Your Industrial Insurance records

• What is your company's injury rate compared to others in your industry?
• What has caused injuries to your workers?

Your past record of compliance inspections*

[* NOTE: WISHA Compliance Inspectors are prevented from viewing any records from Consultation visits]

• If your business has had any WISHA inspections in the past, what were the results?
• Did you have any serious violations of safety and health rules?
• Have you corrected those violations? Or do they still exist?

Are there unsafe conditions/actions visible from the street?*

(* If an inspection wasn't planned ahead of time, this may be why the inspector begins one.)

• A "first impression" of what your operations are like before anyone realizes WISHA is there.

The identifying and address information on your company

• Does the L&I data base have the current information?
• If there is any follow-up correspondence from the inspection, will you receive it in a timely manner?

The 14 items on the WISHA Inspection Checklist

• Are your employees provided the required information on the L&I Workplace Posters? (see the list)
• Do you have copies of the WISHA standards that cover your workplace? (see Subsection 1A)
• Who will represent your company's employees, and help provide the employees' point of view of your safety and health practices?
• Does the inspector have to take any special precautions in your workplace? Do you use or produce any carcinogens?
• Do you have a written Accident Prevention Plan (see Subsection 1C)?
• Do you have any other written programs you may be required to have (see Subsection 1D)?
• If your employees are required to wear respirators, do you have records of their training and fit testing?
• Are you maintaining any other required medical records?
• Are you maintaining any required training records?

Machinery, equipment, power tools

• Are all manufacturers' specifications for safeguarding, safe operation and periodic inspection being followed?
• Have safeguards been removed or bypassed?
• Are appropriate measures being taken to prevent injuries to employees? (see Subsection 1B -- Job Hazard Analysis)

Employees demonstrating -- and describing -- how they perform their jobs

• Are they using the machinery, equipment or tools properly?
• How were they trained to perform their jobs safely?
• Can they describe their training?
• Can they describe the hazards involved in the task, and what methods are being used to protect them?

Are chemicals (solvents, fuels, pesticides, cleaning supplies, glues, etc) used or produced?

• What hazards are presented by chemicals?
• How are employees protected against chemical exposures?
• Are they properly informed of chemical hazards through your HazCom program?
• Do you maintain a file of Material Safety Data Sheets where the employees have access to it? (see Subsection 1B)

Your first aid facilities.

• Are there an appropriate number of first aid stations? Are they clearly identified? Readily accessible?
• Do your employees know the names and locations of first aid trained people?
• Can your employees describe what to do in case of injury?

"Sanitation"

• Is an adequate supply of drinking water readily available?
• Are toilets clean and accessible?

Your emergency eyewash facilities (if required)

• Do they work properly?
• Can employees get to them when needed? Or is there material stacked in front of them?

Your emergency evacuation plans

• Are evacuation routes clearly marked?
• Are they appropriately cited? (avoiding areas that would be hazardous in an emergency)
• Are all of the employees aware of where the assembly point is located?

Is your Accident Prevention Plan (APP) "effective in practice"?

• Do employees know where to find a copy of your APP?
• Can they describe practices written in your plan?
• Can they describe how to report unsafe conditions or equipment?
• If you have a Safety Committee, can they identify their safety representative?
• If you have Safety Meetings, can they describe what was discussed at recent meetings?
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Personal protective equipment (PPE) used in your workplace

• Is PPE only used where other means of safeguarding against hazards are not practical?
• Are employees using PPE where it's called for?
• Are they using it properly?
• Is their PPE being properly maintained?
• Can they demonstrate how to inspect it?
• Do they know how and where to have it replaced?

Any hazards they observed, and how serious they were

• Explain what they saw/heard, and what WISHA standard that violates
• Let you provide any information to refute that a hazard existed
• Determine if you've taken measures to discover the hazards
• Determine if you have been taking measures to control those hazards
• Explain to you that a citation may be issued for hazards, and that penalties may be assessed

How long you think it will take to eliminate any hazards

• Establish a reasonable period of time for you to eliminate ("abate") the hazard
• Ensure you will take appropriate actions to abate the hazards
• Ensure you are clear on how to provide proof of having corrected any hazards

All of the notes and photographs they took during the inspection

• Determine if citations should be issued for hazards:
• Was the condition capable of causing physical injury or illness to employees?
• Were employees actually exposed to the hazardous condition? Or were your safeguards sufficient to prevent it?
• Is there a WISHA standard
• Should you, with the "exercise of reasonable diligence" have known of the hazard?

Produce a written report of the inspection, and issue any citations that were appropriate.