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WHS Inspection Preparation Checklist
Know exactly what a WHS inspector will look for when they walk through your door. Our preparation checklist covers every category from documentation to PPE compliance.
What Do WHS Inspectors Look For?
WHS inspectors have broad powers under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 to enter workplaces without notice, examine any part of the workplace, and require the production of documents. They assess whether your business is managing risks to health and safety so far as is reasonably practicable.
An inspection typically covers your documentation and safety management system, the physical condition of the workplace, emergency preparedness, worker training and competency records, incident registers, and risk assessment documentation. Being able to produce these records quickly demonstrates due diligence.
Checklist Categories
Documentation & Policies
- WHS policy signed by senior management
- WHS management plan or system documentation
- Hazard and risk registers (current and dated)
- Safety data sheets (SDS) for all hazardous chemicals
- Safe Work Method Statements (SWMS) for high-risk work
Physical Workplace
- Clear walkways and emergency exits
- Adequate lighting, ventilation, and temperature control
- Housekeeping standards maintained across all areas
- Electrical equipment tested and tagged (where required)
- Plant and machinery guarding in place and operational
Emergency Procedures
- Written emergency plan displayed prominently
- Evacuation diagrams at required locations
- Fire extinguishers serviced and accessible
- Emergency warden system with trained wardens
- Regular emergency drills conducted and documented
Training & Induction
- Site-specific induction records for all workers
- Licences and competency records (e.g., forklifts, EWP)
- Toolbox talk and safety meeting records
- Supervisor WHS training documentation
- Contractor induction and management records
Incident Management
- Incident and hazard reporting register
- Investigation reports with corrective actions
- Notifiable incident records reported to regulator
- Return-to-work and injury management documentation
- Near-miss reporting system in use
Risk Management
- Risk assessments for all significant hazards
- Hierarchy of controls applied and documented
- SWMS for all high-risk construction work
- Psychosocial hazard risk assessment completed
- Regular workplace inspections scheduled and recorded
First Aid & PPE
- Adequate first aid kits stocked and accessible
- Trained first aid officers on each shift
- PPE register and issue records maintained
- PPE condition inspections documented
- Correct PPE signage at required locations
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WHS Penalties Are Severe
Category 1 WHS offences carry fines up to $3M for corporations and $600K for individuals, plus up to 5 years imprisonment. Preparation is not optional.
WHS Inspection FAQs
WHS inspectors may visit your workplace for routine compliance checks, in response to a complaint or notifiable incident, as part of a targeted industry campaign, or following a workplace injury. Inspectors do not need to give advance notice. They have broad powers under the WHS Act to enter workplaces, inspect, ask questions, and require the production of documents.
Under the WHS Act, an inspector can enter any workplace at any reasonable time without notice, inspect and examine anything at the workplace, require the production of documents, take photographs and recordings, require persons to answer questions, issue improvement notices and prohibition notices, and recommend prosecution. Obstructing an inspector is a criminal offence.
The consequences depend on the severity of the non-compliance. An inspector may issue an improvement notice (requiring you to fix the issue within a set timeframe), a prohibition notice (stopping work immediately until the hazard is resolved), or refer the matter for prosecution. Penalties under the WHS Act include fines up to $3 million for a body corporate and up to $600,000 for an individual for a Category 1 offence (reckless conduct), plus potential imprisonment.
The frequency depends on your industry risk profile. High-risk industries such as construction and manufacturing should conduct monthly inspections at minimum. Office-based businesses should inspect quarterly. Any workplace should conduct additional inspections after an incident, a change in work processes, or when new hazards are identified. Documented inspections are your strongest evidence of due diligence.
Absolutely, and you should. The best approach is to conduct regular internal inspections using a checklist like this one, maintain up-to-date documentation, train your supervisors on what inspectors look for, and have your WHS management system accessible. A well-prepared workplace that can produce documentation quickly sends a strong signal to inspectors that you take compliance seriously.
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