This guide is designed to assist in interpreting the results of site safety audits and inspections conducted using the Safety Reports System. It provides a detailed breakdown of individual report components, offering tips for effectively reading and understanding the findings.
1. Cover Letter
The cover letter is the first section of the inspection report. It contains several key pieces of information:
Logo and Address Information: If the inspector’s company has a logo, it will appear at the top-left of the cover letter. Below the logo, you’ll find the date of the inspection and the addressee's details.
Report Contents: The body of the cover letter gives a brief overview of the inspection and what’s included in the report. Some items in the cover letter are manually added via the mobile app, while others are entered from the administrative side on the web. The content is customized to meet the preferences of the inspector.
Professional Information and Signature: This section includes the inspector’s signature and professional details, ensuring the authenticity and professionalism of the report.
Disclaimer: The disclaimer can either be a standard Safety Reports template or custom to the inspector’s preferences.
2. Report Summary
The Report Summary offers a high-level overview of the inspection. It includes:
Inspection Information: This is data added to the Safety Reports system by the inspector or their account administrator, specifically related to the inspection or the project setup.
Project-Specific Details: The summary may also include project-specific information depending on how the inspector's account administrator has set it up.
3. Inspection Findings
Inspection Findings are the heart of the report. They detail the individual items the inspector recorded as observations during their inspection:
Categories: The findings are grouped into categories, with each observation listed under the corresponding category.
Positive Findings: If an observation is marked as "yes" or positive, the standard will appear in black text.
Negative Findings: If an observation is marked as "no" or negative, the standard will be shown in bold, red text to highlight the identified issues.
Notes: If the inspector has added notes to specific findings, these will appear below the relevant standard. These notes provide further context on whether the observation was positive or negative.
4. Closing Comments
If applicable, Closing Comments will be added by the inspector after the findings. These comments might offer further insights into the inspection or provide additional context or recommendations for actions moving forward.
5. Recommendations
This section outlines Recommendations to address any issues identified in the inspection findings. Here’s what to expect:
Order of Recommendations: The recommendations are presented in the same order as the corresponding inspection findings.
OSHA Links: Relevant OSHA links may be included to guide the reader to specific regulations or standards related to the findings.
Assigned Responsible Parties: If the inspector has assigned responsibility for addressing specific issues, the responsible parties will be listed here.
6. Safety Summary
The Safety Summary aggregates the findings into a statistical overview:
Positive vs. Negative Findings: The report will include a breakdown of positive versus negative findings, giving a quick snapshot of the safety audit's results.
Safety Score: Based on the ratio of positive to negative findings, a Safety Score is calculated. More severe negative observations may reduce the score if deemed Critical or Serious safety issues.
Severity Ratings: Items that have been given a severity rating are listed in the report. These ratings help prioritize issues based on their potential risk or impact.
7. Other Items
Several other elements may appear at the end of the report:
Inspector’s Information and Disclaimer: The inspector’s professional information and the report disclaimer are repeated after the Safety Summary.
Geo-Tag: If included, the Geo-Tag shows the exact location where the inspection took place. This tag will include latitude and longitude coordinates (as accurate as the inspector’s mobile device allows), along with a satellite image of the location.
Signatures: The signatures of both the inspector and the site contact (if included) will be shown next to the geo-tag.
8. Photos
Finally, the report will include any photos taken during the inspection:
Photo Placement: Photos appear in the report, typically 4 per page. If the inspector has added multiple photos, they will be distributed across several pages.
Captions: If any notes or captions have been added to the photos, these will accompany the images, providing context for each one.
Download the Guide:
To access the full guide, including sample inspection letters, download the file here.