfaces beneath which people or machinery could be exposed to falling objects provided with standard toeboards?
• Is a permanent means of access/egress provided to elevated work surfaces?
• Is material on elevated surfaces piled, stacked, or racked to prevent it from tipping, falling, collapsing, rolling, or spreading?
• Are dock boards or bridge plates used when transferring materials between docks and trucks or railcars?
• Are dock boards or bridge plates secured in place when they are in use?

10. Emergency Response/Action Plan

• Have you developed an emergency-action plan?
• Have emergency-escape procedures and routes been developed and communicated to all employees?
• Do employees who must complete critical plant operations before evacuating know the proper procedures?
• Is the employee alarm system emergency warning recognizable and perceptible above ambient conditions?
• Are alarm systems properly maintained and tested regularly?
• Is the emergency-action plan reviewed and revised periodically?
• Do employees know their responsibilities for the following:
• Reporting emergencies?
• Responding to emergency warnings?
• Performing rescue and medical duties?

                                        ------ Continued in next post

                                                          work site safety inspection part 2