Florida Department of Financial Services
Division of Risk Management
Loss Prevention Section
OBJECTIVES
 Define workplace inspections and their purpose.
 Discuss the role of inspections within the safety
& loss prevention program.
 Recognize the importance of safety coordinator
involvement in inspections.
 Review the types of hazards that can be present
in the workplace.
 Identify who performs inspections.
 Examine the inspection process.
WORKPLACE INSPECTION
Formal evaluation method in which a facility,
equipment, and/or job task is examined by a person
or group in order to detect faults, hazards, or
violations of safety standards.
PURPOSE OF WORKPLACE
INSPECTIONS

Evaluate facilities, equipment, and/or job tasks.

Identify hazards and/or violations of safety standards.

Determine hazard control effectiveness.

Indicate corrective actions.

Detect and address other issues of concern.
INSPECTIONS AND THE SAFETY &
LOSS PREVENTION PROGRAM
How do inspections fit into the program?

They identify hazards.

They work to reduce and/or prevent accidents & injuries.

They promote safety awareness.

They can identify trends.
OTHER BENEFITS OF
WORKPLACE INSPECTIONS

Increased awareness of employee & supervisor
concerns.

Better understanding of employee job tasks.

Determination of root causes of hazards.
SAFETY COORDINATORS AND
INSPECTIONS
Why is the safety coordinator’s involvement in the
inspection process important?

Fulfills responsibilities indicated in Section 284.50,
Florida Statutes.

Strengthens safety coordinator’s overall program
knowledge.

Increases identification of agency-wide trends.
HAZARD TYPES

Safety hazards.

Chemical hazards.

Ergonomic hazards.

Physical hazards.

Bio hazards.
SAFETY HAZARDS

Unsafe equipment.

Unsafe conditions.

Unsafe practices.
CHEMICAL HAZARDS

Liquids.

Fumes.

Solids.

Dust.

Vapor.
ERGONOMIC HAZARDS

Repetitive
movements.

Improper posture.

Poorly designed
equipment.
PHYSICAL HAZARDS

Heat.

Cold.

Noise.

Pressure.
BIOLOGICAL HAZARDS

Fungi.

Bacteria.

Viruses.
WORKPLACE INSPECTORS
Who conducts inspections?
 Supervisors.
 Employees.
 Safety coordinators.
 Safety committees.
WORKPLACE INSPECTORS
-Continued
 Landlords and building owners.
 Facility managers.
 State Fire Marshal’s office.
 Equipment vendors.
WORKPLACE INSPECTORS
Other qualified inspection officials:
 Engineers.
 Electricians.
 Mechanics.
 Safety professionals.
WORKPLACE INSPECTORS
Inspectors should be aware of:

Organizational
operations.

Work processes.

Job tasks.

Safety standards.

Associated hazards.

Problematic work
areas.

Prior accidents.
INSPECTION FREQUENCY
What determines inspection frequency?
 Statutes, codes, standards, rules, policies.
 Accident frequency.
 Agency size.
 Variance of work processes.
 Types of equipment used.
INSPECTION FREQUENCY
Other times inspection should occur:
 If a hazard has been observed.
 If a near-miss has been reported.
 If an accident has occurred.
 If new equipment is introduced.
 If new work procedures are introduced.
INSPECTION TYPES
What are the different types of inspections?
 Spot.
 Pre-operational.
 Periodic.
 New equipment.
 Ongoing.
SPOT INSPECTIONS
•
Performed on an occasional basis.
•
Focused on specific hazards.
Examples:

Risk of chemical exposure.

Equipment-generated noise.

Electrical spark.

Boiler pressure build-up.
PRE-OPERATIONAL
INSPECTIONS
Conducted before work is started.
Examples:

Ventilation check prior to working in an enclosed
area.

Equipment check prior to working in an area where
water is present.
PERIODIC INSPECTIONS
Routine, regular, and planned.
Examples:

Inspections of working conditions.

Inspections for hazards.

Inspections of processes and practices.
NEW EQUIPMENT INSPECTIONS

Conducted on new or modified equipment, or
work processes.

Specific checks done prior to activating and
working with new equipment.
Example:

Installation check to ensure all parts of a new piece
of equipment are present.
ONGOING INSPECTIONS
Conducted continually as part of job
responsibilities.
Examples:

Daily inspection of electrical cords to ensure no
fraying.

Hourly inspections of workplace environments at
high risk for developing hazards, such as a confined
space.
INSPECTION PROCESS
What does a workplace
inspection entail?
 Planning.
 Physical inspection.
 Documentation.
 Follow up and
monitoring.
PHASE 1
PLANNING
 Determine who will conduct the inspection.
 Determine how the supervisor of the area will be
involved.
PLANNING
-Continued
 Develop inspection checklists and forms.
 Use all available tools at your disposal.
 Note any information relevant to the inspection.
 Review previous inspection reports.
PLANNING
-Continued
 Prepare to examine “who, what, when, where, why,
and how.”
 Consider all elements of the workplace:
equipment, processes, environment, employee
interaction.
PHASE 2
PHYSICAL INSPECTION
Inspect all work areas to observe for hazards.
Examples:
 Offices.
 Cubicles.
 Maintenance closets.
 Storage rooms.
 Cafeterias & break
rooms.
 Parking lots.
PHYSICAL INSPECTION
-Continued
 Minimize interruption of work.
 Focus attention to existing hazards.
 Do not assign blame.
 Address immediate and/or severe hazards.
 Save lesser concerns for the final report.
PHYSICAL INSPECTION
-Continued
 Complete checklists & forms in their entirety.
 Revise checklists & forms when changes occur.
 Note all observed hazards, even if they are not
on the checklist.
PHASE 3
DOCUMENTATION
Inspection report:
 Date, time, & location of inspection.
 Department, areas, and items inspected.
 Any unfinished items from the prior inspection of
that area/item.
 Inspection team members.
DOCUMENTATION
-Continued
Inspection report:
 Observations from inspection forms, checklists,
& notes.
 Identified hazards.
 Temporary corrective measures.
 Recommendations for permanent corrective
actions.
 Relevant documentation.
DOCUMENTATION
-Continued
Inspection report:
 List items by hazard type.
 Be specific and accurate.
 Assign levels of priority to hazards.
 Utilize previous inspection reports.
DOCUMENTATION
-Continued
Who reviews the inspection reports?
 Supervisors.
 Employees.
 Safety coordinators.
 Safety committees.
 Maintenance
managers.
 Facility managers.
 Department managers.
PHASE 4
FOLLOW UP & MONITORING
Why conduct follow up & monitoring?

To ensure timely implementation of corrective
actions.

To assess effectiveness of corrective actions.

To control and prevent hazard from reoccurring.
FOLLOW UP & MONITORING
-Continued
What do corrective actions do?

They lessen and/or eliminate the hazard.

They can prevent the hazard from reoccurring.

They address the root cause of the hazard.
FOLLOW UP & MONITORING
-Continued
Corrective action implementation:
 Removing trip hazards.
 Cleaning up spills.
 Erecting signage.
 Requiring PPE.
 Additional training.
 Changing policy or work procedure.
FOLLOW UP & MONITORING
-Continued
Monitoring Tools:

Claim data.

Inspection summaries.


Accident and hazard
reports.
Information from safety
committees.

Communication with
employees &
supervisors.

Informal observation.

Safety surveys.
EFFECTIVE INSPECTIONS
What makes an inspection a good hazard ID method?

Consistently performed.

Accurately documented.

Promptly communicated.

Corrective actions identified, implemented, & monitored.
SUMMARY
 Defined workplace inspections & their purpose.
 Discussed the role of inspections within the safety
& loss prevention program.
 Recognized the importance of safety coordinator
knowledge of inspections.
 Reviewed the types of hazards that can be present
in the workplace.
 Identified who performs inspections.
 Examined the inspection process.
QUESTIONS
For more information, please contact the Loss Prevention
Section at statelosspreventionprogram@myfloridacfo.com.
Christia Nunnery: Administrator
850-413-4713;
Christia.Nunnery@myfloridacfo.com
Dione Maxwell: Training Coordination
850-413-4769;
Dione.Maxwell@myfloridacfo.com
Wendy McSwain: Agency Review
850-413-4712;
Wendy.McSwain@myfloridacfo.com
Steve Hicken: Agency Review
850-413-4767;
Steve.Hicken@myfloridacfo.com
Will Butler: Publications; Reporting
Processes
850-413-4770;
William.Butler@myfloridacfo.com
Erika Starke-Carde: Claim Report Referral;
WC & RTW
850-413-4776;
Erika Starke-Carde@myfloridacfo.com
REFERENCES AND RESOURCES
The 2015 Florida Statutes. 2015. State Risk Management and Safety Programs. Title XIX, Chapter 284, Section 284.50,
F.S. Retrieved from
http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?mode=View%20Statutes&SubMenu=1&App_mode=Display_Statute&S
earch_String=284.50&URL=0200‐0299/0284/Sections/0284.50.html.
Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety. 2009. Effective Workplace Inspections. Her Majesty the Queen in
Right of Canada. Retrieved from
http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/prevention/effectiv.html#_1_1.
Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety. 2007. Workplace Inspections: A Matter of Health and Safety. Cat.
No.: L2‐105‐2007. ISBN: 0‐662‐67203‐8. Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada. Retrieved from
http://www.labour.gc.ca/eng/health_safety/pubs_hs/inspections.shtml.
Florida Department of Management Services. 2014. Building Operations and Facilities Management. Retrieved from
http://www.dms.myflorida.com/business_operations/real_estate_development_and_management/facilities_manage
ment.
REFERENCES AND RESOURCES
(CONTINUED)
Florida Division of State Fire Marshal. 2014. Bureau of Fire Prevention Inspections. Retrieved from
http://www.myfloridacfo.com/Division/SFM/BFP/default.htm#.VLy38ivF‐ZA.
Florida Department of Financial Services. 2010. State Loss Prevention Standards. Retrieved from
http://www.myfloridacfo.com/Division/Risk/LossPrevention/AgencyReview.htm#.VL20yEfF‐ZA.
Florida Inspectors General. 2014. Responsibilities and Expectation. Retrieved from
http://www.floridaoig.com/responsibilities.htm
OSHAcademy for Occupational Health and Safety Training. 2014. Course 704: Hazard Identification,
Analysis, and Control. Retrieved from http://www.oshatrain.org/courses/mods/704m3.html