• Employers may already have internal and external data available to help with identifying hazards, including equipment operating manuals, Safety Data Sheets, inspection reports, records of previous illness/injury, and more.
• Employers must arrange for regular safety inspections, as well as inspections whenever working conditions (work processes, equipment, etc.) change. A follow-up plan is needed to ensure any safety issues found are corrected.

Information on hazards may already be available to employers and workers, from both internal and external sources.

Employers should collect, organize, and review information with workers to determine what types of hazards may be present and to which workers may be exposed or potentially exposed. Information available may include:

• Equipment and machinery operating manuals.
• Safety Data Sheets (SDS) provided by chemical manufacturers.
• Self-inspection reports and inspection reports from insurance carriers, government agencies, and consultants.
• Records of previous injuries and illnesses, such as Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) 300 and 301 logs and reports of incident investigations.
• Workers’ compensation records and reports.
• Patterns of frequently-occurring injuries and illnesses.
• Exposure monitoring results, industrial hygiene assessments, and medical records (appropriately redacted to ensure patient/worker privacy).
• Existing safety and health programs (lockout/tagout, confined spaces, process safety management, personal protective equipment, etc.).
• Input from workers, including surveys or minutes from safety and health committee meetings.
• Results of job hazard analyses, also known as job safety analyses.

Information about hazards may also be available from outside sources such as:

• Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) websites, publications, and alerts.
• Trade associations.
• Labor unions, state and local occupational safety and health committees/coalitions (“COSH groups”), and worker advocacy groups.
• Safety and health consultants.

Inspecting the workplace for safety hazards

Hazards can be introduced over time as workstations and processes change, equipment or tools become worn, maintenance is neglected, or housekeeping practices decline. Setting aside time to regularly inspect the workplace for hazards can help identify shortcomings so that they can be addressed before an incident occurs. Employers should:

• Conduct regular inspections of all operations, equipment, work areas and facilities. Have workers participate on the inspection team and talk to them about hazards that they see or report.
• Document inspections to later verify that hazardous conditions are corrected. Take photos or video of problem areas to facilitate later discussion and brainstorming about how to control them, and for use as learning aids.
• Include all areas and activities in these inspections, such as storage and warehousing, facility and equipment maintenance, purchasing and office functions, and the activities of on-site contractors, subcontractors, and temporary employees.
• Regularly inspect both plant vehicles (e.g., forklifts, powered industrial trucks) and transportation vehicles (e.g., cars, trucks).
• Use checklists that highlight things to look for. Typical hazards fall into several major categories, such as those listed below, although each workplace will have its own list:
  • General housekeeping;
  • Slip, trip, and fall hazards;
  • Electrical hazards;
  • Equipment operation;
  • Equipment maintenance;
  • Fire protection;
  • Work organization and process flow (including staffing and scheduling);
  • Work practices;
  • Workplace violence;
  • Ergonomic problems; and
  • Lack of emergency procedures.

Employers should also plan to do safety inspections before changing operations, workstations, or workflow; making major organizational changes; or introducing new equipment, materials, or processes, seeking the input of workers and evaluating the planned changes for potential hazards and related risks.

Many hazards can be identified using common knowledge and available tools. For example, workers can easily identify or remove hazards such as broken stair rails or frayed electrical cords. Workers can be a very useful internal resource, especially if they are trained in how to identify and assess risks.