240 FW 5 Safety and  Occupational Health Inspections	FWM#:  410 (Supersedes 240 FW 5, 03/26/92, FWM 019) Date:  October  30, 2002 Series:Occupational Safety and Health Part 240:Safety Program Originating Office:  Division of Safety, Security and Aviation
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5.1 What is the purpose of this chapter? This chapter establishes procedures and responsibilities for conducting safety and occupational health inspections and correcting any identified deficiencies.

5.2 To whom does this chapter apply? This chapter applies to Service employees, volunteers, Youth Conservation Corps and Job Corps members, seasonal workers, and students.

5.3 What are the authorities for the inspection program?

A. Public Law 91-596, Sec 19, Federal Agency Safety Programs and Responsibilities.

B. Executive Order 12196, Occupational Safety and Health Programs for Federal Employees.

C. 29 CFR 1960, Subpart D, Basic Program Elements for Federal Employee Occupational Safety and Health Programs and Related Matters, Inspection and Abatement.

D. 485 DM 6, Inspections and Abatements.

5.4 What are the requirements for conducting safety and occupational health inspections?

A. Project leaders and supervisors will ensure that each Service facility and operation under their control receives a safety and occupational health inspection at least annually, conducted by someone qualified to do so. Being qualified means having the experience or training to recognize facility and operational safety and health hazards and to recommend corrective actions. The qualifications necessary can be gained by on-the-job experience and familiarity with all aspects of the facility's operations. Suitable training will vary according to the complexity of the facility's operations. Examples of training that may be appropriate for routine operations includes OSHA's Course 600 - Collateral Duty Course for Other Federal Agencies, and OSHA's 30-Hour General Industry Safety and Health Outreach Program. The annual safety and occupational health inspection is generally conducted by an employee assigned to each facility and should not be confused with the evaluations conducted by the Regional Safety Office as discussed in paragraph 5.5. If the facility has a trained Collateral Duty Safety Officer (CDSO), that individual should conduct or participate in the inspection process. In large buildings like Arlington Square or the Denver Finance Center, one person is usually appointed to conduct the annual inspection.

B. The results of the annual inspection will be put in writing and identify the hazards found by their degree of seriousness and the corrective actions taken and/or planned. Project leaders and supervisors will ensure copies of these reports are kept on file at the office or field station and provided to the Regional Office, if requested. Seriousness levels are as follows:

(1) Imminent Danger (I). A condition that has the potential to cause serious injury or death if not corrected immediately.

(2) Serious (S). A condition that has the potential to cause an injury or property damage.

(3) Non-Serious (N). A condition that is not compliant with code or Service policy, but has a low potential for causing injury or damage.

C. The project leader or supervisor is responsible for ensuring all identified safety and occupational health hazards are corrected in order of priority. Imminent danger hazards must be corrected immediately after discovery, serious hazards within 5 days, and non-serious hazards within 30 days. If the corrective actions require resources that are not immediately available, it is the project leader's or supervisor's responsibility to request the necessary resources from line management. He or she will also ensure that adequate protective measures are implemented to protect employees from injury until the hazards can be corrected.

D. The requirement for an annual safety inspection does not relieve the project leader or supervisor of the responsibility to continually monitor performance and operations in order to ensure employees are safe on the job. The annual inspection is a requirement of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and ensures that a focused review of the safety and health of the facility and its operations occurs and is documented.

E. A qualified person(s) will inspect newly obtained facilities, particularly residences, bunkhouses, and large office buildings, prior to initial occupancy to determine if any safety hazards exist. The Regional Safety Office usually performs this inspection, but other inspectors familiar with safety and health requirements, particularly fire safety, can perform the inspection. Based upon the findings, the responsible inspector will recommend occupancy of the space or identify corrective actions needed to bring the space into a safe and healthful condition.

F. Safety and health officials from OSHA, the Department of the Interior, and the Service will have right of entry without delay, at reasonable times, to any facility, construction site, or other Service workplace to perform an inspection. They will also have the right to inspect any item or place within the workplace, and to question any manager, employee, or visitor.

G. If OSHA arrives to conduct an inspection, the field station will immediately contact the Regional Safety Office, who will notify the Chief, Division of Safety, Security, and Aviation. The Regional Safety Manager will provide any written report or Notices of Violation from the OSHA inspection to the Chief, Division of Safety, Security, and Aviation. These reports will be distributed to the other Regions for information, as appropriate.

H. If a safety or occupational health hazard is found during any inspection that could reasonably be expected to cause death or serious physical harm, the project leader or supervisor will take immediate corrective or preventive action, and if necessary, stop the operation and/or evacuate the area.

5.5 If the Regional Safety Office schedules an evaluation of my facility's safety and occupational health program, what should I expect?

A. Your facility will undergo an evaluation conducted by the Regional Safety Office according to the schedule established in your Region. The purpose of the evaluation is to determine to what extent the project leader or supervisor has implemented a safety and occupational health program that meets the requirements of OSHA, the Department of the Interior, and the Service. Prior notice of the evaluation is usually given, but it is not required. In some cases, you may be asked to complete a Pre-Visit Questionnaire (FWS Form 3-2237) or prepare other documentation prior to the Regional Safety Office's visit. Where possible, Regions will schedule these evaluations to be conducted at the same time as environmental program inspections.

B. The Regional Safety Office personnel will initially meet with the person in charge of the facility and the Collateral Duty Safety Officer to go over the evaluation process and determine if there are any particular safety issues of concern. The evaluation of programs and facilities will include the detail of review necessary to determine safety and health program effectiveness. This may include a review of any combination of the following:

(1) Written programs.

(2) Training records.

(3) Accident reports.

(4) Annual inspection reports.

(5) Safety certification statements, if required within the Region.

(6) Other safety and health program-related items.

(7) Physical inspection of the facility.

C. At the conclusion of the evaluation, Regional Safety Office personnel will hold a close-out meeting to discuss their findings. A written report documenting the findings and recommended corrective actions will be sent to the person in charge of the facility within 30 calendar days. Correction of these deficiencies is the responsibility of the project leader or supervisor and line management.

5.6 What are the primary responsibilities associated with this chapter?

A. Chief, Division of Safety, Security, and Aviation will:

(1) Revise and update this chapter, as appropriate.

(2) Provide interpretation of the safety and occupational health inspection program requirements and serve as a consultant to resolve Servicewide questions or issues.

B. Regional Directors will:

(1) Ensure adequate resources are provided to identify and correct safety and occupational health hazards.

(2) Ensure that project leaders and supervisors within the Region take appropriate action to correct identified safety and occupational health deficiencies in a timely manner.

C. Regional Safety Managers will:

(1) Establish a schedule to periodically conduct a safety and occupational health program evaluation of each facility and field station within the Region.

(2) Provide technical assistance to project leaders and supervisors, as requested, concerning identification and assessment of safety and occupational health hazards and appropriate corrective actions.

D. Project Leaders and Supervisors will:

(1) Continually monitor operations, facilities, and equipment to ensure employees are safe from recognized hazards.

(2) Ensure a qualified individual conducts an annual safety and health inspection and documents the findings in a written report.

(3) Take action to correct identified safety and occupational health hazards as quickly as possible and within the timeframes outlined in paragraph 5.4C. If the serious and non-serious hazards cannot be corrected within 30 days, develop a short but concise management action plan that lists the steps taken to temporarily alleviate the hazard to employees and permanently correct the hazard. If resources must be requested to correct the hazard, initiate the request for resources.

E. Collateral Duty Safety Officers will:

(1) If requested by the supervisor/project leader, conduct and document an annual safety and occupational health inspection.

(2) Assist Regional Safety Office staff during evaluations.

F. Employees will:

(1) Report safety and occupational health hazards or concerns to their immediate supervisor.

(2) Cooperate during evaluations and inspections and with implementing corrective actions.