Frequency and duration of inspections by safety representatives

The frequency and duration of inspections should be agreed between the employer and the safety representative at the start of his or her term of office and should involve the safety committee, if such exists. It is difficult to set down exact frequencies for inspections, taking into account the numbers of employees exposed and the level of risk. However, the following examples can be used as a guide to determine the frequency and time spent on inspections. The types of businesses listed below are indicative and not exhaustive.

Type of business	Number of employees	Frequency of inspection	Duration of inspection	Risk
Small office Retail establishment Service delivery business operating from one main workplace unit, section or department [2] Small school	Less than 10	Fortnightly/monthly	One hour	Low
Medium-sized office, retail or service business with several work areas, either in one unit, section or department or spread over some nearby locations As above at multilocational workplaces [3]	10 to 50	Once a week/ fortnightly per unit, section or department Once a month per location	One hour One hour	Low Low
Large office, retail or service business with several work areas, with many units, sections or departments or spread over some nearby locations As above at multilocational workplaces	More than 50	Once a month per unit, section or department Once a month per location	One hour One hour	Low

Type of business	Number of employees	Frequency of inspection	Duration of inspection	Risk
Small manufacturing workplace	Less than 10	Once a week/fortnightly	One hour	Medium Risk: (e.g. manual handling, semi-automated units and packaging, finish goods storage and dispatch)
Small manufacturing workplace	Less than 10	Once a week/fortnightly	Two hours	High Risk: If the risks are increased or there are regular changes (e.g. manual handling, chemical/physical agents use, printing processes,)
Small construction site	Less than 10	Once a week/fortnightly	One hour	High Risk e.g. If working at heights, traffic risks, excavations
Medium-sized manufacturing environment (each manufacturing unit, section or department to be inspected)	10 to 50	Once a week/ fortnightly per unit, section or department	One hour	High Risk: If the risks are increased as above or there are regular changes
Medium-sized health care institution (e.g. private hospital, nursing home), Medium-sized school or public body	10 to 50	Once a week/ fortnightly	One to two hours	High: if risks change regularly, or number of other people exposed increases e.g. members of the public, students etc.
Medium-sized	10 to 50	Once a week	One to two	High: if risks
construction site			hours	change regularly,
(whole site to be				working at heights,
inspected)				traffic risks, excavations or the number of people exposed changes regularly e.g. when new workers or trades taken on etc.

Type of business	Number of employees	Frequency of inspection	Duration of inspection	Risk
Large manufacturing environment (each unit, section or department to be inspected)	More than 50	Fortnightly/monthly per unit, section or department	One hour	High Risk: If the risks are increased as above or there are regular changes
Large construction environment (each unit, section or department to be inspected)	More than 50	Once/twice a week	Two hours	High: if risks change regularly, as above or the number of people exposed changes regularly
Large regional hospital, large public body (e.g. county council, government department or large school) (each unit, section or department to be inspected)	More than 50	Fortnightly/monthly per unit, section or department	One hour	High: if risks change regularly, or number of other people exposed increases e.g. members of the public, students etc.
As above at multilocational workplaces	More than 50	Fortnightly/monthly per location	One hour	High: as above