Workplace Safety Inspection One of Management\'s Most

¶ … Workplace Safety Inspection

One of management's most pressing priorities within any workplace setting, from the floor of a factory to a site of office cubicles, is to ensure that all employees are provided diligent protection from the array of hazards which inevitably arise during any professional pursuit. Signage must be clear and accurate, warning labels must be affixed to any and all dangerous substances, and machinery capable of injuring or killing workers must be monitored constantly and maintained regularly. To ensure that employers across America are upholding their responsibility to provide a safe working environment, the United States Department of Labor works under the auspices of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to devise legislative mandates and regulatory provisions. According to OSHA's stringent definition of workplace hazards, "in practical terms, a hazard often is associated with a condition or activity that, if left uncontrolled, can result in an injury or illness" (Chao, 2002), and it is the prerogative of every employer to conduct systematic job hazard analyses on a regular basis. By applying the detailed standards of the OSHA Job Hazard Analysis to my own workplace, which in this case is a local grocery store, it is possible to identify a whole host of potentially dangerous factors which have either gone unnoticed, or unattended to, during the store's daily operations. Furthermore, conducting interviews with my fellow store employees to apprise them of the hazards OSHA's checklist has identified, a collaborative process can begin to improve the store's safety standards.

Example Job Hazard Analysis Form

Job Location:

Store Stockroom

Analyst:

OSHA # 391

Task Description: Worker retrieves palettes of inventory from delivery truck, uses dolly to transport them to storeroom, and physically lifts them to the proper place on storeroom shelves.

Hazard Description: Picking up these large, heavy boxes, the employee could drop it onto their foot. The boxes often weigh up to 40 pounds, and could seriously injure the worker's foot or toes if dropped.

Hazard Controls:

1. Use a scissor-lift to convey boxes to the highest shelves.

2. Wear steel-toe shoes with arch protection.

3. Change protective gloves that allow a better grip.

4. Stock inventory items individually, removing the need to lift heavy boxes.

Task Description: Worker walks through the store's parking lot to retrieve discarded shopping carts.

Hazard Description: The parking lot is not illuminated properly at night, and drivers have trouble seeing workers performing this task in a dim parking lot.

Hazard Controls:

1. Use a flashlight or lighting device to alert drivers to worker's presence.