Imagine a WorkSafe inspector arrived at your workplace tomorrow morning.
No warning.
No preparation.
No opportunity to tidy up documentation.
Would you feel confident?
Or would you immediately start wondering where certain records might be?
What Inspectors Usually Want To See
While every workplace is different, inspectors typically focus on a few key areas.
Safe Systems of Work
Can the business demonstrate how hazards are identified and controlled?
This includes:
SWMS
Procedures
Risk assessments
Hazard registers
The focus is not simply whether documents exist.
The focus is whether they are current, relevant and being used.
Training and Competency
Can workers demonstrate they know how to perform their tasks safely?
Inspectors often review:
Inductions
Licences
Competencies
Training records
Verification of competency
Training is only effective when it can be demonstrated in practice.
Plant and Equipment
Inspectors commonly examine:
Maintenance records
Pre-start inspections
Defect reporting
Isolation procedures
Guarding
Plant-related incidents remain a recurring feature of workplace prosecutions across Australia.
Supervision
Supervision remains one of the most overlooked controls.
Inspectors frequently ask:
Who supervises new workers?
How are contractors monitored?
How are unsafe behaviours identified and corrected?
These questions become even more important when young or inexperienced workers are involved.
Incident Reporting
Can the business demonstrate:
Hazard reporting
Near-miss reporting
Corrective actions
Incident investigations
A workplace that learns from minor incidents is less likely to experience major ones.
A Five-Minute Self Audit
Ask yourself:
✓ Are SWMS current?
✓ Are pre-start inspections completed consistently?
✓ Are workers trained and competent?
✓ Are maintenance records up to date?
✓ Are hazards recorded and actioned?
✓ Are supervisors actively monitoring work?
✓ Are incidents investigated and closed out?
If you answered "no" to any of these questions, you may already know where your next improvement opportunity lies.
The Good News
Most enforcement action does not begin with a catastrophic event.
Many issues are identified during routine inspections.
Businesses that regularly review their systems are far more likely to identify gaps before regulators do.
The goal is not simply to pass an inspection.
The goal is to create a workplace where injuries are less likely to occur in the first place.
Would your business pass a safety health check today? Practical Safety Advisory can help review your systems, documentation and workplace practices before the inspector arrives.