1. Routine Self-Inspections
Development, Validation, Implementation and Enhancement for a Voluntary Protection Programs Center of Excellence (VPP CX) Capability for the Department of Defense
Routine Self-Inspections

2. Objectives After this training you will be able to:
Identify the purpose of self-inspections
Understand VPP requirements for a written self-inspection program
Outline self-inspection process and teams
Define the benefits of self-inspections
Define the role of Leadership in self-inspections.

3. Purpose of Self-Inspections
An effective self-inspection process:
Enhances identification and abatement of worksite hazards for normal operations
Is essential for an effective safety and health process.

4. Routine Self-Inspections
The routine self-inspection system should:
Include written procedures/ guidance
Use qualified personnel to conduct inspections
Assign responsibility for abatement/tracking
Result in documentations of findings and track the hazard elimination or control to completion.
Employees must be trained on hazard recognition and the types of hazards associated with tasks such as chemical, electrical, mechanical, pinch points etc… as well as safe behaviors to safely carry out tasks.

5. Self-Inspection vs. Hazard Analysis

6. Written Program

7. VPP Requirements
Written routine safety & health (S&H) self-inspection program should include:
Inspection schedule
Make-up and function of self-inspection teams
How findings/results will be documented
How employees will have access to the results of self-inspections
How responsibility and timeframes for abatement will be assigned
How hazard elimination/control will be tracked to ensure timely completion
How to use interim control measures if necessary.
The written inspection program and checklists must be updated to include new information resulting from process changes, baseline hazard analyses, accident/incident/near miss investigations, JHAs, employee reports of hazards, results of sampling, new or updated OSHA standards, etc. Necessary changes may include adding new items to inspect, or deleting equipment, processes, etc. that have been removed from the site and no longer need inspecting. Review past inspection results to determine things that are being done well. Consider changing the items to be inspected based on data, both leading and lagging. If we continue to do things very well, we may not need to include these items as part of a routine inspection. However, if there is data that indicates we have an opportunity with a certain tasks or installation wide we would want to include this as part of our inspectons Employees must have results/access to self-inspections.

8. Access to Inspection Results
Written plans should state how employees will have access to self-inspection results
Communicate to employees:
Access to self-inspection results
Status of corrective actions
Abatement plans for hazards
Update employees at least monthly on inspection results.
Responsibility for communicating to employees typically falls to the Supervisor.  To increase employee involvement and ownership, consider assigning that task to an area employee, ideally one who is a member of the self-inspection team.

9. Responsibilities/Timeframes for Abatement
Written plans for responsibilities and timeframes for abatement should:
State how responsibilities and timeframes for abatement will be assigned
Assign risk factors, severity, probability, likelihood
Assign responsibility for abatement
Assign realistic timeframes for abatement.
Speaker, be prepared to answer the question “What’s the difference, if any, between Hazard Abatement and Hazard Elimination?”

10. Tracking Hazard Elimination/Control
Written plans for tracking hazard elimination and control should:
State how hazards identified will be tracked either by paper or computer system
Identify process to routinely review status of corrective actions
Identify process to elevate status to upper management to resolve issues
Items >30 days.
Speaker, be prepared to answer the question “What’s the difference, if any, between Hazard Abatement and Hazard Elimination?”
Once again use this as an opportunity to emphasize the benefits of a HAZARD TRACKING SYSTEM.  While it doesn’t need to be electronic to be effective, a centralized system does enhance the site’s ability to have visibility of program and assess the overall program effectiveness.  Electronic systems, even simple spreadsheets, support trending efforts.
Responsibilities for closure (eliminating hazards) is best assigned to the ‘local” level (i.e., department), but the data is useful at a “global” level (i.e, organization, installation, higher HQ, etc.)

11. Inspection Process

12. Inspection Schedule The inspection schedule should:
Contain monthly (or more frequent) inspections
Cover the entire organization (or site) at least quarterly
Include office/administrative areas
Include other non-operational areas, such as recreation, daycare facilities, etc., if covered by the VPP application.
SPEAKER BEWARE!  Audience will grumble at the frequency.  Emphasize the reality that “if they are not responding to the findings, then of course they won’t get any value from more frequent inspections.”  What they do with the results is often related to how they document the results.  Lead them down the path of an electronic HAZARD TRACKING SYSTEM as a means to manage the process more effectively.  Allow the data to aide in deciding how often any particular area is inspected for various types of hazards.
The actual inspection scheduled should be determined by the types and severity of hazards. There may be some areas that require more focused inspections based on the tasks and hazards associated with those tasks. For example, there may be inspections/audits that focus on electrical, machine guarding or PPE. One of the methods to determine the types of inspections to conduct is to review trending data. “Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there”. (Will Rogers) Ask the question, are we looking at what we need to, are we documenting what needs to be documented, are people being held accountable Documentation of inspections must show thoroughness beyond the use of checklist to ensure a close looped system.

13. Conducting Inspections
Some suggestions for conducting various types of routine self-inspections include:
“Tiered” Area Inspections
Employee inspects own area weekly, monthly, etc.
Supervisor inspects same area quarterly
Emergency Equipment Inspections
Employee trained to inspect one or more “fixed emergency equipment” such as emergency eye washes/showers, fire extinguishers, etc.
Other Equipment Inspections
Employee routinely inspects non-emergency operational equipment such as ladders, chains, machine guarding, etc.
Example #1:  “Tiered” inspections.  Employees might perform frequent routine inspection of their own work area, document the results as a “formal” self-inspection on an assigned frequency (i.e., weekly or monthly), then Supervisor or other inspection team member might inspect the area quarterly, during which time they could also verify that the employee is fulfilling his/her responsibility in conducting more frequent self-inspections.
Example #2:  Emergency equipment inspections.  Individuals might be assigned “ownership” of specific aspects of the overall routine self-inspection program.  Each are trained to fulfill the required inspections on one or more “fixed emergency equipment” such as emergency eye-washes / showers, or fire extinguishers, or emergency egress signage / lighting / exits, fire doors, etc. 
Example #3:  Other equipment inspections.  Similarly, there are routine safety inspection requirements (beyond pre-operation checks) that apply to other [non-emergency] operational equipment: cranes & hoists, ladders, mechanical power presses, slings, chains, and other lifting devices, machine guarding, etc.  Team members could be assigned and trained to perform these inspections.

14. Self-Inspection Team Members
Self-inspection team members should include:
Non-supervisory employees
Union representatives
S&H staff
Managers/supervisors
Directors/department heads
Top management.
Train personnel conducting inspections on hazard recognition/identification.
We’re not suggesting a full team comprised of all listed individuals participate on each and every inspections.  Rather, the “pool” of trained inspectors should include this cross-section.  A 2-person team is often an effective method.  The goal is to include individuals who are most familiar with the daily operations of the area to be inspected; they are the best suited to identify unsafe conditions or procedures w/in the context of the work activities that occur in the area.

15. Documentation of Findings/Results
Consider the use of checklists to aid in documenting findings
If used, checklists should be unique to the area or item being inspected
Clearly identify whether item is “Not Applicable”, “Conforms”, or “Doesn’t Conform”
Write a description of the finding
Write the location where it was found
Assign responsibility and timeframe for abatement.

16. Documentation of Findings & Results
Develop a checklist using input from both S&H staff and individuals familiar with the area equipment
Provide space to allow inspector to document additional findings not included on the checklist.
Pros: 
            Facilitate consistent “minimal” inspection scope.
            Reinforce training inspector received to “qualify” them.
            Facilitates documentation of findings.
            Usually enhances ability to capture data in a “trend-able” format
Cons:
            Often too generic.
            Might limit the inspectors perspective.

17. Use of Inspection Results
Determine trends to:
Efficiently direct resources
Prioritize hazard elimination
Leading vs. Lagging
Use results to contribute to the Annual Program Evaluation
Modify Installation S&H goals and objectives
Modify training to increase hazard awareness
Facilitating meetings with leadership at least quarterly to discuss/resolve S&H issues/concerns.
EMPLOYEE INVOLVEMENT!  This function traditionally falls to the S&H Staff.  Empower the Self-Inspection team to analyze their findings from a “programmatic” level and generate ideas for continuous improvement.
Provide feedback to Safety Committee/Teams and Management on the effectiveness of programs implemented to reduce hazards.
Use inspection results to identify things we are doing well but also things we can do better.

18. Benefits Systematic approach Ensure ownership Report progress
Ongoing
Tracking and closure
Ensure ownership
Cross Sectional
All shifts and departments are covered
Everyone is an inspector, everything is inspected
Report progress
Communicate successes
Drive continuous improvement.

19. Leadership Role

20. Leadership Role Actively participate in the inspection process
Monitor and Measure
Hold team accountable for conducting inspections
Hold area leaders accountable for addressing findings.
Set measurable and attainable goals
Review inspection results
Measure proactive results.
1) “Walk-along” with a team to observe process.  2) Be a member of the inspection team.  3) Physically assess findings that remain open beyond their planned closure date.
Leaders are the organizational symbol, be visible, be accessible

21. Leadership Role Provide adequate resources
Time to conduct inspections
Training for inspection team
Personal protective equipment
Use IT resources to improve process effectiveness
Inspections produce data
Capture data in a trend-able form
Use data to support decision-making
Communicate
Acknowledge successes
Reward accomplishments.
Leaders are the organizational symbol, be visible, be accessible

22. Summary In this presentation, you learned about:
The purpose of self-inspections
VPP requirements for a written self-inspection program
Self-inspection process and teams
The benefits of self-inspections
The role of Leadership in self-inspections.