Role Of Workplace Health & Safety Inspection & the Strength and Weaknesses of Using a Checklist

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There are Three Parts Of these Topics:

Part (a) – Outline the role of workplace health and safety inspection.
Part (b) – Give two strengths of using a checklist when carrying out an inspection.
Part (c) – Give two weaknesses of using a checklist when carrying out an inspection

Let’s Discuss the Part (a) First,

Role of Workplace Health and Safety inspections:

It is a general examination of health and safety performance at a particular point in time,
It may be used to improve health and safety performance within an organization in a number of ways including identifying hazards and assessing controls enabling the appropriate remedial action to be taken before accidents have occurred;
It showing management’s commitment to health and safety and improving the morale of the workforce;
It enabled the involvement of workers in the management of health and safety and if carried out on a regular basis,
It identifying trends and weaknesses in existing procedures;
Ensuring adherence to legal requirements and standards;
Reviewing previous findings and recommendations and
Providing a summary report to individual managers of standards in their area of responsibility

Now, Let’s Discuss the Part (b),

One of the strengths of using a checklist to complete a health and safety inspection of a workplace is the opportunity given for prior preparation and planning to be made so that the inspection is structured and systematic.
An additional strength involves the degree of consistency obtained firstly by those carrying out the inspection and further in the areas and issues to be covered.
A checklist can be easily adapted or customised for different areas, results in an immediate record of findings, and provides an easy method for comparison and audit.

Now, Let’s Discuss the Part (c),

The Weaknesses Of Using a Checklist When Carrying Out an Inspection:

The weaknesses of using such a system, however, are that over-reliance on a checklist may lead to a blinkered approach by inspectors with the possibility that significant risks might be missed;
That the checklist may not be reviewed and updated to account for changes to work processes or equipment;
That there is a danger that inspections become routine with no follow-up questions being asked;
That the system is too objective and restrictive with no scope for peripheral issues to be considered;
That untrained persons might be tempted to conduct inspections and that the procedure is subject to human error and/or abuse.