Work Environment, Plant and Equipment - Inspection, testing and monitoring

1. Purpose and Scope

The purpose of these guidelines is to:

• Ensure the work environment, plant and equipment, and processes in the workplace conform to UWA, National standards and legislative requirements
• Establish and maintain a procedure for the planning and conduct of occupational safety and health (OSH) inspections, testing and monitoring to meet the OHS needs of UWA in implementing its OHS management system and its statutory requirements.

The scope of these guidelines covers inspections, testing and monitoring requirements covered under OHS and other relevant legislation and standards for all UWA facilities. It provides a guide for the majority of requirements for inspection, testing and monitoring that need to be conducted for UWA operations and facilities.

2. Definitions

For the purpose of these guidelines:

• Inspection is taken to mean: “observations of work environment, work practices, equipment used, work posture or reported hazard and may be done with or without an inspection checklist”. The inspection may be generic or it may be specific to assess a particular risk, task or part of the Occupational Health and Safety management system (OHSMS).

Examples of independent inspection processes include:
i) inspection of a potentially hazardous process to ensure that controls have been effective
   ii) Inspection of plant such as pressure vessels to check they conform with
specified standards and regulatory requirements
iii) Inspection of a work area to ensure that specific site safety rules have been followed or to identify hazards
iv) Inspection of a work site to ensure that controls are effective and to reinforce management commitment to the corporate and local OHSMS.

• Testing is taken to mean: “use of standardised tests to check equipment, plant operation, process control, performance and effectiveness”. E.g. fume cupboard face velocity test.

• Monitoring refers to work environment monitoring or biological monitoring of individual employee’s occupational health / exposure.

3. Legislation, WorkSafe and Australian Standards requirements

UWA Safety and Health will provide general guidelines on relevant legislation and standards through this procedure and via it’s website. However, each School/Section/Unit needs to identify and document the relevant legislation and Standards for inspection, testing and monitoring of plant and equipment and the work environment that is applicable to their workplace. This documentation should also specify the training and competency required to do the various testing and inspection activities that have been identified.

For a guide for inspection and testing refer to index of the WA OHS Regulation1996.

4. Responsibilities and Accountabilities

The overall responsibility and accountability resides with the University of Western Australia Senate. The Senate delegates their responsibility to the Vice-Chancellor and the Senior Management Group to ensure that appropriate procedures for inspection and testing are developed, maintained and reviewed to check their effectiveness.

Responsibility for developing a Faculty and School/Section/Unit Inspection and Testing Plan and Program rests with the Deans and Heads of Schools/Sections/Units. They may delegate this to School and Unit managers. The Facilities Management has specific responsibilities for inspecting building infrastructure, essential services, grounds and walkways, plant and equipment and security.

UWA Safety and Health may conduct scheduled and ad hoc inspections to identify foreseeable hazards, to assist Schools/Sections/Units with assessing and prioritising safety and health risks and to monitor the effectiveness of local risk control implemented. Work areas conducting testing have a responsibility to verify that the tests results conform to specified standards and to take corrective action if they don’t conform and inform the areas that may be impacted by the test results.

5. Inspection and Testing Plan and Implementation Program

Deans and Heads of Schools/Sections/Units are responsible for developing an Inspection and Testing Plan for their area of responsibility in consultation with senior managers and workplace safety and health committees. The Plan should be developed by:

• identifying the range of operational activities undertaken and;
• ascertaining what testing, inspection and monitoring requirements are specified by legislation and standards for these activities by checking UWA safety and health policies, legislation and standards; and
• developing a schedule for inspection and testing activities and ;
• having process system checks to ensure that corrective action occurs after testing etc.

6. Competency and Certification for Specific Testing and Inspection

The OSH Regulation 1996, refer to National Occupational Health and Safety Commission (NOHSC) standards which specifies that certificates of competency are required for:

• Scaffolding and Rigging
• Crane and Hoist Operation
• Pressure Equipment Operation

Contractors who conduct tests of equipment and services must be able to demonstrate that they have the required certification and competency for the testing they perform. Personnel engaging contractors need to obtain relevant records confirming contractor competency and licensing etc.

Persons undertaking workplace inspections should have completed training relevant to the nature of the inspection to be undertaken e.g. safety and health consultation, biosafety and radiation safety training.

Licences are required for asbestos removal work and radiation work. Occupational
hygiene qualifications or equivalent are required for occupational hygiene monitoring
activities including sampling and analysis of test results.

7. Types of Inspections, Testing and Monitoring

Inspections could include: scheduled or ad hoc workplace inspections by supervisors, workplace safety and health committees, research safety committees, safety and health representatives, safety officers, Safety and Health, Facilities Management, Security personnel or by Heads of Schools, Research Centres and Units.

Inspections can be undertaken for specific purposes to:

•determine the significance of a reported hazard,
•assist with risk assessment,
•gather data for accident investigation purposes,
•quantify the extent of a safety and health issue/problem,
•generate solutions to safety and health problems/needs,
•assess the level of performance of the OHSMS
•evaluate the effectiveness of OSH training
•building compliance with relevant codes and standards

In addition, WorkSafe may inspect a workplace following a verbal or written report of an incident to inspect the scene, interview witnesses, take photos and other evidence, assess if corrective action has been taken on the factors contributing to the incident, check if risk assessments and safe work method statements are being followed and check if system wide inspection has occurred in response to significant occurrence.

Testing and inspections can consist of either a scheduled program to meet requirements of legislation and standards or an ad hoc inspection initiated because an issue arises that requires testing to diagnose the cause or source and resolve the safety and health problem.

Table 1 Types of Inspection, Testing, and Monitoring Required by Legislation and Standards and Responsibility For Planning and Conducting Inspection, Testing and Monitoring Program

8. Inspection and Testing Records

Persons named in Table 1 above who are responsible for coordinating inspections and testing are also responsible for maintenance and security of test records. Inspection and test results should be made available to the manager of the area concerned and those who were present during inspection or requested testing.

Confidentiality and privacy of records need to be in place with regard to biological monitoring test results.  Other results of workplace inspections and test results should be made available to the manager of the area and the relevant safety and health committee.

9. Review of Inspection and Test Procedures and Communication to Stakeholders

It is important that inspection and testing results are discussed with local safety and health committee to ensure that all possible solutions are found to the issues raised by staff.

Procedures must be reviewed to ensure relevance, currency and corrective action on non-conformances found during inspection or testing procedures. There needs to be a clear documented avenue of appeal if building occupants do not think sufficient action has been taken since safety and health issues were raised as a result of inspection or testing work.

10. Relevant legislation

Relevant legislation regarding requirements includes the following:

•WA Occupational Safety and Health Act 1984 and Regulations 1996
•WA Dangerous Goods Act 1961 and Regulations 1992
•WA Radiation Safety Act 1975 and Regulations 1983
•Commonwealth Gene Technology Act 2000 and Regulations 2001

Relevant Standards to consult on requirements – see Australian Standards on line

Legislative requirements for inspection, testing and monitoring are detailed in the WA OSH Regulations 1996 which also references relevant standards and guidelines.

Attachment: Flowchart for Inspection, Testing and Monitoring Program