Know Your Rights: Safety in the Workplace / Safety Inspections

​Safety is everyone’s job. Both the employer and the union jointly encourage employees to work safely and to report any unsafe conditions. We should all remember this and strive to make sure everyone goes home safely at the end of the day.

When a workplace inspection is about to take place, ask if you, your local union rep, and/or another coworker can attend. No matter who is conducting the inspection, it is essential that you and your fellow employees are aware that an inspection is taking place and have an opportunity to inform inspectors of any problems that you may have observed.

The main purpose of inspections is to discover health and safety hazards and correct them before illness or injury occurs. Examples of safety and health policies include (but are not limited to) Position Hazard Analysis (required for all positions), emergency response plans (including evacuation routes and emergency phone numbers), as well as policies for specific situations like confined-space entry programs and “lockout/tagout.”
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Don’t wait for an accident to happen. Be aware that, in addition to agency-wide safety guidance like EM 385-1-1, local collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) often identify specific requirements related to inspections and other safety procedures. Note that a CBA can also be referred to as a Labor Management Agreement (LMA) or simply as “the contract.” If you don’t already have it on file, ask your local union rep for a copy of your CBA and check to see if its safety requirements are being followed in your workplace. Your safety is paramount!