Introduction to Health and Safety at Work

Reports from inspections
Some of the items arising from safety inspections will 
have been dealt with immediately, other items will 
require action by specifi ed people. Where there is some 
doubt about the problem, and what exactly is required, 
advice should be sought from the site safety adviser or 
external expert. A brief report of the inspection and any 
resulting action list should be submitted to the safety 
committee. While the committee may not have the time 
available to consider all reports in detail, it will want to 
be satisfi ed that appropriate action is taken to resolve all 
matters; it will be necessary for the committee to follow 
up the reports until all matters are resolved.
Inspection standards
In order to get maximum value from inspection check-
lists, they should be designed so that they require object-
ive rather than subjective judgements of conditions. 
For example, asking the people undertaking a general 
inspection of the workplace to rate housekeeping as 
good or bad, begs questions as to what does good and 
bad mean, and what criteria should be used to judge 
this. If good housekeeping means there is no rubbish left 
on the fl oor; all waste bins are regularly emptied and not 
overfl owing; fl oors are swept each day and cleaned once 
a week; decorations should be in good condition with 
no peeling paint, then this should be stated. Adequate 
expected standards should be provided in separate 
notes so that those inspecting know the standards that 
are required.
The checklist or inspection form should facilitate: 
➤
the planning and initiation of remedial action, by requir-
ing those doing the inspection to rank defi ciencies 
Figure 7.3
(a) Poor conditions – inspection needed; 
(b) inspection in progress.
(a)
(b)

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