Plant safety Inspection is the process of ensuring by the assessment that a facility reaches the necessary standard of quality or performance & that the level is maintained. Plant Safety inspection is defined as that monitoring function conducted in an organization to locate and report existing & potential hazards which have the capacity to cause accidents in the workplace.
The objective of plant safety inspection:
- To find out hazards (unsafe acts/ unsafe conditions) & take appropriate remedial for their prevention & control.
- To maintain a safe work environment, operational profitability & control unsafe actions of people.
- To check the statutory provision of the factory act & other statutes.
- To check the effectiveness of the existing system & to find improvement if required for the purpose of total loss control.
- To check quality controls, product safety, good manufacturing practices, corrosion, tests & personal selection.
- To gain workers’ confidence in organized human activity & factory life.
Types of plant safety inspection:
There are mainly four types of plant safety inspection.
- Planned Inspection
- Intermittent Inspection
- General Inspection
- Special Inspection.
Planned Inspection:
Plant, machinery, equipment, lifting m/c, pressure vessel, the health of workers, SOPs, statutory formats, health check-ups by the safety committee, safety officer, competent persons, safety consultants, Industrial hygienist, and OHS doctors.
Intermittent Inspection:
It is carried out at irregular intervals to check near equipment installations, procedures & worker competence, modification & accident analysis.
General Inspection:
Routine inspection of isolation areas, parking places, side walls, and fencing lighting.
Special Inspection:
- Safety Hazard Analysis
- Accident Investigation
- Dangerous Operation
- Inspection during special campaigns (Safety Day/week)
- Storage
- Hazard tools
- Scaffolds
- Personal protective equipment.
What is continuous plant safety inspection?
The safety officer, Engineer I/C or Field Supervisor, and Electrician observe regularly the condition of the equipment & machinery used & practice followed.
Planning and Procedure for plant safety inspection:
- The person inspecting must have some knowledge of the plant & process and knowledge of relevant rules.
- Develop & inspect as per the checklist.
- Evaluation of data & proper report writing.
Steps for plant safety inspection:
- Contact the in charge & take his help.
- To observe all conditions for compliance with established standard (Legal, SOP) checklist preferred.
- To observe all operations for unsafe acts & violations of safety rules.
- To prepare a systematic report with all hazards detected – possible remedial – measures – (suggestions and recommendations).
Material Handling safety inspection:
- Materials Handled.
- Method of handling.
Equipment safety inspection:
- Pressure vessel
- Effluent Treatment Plant
- Personal protective equipment
- FFE
- Electrical Equipment
Unsafe work practices inspection:
- No permit during work
- Nonuse of PPE
- Poor Housekeeping.