St. Petersburg College

 

Safety & Health Inspection Guide

 

This guide is designed to assist you with routine safety and health inspections in your department. The guide includes items that are routinely checked during inspections by state and local safety and health officials. The guide is not all-inclusive, but will be helpful to you as a reference. If you have questions or need assistance with safety and health or environmental related matters, please contact:

Dennis Mosser, Safety/Environmental Manager

Safety/Environmental Services

Email:      mosserd @spcollege.edu

Phone:     341-3385

 

Safety & Sanitation – All Areas

Workspaces are orderly and well lighted

Walkways and corridors are unobstructed

Good Housekeeping (clean and organized) and no water/mold stained ceiling tiles

Electrical, computer and phone cords not strung in walkways

Overhead objects positioned less than 6 feet 8 inches above the floor are padded and clearly marked with black/yellow caution striping

All faculty, staff and students are wearing proper personal protective equipment for task being performed, i.e. safety glasses, chemical splash goggles, face shield, gloves, hard hat, respirator, protective clothing, apron

Material safety data sheets current and readily available for reference by faculty and staff

Ladders and step stools are in good condition

Portable lamps and electrical equipment are in good condition

Multiple electrical power strips are not connected together in a series (daisy chaining) to reach an electrical receptacle.

Lunchrooms/break areas, refrigerators, microwave ovens are kept clean and in good condition

At least 3 ft. access around electrical panels (includes fire alarm panels)

GFCI receptacles are present near sinks/wet areas

Electrical junction and receptacle boxes are properly covered

Furniture is in good condition

Plumbing/drains clean and in good condition – no leaks, running water, damaged fixtures

 

Fire Safety – All Areas

Corridors and aisles not obstructed with furniture, shelving or other items that would impede emergency evacuation

Exits and emergency escape or rescue windows readily accessible (free of furniture and other items that may block access) and hardware works properly

Fire doors are not blocked open with wedges, blocks or furniture (should be kept closed unless held open by fire alarm system magnetic holders) (Fire doors are identified by a UL rated fire door label on the hinge side of the door)

Exit lights working, unobstructed and battery backup functional

Emergency lights aimed correctly, unobstructed, and battery backup functional

Fire Safety – All Areas (Contd.)

Fire alarm pull stations and fire extinguishers are visible and furniture or other items do not block access

Material safety data sheets current and readily available for reference by faculty and staff

Power strip or UPS/surge protectors used for electrical equipment – light gage extension cords are not permitted

Only portable heaters provided by Facilities Services are permitted

Electrical appliances in kitchen and break areas are in good condition, circuits not overloaded

No missing ceiling tiles or unprotected penetrations through ceilings

No open flames, candles, incense or heat activated deodorizing devices in office or classroom areas (except for science lab Bunsen burners or maintenance operations)

 

Arts & Crafts Studio Areas

Good housekeeping - clean and organized

Wood scraps, oil and solvent soaked rags, and trash placed in proper containers

Workspaces are orderly and well lighted

Drill presses, table saws, etc. secured to floor and safety zones are marked around machines with yellow/black caution tape or paint striping

Machine guards are in place, in good condition and used properly

All faculty, staff and students are wearing proper personal protective equipment for task being performed, i.e. safety glasses, chemical splash goggles, face shield, gloves, hard hat, protective clothing, apron

Hand tools in good condition and stored properly

Ventilation and dust collection systems are in good condition and cleaned as needed

Walkways around equipment and furniture kept clear for easy access and emergency egress.

All chemicals are clearly labeled and stored correctly in flammable storage cabinets or chemical storage rooms

Material safety data sheets current and readily available for reference by faculty, staff and students

Fire alarm pull stations and fire extinguishers are visible and furniture or other items do not block access

Electrical junction and receptacle boxes are properly covered

At least 3 ft. access around electrical panels (includes fire alarm panels)

Electrical cords and equipment maintained in good condition

Inoperable equipment properly tagged “out of service”

 

Laboratories

All faculty, staff and students are wearing proper personal protective equipment during lab exercises, i.e. safety glasses, chemical splash goggles, face shield, apron, gloves suitable for the exposure.

Personal dress of faculty, staff and students complies with lab safety practices, i.e. no open toed or cloth shoes, arms and legs not exposed, long hair tied back, no dangling jewelry that presents an entanglement hazard

Emergency eyewash and showers are readily accessible, clean and in working order

Fire alarm pull stations, fire extinguishers, fire blankets and first aid kits are in working order, readily accessible and furniture or other items do not block access

Laboratories (Contd.)

Copy of Chemical Spill Emergency Procedures for the site is posted in all labs

Master Control valves for gas, electricity, water and air are clearly labeled and operate properly.

Chemical and biohazard hazardous waste storage areas are kept locked and access is restricted to authorized faculty and staff

All chemicals are clearly labeled and stored correctly in chemical storage rooms, flammable storage cabinets, acid storage cabinets, and poison cabinets

Chemical prep rooms and equipment storage closets are clean, organized and aisle ways are kept clear for easy access and emergency egress.

All hazardous chemical wastes are clearly labeled and stored correctly.

Biohazard wastes are stored correctly in biohazard boxes with closed lids

No food or beverages are stored in laboratories, lab refrigerators or freezers

Note: If food is used for experiments, the containers must be clearly labeled to identify it as “Do Not Eat/Drink - This Food/Drink Is Not For Human Consumption”

Fume hood and biosafety cabinet sashes are kept in the closed position when not in use

Chemicals are not to be stored in fume hoods or biosafety cabinets.

Note: If experiments in progress require chemicals to remain in fume hoods, fume hoods must be run continuously for the duration of the experiment.

 

Fire Protection Equipment

Access to all fire protection equipment is not blocked or obstructed by furniture, storage or euipment

Valid fire sprinkler system test/inspection tag is attached to sprinkler valve (inspected by vendor annually & monthly by Facilities Services staff)

Fire protection water valves are chained and locked in the correct normal position (open/closed) to prevent operation by unauthorized person.

Fire extinguishers are readily accessible, fully charged, checked monthly and annual inspection tag is current (inspected by vendor annually & monthly by Facilities Services staff)

Valid fire alarm system test/inspection tag is attached to each fire alarm panel (inspected by vendor annually & monthly by Facilities Services staff)

 

Mechanical and Electrical Rooms

No storage of combustibles

At least 3 ft. access around electrical panels (includes fire alarm panels)

Good Housekeeping (clean and organized) and no water/mold stained ceiling tiles

Room is orderly and well lighted

Fire alarm pull stations and fire extinguishers are visible and equipment or other items do not block access

Electrical junction and receptacle boxes are properly covered

Proper Lock Out/Tag Out procedures in use

Inoperable equipment properly tagged “out of service”

 

 

 

Custodial Closets and Storage Areas

Good Housekeeping (clean and organized) and no water/mold stained ceiling tiles

Room is orderly and well lighted

No chemicals stored above eye level

Material safety data sheets current and readily available for reference by staff

Electrical cords and equipment maintained in good condition

At least 3 ft. access around electrical panels

No uncovered electrical junction or receptacle boxes

Inoperable equipment properly tagged “out of service”

 

Workshops & Chiller Plants

Good housekeeping - clean and organized

Wood scraps, oil and solvent soaked rags, and trash placed in proper containers

Workspaces are orderly and well lighted

Drill presses, table saws, etc. secured to floor and safety zones are marked around machines with yellow/black caution tape or paint striping

Machine guards are in place, in good condition and used properly

All staff are wearing proper personal protective equipment for task being performed, i.e. safety glasses, chemical splash goggles, face shield, gloves, respirator, hard hat, protective clothing, apron

Hand tools in good condition and stored properly

Ventilation and dust collection systems are in good condition and cleaned as needed

Walkways around equipment and furniture kept clear for easy access and emergency egress.

All chemicals are clearly labeled and stored correctly in flammable storage cabinets or chemical storage rooms

Material safety data sheets current and readily available for reference by faculty, staff and students

Fire alarm pull stations and fire extinguishers are visible and furniture or other items do not block access

Electrical junction and receptacle boxes are properly covered

At least 3 ft. access around electrical panels (includes fire alarm panels)

Electrical cords and equipment maintained in good condition

Inoperable equipment properly tagged “out of service”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Safety/Environmental Services 11/02