Unsafe act and unsafe condition checklist
Version 1 · https://conformata.io/checklists/workplace/unsafe-act-unsafe-condition-checklist · Made with Conformata. Guidance, not legal advice; sources at https://conformata.io/checklists/workplace/unsafe-act-unsafe-condition-checklist/sources
Unsafe act and unsafe condition checklist
Free unsafe act and unsafe condition checklist for safety walks and worker reports: hazards seen, behaviors seen, what was done and who follows up.
- Sections
- 4
- Checks
- 39
- Critical
- 0
- Sources
- 14
0/38 answered
0%
Answers, comments and photos stay on this device. Nothing is sent to Conformata.
Area, line or job site observed *
Task or activity being done at the time
Date and time of the observation *
Observer's name
How the observation was made *
Planned safety walkSeen while doing other workReported by a worker
Answer Yes for anything you saw. Each Yes becomes a finding.
Spill, leak, ice, loose material or a trip hazard on a floor, stair or walkway *
YesNo
Exit route, aisle, fire extinguisher or electrical panel blocked by stored material or equipment *
YesNo
Machine guard missing, removed, damaged or out of position *
YesNoN/A
Damaged, spliced or taped cord, missing cover plate or open electrical box *
YesNo
Ladder, tool or equipment with a visible defect left available for use *
YesNo
Stacked or shelved material leaning, overloaded or likely to fall *
YesNo
Open edge, floor hole or pit without a guardrail, cover or barrier *
YesNoN/A
Lighting too poor to see the task, walkway or exit route *
YesNo
Chemical container unlabeled, left open or leaking *
YesNoN/A
Combustible waste piled up, or an ignition source near flammable material *
YesNo
Other unsafe condition seen
Record what was done, not who did it, unless your program asks for names.
Person not wearing the eye, hand, foot, hearing or other protection the task or area calls for *
YesNo
Person reaching past, removing or bypassing a guard, interlock or other safety device *
YesNoN/A
Machine serviced, unjammed or adjusted without first being locked out *
YesNoN/A
Someone trying to start, operate or remove a lock or tag from locked-out equipment *
YesNoN/A
Standing on a chair, box or ladder top cap, or overreaching sideways from a ladder *
YesNo
Lifting a heavy or awkward load alone, with a twist, or without the lifting aid provided for it *
YesNo
Walking under a suspended load, through a barricaded area or across a forklift aisle outside the marked crossing *
YesNo
Operating a machine, vehicle or tool the person has not been trained or authorized to use *
YesNo
Using a tool or piece of equipment the person knows is damaged *
YesNo
Using a phone or otherwise distracted while driving or operating equipment *
YesNo
Horseplay, running or throwing objects in the work area *
YesNo
Other unsafe act seen
Work was stopped on the spot where someone was in immediate danger *
YesNoN/A
The observer talked with the people involved about the unsafe act and the safer way to do the task
YesNoN/A
Conditions that could be fixed at once were fixed (spill cleaned, item moved, drawer closed)
YesNoN/A
Conditions that could not be fixed at once were barricaded, tagged or taken out of use
YesNoN/A
The observation was passed to the supervisor or area owner *
YesNo
Priority of the worst item found
High: could cause serious injury; fix nowMedium: fix within daysLow: fix at the next opportunity
Describe each item: what, where and what was done
Person responsible for the follow-up
Follow-up due by
Photos of conditions (avoid showing faces)
Use “Photo” below to add photos from this device.
Run it with your team in Conformata
- Schedule it per site and assign it to the right people.
- Turn every failed check into a corrective action that someone else verifies.
- Keep signatures, photos and the full audit history across sites.
Answers on this page stay on this device; they are not transferred.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between an unsafe act and an unsafe condition?
An unsafe condition is a hazard in the workplace itself, such as a spill on a walking surface [5] or a machine without its guard [4]. An unsafe act is something a person does or skips, such as trying to restart equipment that is locked out [3] or not using protective equipment that the hazard makes necessary [1]. Many incidents involve both, which is why the checklist records them side by side.
Can I get in trouble for reporting an unsafe condition to my employer?
OSHA's rules on employee protection treat safety complaints to an employer, made in good faith, as protected: the employee is protected against discharge or discrimination caused by the complaint [14].
Can I refuse to work because of an unsafe condition?
Protection for refusing dangerous work depends on the circumstances. Under 29 CFR 1977.12(b)(2), there must be no reasonable alternative; the refusal must be in good faith; a reasonable person must see a real danger of death or serious injury; and the urgency must leave insufficient time to use normal enforcement channels. Where possible, the employee must also have asked the employer to correct the danger and been unable to obtain a correction [13]. This is not a general right to leave work over any potential hazard [12]. Contact OSHA promptly for help with your circumstances.
What should happen after an unsafe condition is found?
Report it so it can be corrected; hazards brought to the employer's attention will ordinarily be corrected [11]. Some conditions have a specific rule: a hazardous walking surface is repaired before it is used again or guarded until then [6] [7], and a defective ladder is tagged and taken out of service [9].
Built from 14 official sources
Every check traces to the text it is based on. Read the purpose, how to use it, the rules behind it, what it does not cover and every source.
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Guidance, not legal advice. It does not replace the law, the manufacturer's instructions or your organization's competent people, and completing it does not certify that work is safe.