EHS Inspection Checklist for Manufacturing Facilities
Before we go over some things likely to be found on an EHS inspection checklist for manufacturing facilities, let’s make sure we’re all on the same page of what EHS refers to.
The three pillars of EHS are
- Environment: mitigating ecological damage operations may inflict
- Health: ensuring the well-being of employees
- Safety: reducing instances of accidents and exposure to harm
All three elements are closely intertwined, especially health and safety.
A General EHS Inspection Checklist Outline
As you read the following section detailing items likely to be found on a manufacturing facility’s EHS inspection checklist, remember that your actual inspection needs will depend on the specific area and facility you are inspecting.
Regardless, your EHS inspection checklist should start with basic information such as the:
- Date of inspection
- Name of inspector
- Areas being inspected
Next, verify that proper housekeeping practices are being observed and the following are absent:
- Slip or trip hazards
- Obstructions or clutter
- Dust accumulation
- Sharp objects protruding from the floor
- Loose floor boards
Confirm that the area’s lighting and sound levels are adequate and that hearing protection is offered if needed. Also, consider the environmental conditions workers and the facility itself may be subjected to and ensure that both people and property are able to comfortably withstand them.
In addition to being provided protection against noise, extreme temperatures, and precipitation, employees must be provided with the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) befitting of the tasks they are performing. While conducting an EHS inspection, check that:
- Employees are in fact wearing the expected PPE
- Areas requiring the usage of PPE are identifiable with signs
Part of your EHS inspection checklist should also be confirming that employees have been trained for the specific tasks they have been assigned to.
A major element of EHS inspections is making sure fire and life safety systems and strategies are in place. Preventing emergencies from occurring, as well as being able to swiftly address them when they do occur, is vital to not only the health and safety of facility employees, but to mitigating the environmental impacts of such emergencies.
With all of that in mind, your EHS inspection checklist will have you check that all hazards are identified as such via labels, signs, and/or tags. Additionally, make sure that first aid is available by means of:
- A sufficient number of kits filled with adequate supplies
- The presence of a trained responder on each shift
In the case that someone does come into contact with a hazardous substance, flushing facilities, such as eyewash stations and safety showers, must be readily available and operational.
Fall protection systems also need to be checked, potentially including:
- Personal fall arrest systems
- Harnesses
- Lanyards
- Connectors
- Anchorage points
- Guardrails
- Safety nets
- Ladders, platforms, and elevating devices
- Warning lines
- Controlled access zones
Moving toward components of fire safety systems specifically, the following also must be accessible and up to code:
- Fire protection
- Fire extinguishers
- Sprinkler systems
- Fire alarms
- Fire doors
- Fire response plan
- Flammable-liquid cabinets
- Means of egress
- Emergency exits
- Egress paths
- Emergency lighting systems
- Electrical safety
- Wiring and panels
- Arc-flash labels
- Circuit breakers
- Junction boxes
- Switch gears
Beyond verifying that safety assets are being used correctly and are in working condition, EHS inspections should also check that the same can be said of machinery, tools, and equipment. Confirm that guards on dangerous machines are intact and that LOTO procedures are posted and followed.
Any waste generated and any hazardous, flammable, and/or combustible materials found in the facility must be labeled, handled, and stored properly. This is a key aspect of the ‘E’ portion of EHS.
Storage areas themselves should be:
- Neat (this is especially important for easy and quick retrieval of materials)
- Well-ventilated
- Free of water damage
- Free of fire hazards
- Locked
Finally, your EHS inspection checklist might go over loading/unloading racks and warehouse spaces, depending on the area you are currently inspecting.
Creating the Right EHS Inspection Checklist For Your Manufacturing Facility
Again, the EHS inspection checklist most suited to your needs may look different than the one above. In fact, it should look different than the one above—mainly, it should be much more thorough! Each bolded item above has its own unique features and potential concerns beyond simply being present.
To make completing each of these steps easy as can be, use InspectNTrack to log, store, and analyze facility EHS inspections. Built to be the most intuitive and easy-to-use inspection software, InspectNTrack is filled with pre-existing inspection templates while also offering customization capabilities. But it doesn’t stop there; InspectNTrack allows you to handle everything—from task assignment to data collection to report generation—all on one centralized platform. The software will even group assets together to create the most efficient inspection route possible, saving you valuable time and effort.
If you want to clock in to work everyday with the peace of mind of knowing that if OSHA comes knocking today, you’ll have no reason to sweat or scramble, get started with InspectNTrack today!
