Workplace health and safety inspections have always been a Ministry of Labor mandate. Employers must meet all protocols as per the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
A pre-start health and safety review is one such legal mandate. It is an essential checklist of items that need verification, helping you address all potential hazards in the workplace.
Inspecting all industrial structures, apparatuses, and processes is part of a health and safety review. Businesses perform a pre-start review or PSR assessment before construction, installation, or modification.
Here’s everything you need to know.
What does the Ministry of Labour Do?
The Ministry of Labour focuses on workplaces that have higher than average LTI rates and claim costs. But experts from the agency can visit any facility at any time and conduct a routine inspection.
The Ministry of Labour reviews any industrial workplace on the following criteria:
- Compliance and operational history
- Hazards identified in the workplace
- Quality of PPE or safety gear
- Number and severity of injuries
- Costs associated with liabilities
- Specific events or incidents
- Presence of vulnerable workers
- Installation of new machinery
The results of these workplace inspections can prove to be essential in establishing an effective health and safety program. These can also help companies achieve the following goals:
- Identify health and safety hazards in the workplace.
- Establish health and safety standards and practices.
- Develop preventive controls and safety measures.
- Record the effectiveness of controls and functions.
- Ensure compliance with OSHA Act and regulations.
How to Prepare for a Ministry Health & Safety Review
You should not place your business in a position where you’re expected to prove your due diligence. The Ministry of Labour investigates a facility’s health and safety program in the event of an Safety incident involving a machine or process. As a result, it’s important to prepare your facility for a health and safety inspection.
Some effective practices include the following:
- Ensure health and safety signage at every level: Your facility must include safety identification signage in the workplace or common areas shared by employees.
- Educate staff on health and safety protocols: You must inform your in-house staff and machine operators about safety guidelines and ensure they meet compliance.
- Conduct a pre-start health and safety review: Get a qualified safety engineer to prove your due diligence with a health and safety review on any structure or machine.
Get a Pre-Start Health and Safety Review
A prestart health and safety review helps identify safety gaps with expert recommendations on control measures. Whether you need just a quick check to validate your process or assistance with building your program, we can help!
At S.A.F.E Engineering, we have the experience and resources to keep your facility safe and compliant. Our qualified team of engineers can perform a comprehensive pre-start-up safety review as per your budget.
After review our certified engineers will provide a safety report addressing the structure, apparatus, or process. Talk to an expert from our team today.
