Inspection of Workplaces
Safety Policy Arrangement 50-2010
Policy Statement
The University of Dundee recognises that workplace safety inspections are an integral part of its health and safety management system and have an important role in improving standards. Therefore, it will ensure that inspections proportionate to the level of risk in a workplace are carried out at regular intervals. These inspections will be conducted in a open and positive manner with the only objective being one of continuous improvement.
Arrangements
Deans/Directors will ensure that workplace safety inspections are carried out in accordance with the Guidance below. They will respond promptly to issues identified during the inspection.
Safety Services will provide training in carrying out workplace safety inspections.
Guidance Note on Workplace Safety Inspections
1. Introduction
Regular safety inspections are an important part of a School / Support Service’s health and safety management system. The University H&S Policy recognises this and requires Schools and Support Services to carry out an inspection at least annually.
This Guidance Note sets out the basic requirements and provides generic checklists, which may be used as a starting point for the inspection.
2. Purpose of regular inspections
Regular inspections provide a means for Schools/Support Services to measure safety performance against standards such as University Safety Policy Arrangements or local safety procedures. They also serve to identify unsafe procedures and unsafe conditions and rectify them before an accident happens. They provide an opportunity to ensure that other, more specific, checks and tests have been made at the appropriate intervals (e.g. on fume cupboards, microbiological safety cabinets, electrical equipment, pressure systems). They facilitate compliance with the University's policy on risk assessment by identifying where risk assessments need to be completed.
3. Inspection arrangements
Workplaces should be inspected at least annually. It may be convenient to develop a programme over the year, rather than attempting to inspect all the workplaces in one inspection.
Inspection may be carried out by one person (usually the School Safety Representative) or by a small team. There is no reason why staff should not be notified in advance of inspection dates and times: they are more likely to be cooperative if they do not feel an attempt is being made to catch them by surprise.
4. Inspection report
A written report should be prepared which includes the date and scope of the inspection and the names of those carrying it out. It should include details of any issues identified (their nature, location and severity), the remedial actions with an indication of the priority, the timescale and the person(s) responsible for remedial action. The report must also detail the arrangements for ensuring that recommendations for remedial action are acted upon.
A copy of the report should be sent to the Dean/Director and should be discussed at the School/Support Service Health and Safety Committee to ensure that recommendations have been acted upon.
5. Inspection checklists
Inspection checklists provide a useful starting point but they are not intended to be comprehensive. It is important to use any checklist only as an aid; over-reliance on it may constrain the inspection and lead to issues being missed. Appendix 1 gives an inspection checklist for an office; Appendix 2 a laboratory and Appendix 3 a workshop.
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