Site safety inspection (NZ)
A site safety inspection is a walk-around to catch hazards before they cause harm, and to check the controls in your SSSP are actually in place. Use it weekly, with daily pre-start checks of the work area. Record what needs fixing and by when, and close the actions out.
Site safety inspection (NZ)
Company: ____________
Site: ____________
Date: ____________
Access, egress and housekeeping
| Site access and paths clear and safe | N/A · Action | |
| Materials stored and stacked safely | N/A · Action | |
| Rubbish and offcuts removed, no trip hazards | N/A · Action | |
| Adequate lighting for the work | N/A · Action | |
| Public and pedestrian protection in place | N/A · Action |
Hazards and controls
| Edge protection and hole covers in place where working at height | N/A · Action | |
| Exclusion zones set up and signed | N/A · Action | |
| Excavations shored or benched and barricaded (a trench deeper than 1.5 m is notifiable work) | N/A · Action | |
| Task analyses in place for the higher-risk work and being followed | N/A · Action | |
| Signage and barricades adequate and current | N/A · Action |
Plant, electrical and PPE
| Plant inspected, competent operators, spotters where needed | N/A · Action | |
| Leads and tools tested and tagged, RCDs in use | N/A · Action | |
| Hazardous substances stored correctly with SDS available | N/A · Action | |
| Crew wearing the required PPE | N/A · Action | |
| Amenities clean and adequate | N/A · Action |
Emergency
| First aid kit stocked and location known | N/A · Action | |
| Emergency contacts and assembly point displayed | N/A · Action | |
| Extinguishers in place and in date | N/A · Action | |
| Everyone knows who notifies WorkSafe after a notifiable event | N/A · Action |
Actions
| Issues found, who will fix them, and by when: ____________ | N/A · Action | |
| Previous inspection actions closed out | N/A · Action |
Completed by: ____________________
Signature: ____________________
swmspack.com · Free printable checklist. Not legal advice; adapt to your site.
The inspection checks the controls; the SSSP sets them out. Generate a site-specific SSSP for your trade in minutes.
Forms record the day; the SSSP is the plan the main contractor asks for before you start. Generate a site-specific one for your trade, checked against HSWA 2015.
Common questions
▸How often should a site safety inspection be done in NZ?
Routine inspections are usually weekly, with daily pre-start checks of the work area and extra inspections when conditions change. The SSSP sets the frequency and records that inspections happen.
▸Who does the inspection?
Usually the site supervisor or a competent person, ideally with a worker involved. The point is a consistent walk-around by someone who can act on what they find, under the duty to manage risks so far as is reasonably practicable.