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Unsafe act and unsafe condition checklist: sources and guidance

An observation record for spotting unsafe conditions (hazards in the workplace) and unsafe acts (things people do or skip), and for recording what was done about each. The items are good practice; the page explains which OSHA rules the common findings relate to, such as keeping walking-working surfaces free of hazards [5].

Purpose

Use this unsafe act and unsafe condition checklist to record what you see on a safety walk, or what a worker reports: hazards in the workplace itself, things people do or skip that put them at risk, and what was done about each. The checks are good practice observations, not a list of legal requirements. Many of the conditions they look for are covered by specific OSHA rules, for example that walking-working surfaces are kept free of hazards such as spills, loose boards and protruding objects [5].

Who should use it

Supervisors, safety committee members and workers. Anyone can use it to report a hazard to their employer. Complaints about safety made to an employer in good faith are protected against discharge or discrimination [14].

How often

There is no set frequency; it is set by your organization. Common choices are a short walk each shift in busy areas, a weekly walk by the supervisor, and a report whenever a worker sees a hazard.

How to use this checklist

  1. Fill in the area and task, then watch the work for a few minutes before answering.
  2. Answer Yes for each unsafe condition or unsafe act you actually saw. Mark N/A where the item cannot occur in that area.
  3. If someone is in immediate danger, stop the work first and fill in the form afterwards.
  4. Fix what can be fixed on the spot. Make anything else safe and pass it to the supervisor or area owner with a priority, an owner and a due date.
  5. Talk about unsafe acts as a question of how the task is set up, not only who did it.

No item on this page is marked critical, because the form records what an observer saw and no single observation is, by itself, a stop-work condition. Where someone is in immediate danger, stop the work first (step 3).

What the rules say

This checklist is good practice. The findings it records often relate to specific OSHA general industry rules:

  • Hazardous conditions on walking-working surfaces are corrected or repaired before the surface is used again, or guarded until they are [6] [7].
  • Exit routes are kept free and unobstructed [10].
  • Machines have guarding to protect the operator and others in the machine area [4].
  • Protective equipment is provided, used and maintained wherever hazards make it necessary [1].
  • Employees working near lockout or tagout are instructed about the prohibition on trying to restart or reenergize locked-out or tagged-out equipment [3].
  • A ladder with structural or other defects is tagged and removed from service [9] [8].

What this checklist does not cover

  • Incident and near-miss investigation, root cause analysis and injury recordkeeping.
  • A full workplace inspection against specific OSHA rules; use a workplace safety audit for that.
  • Behavior-based safety program design, scoring or discipline policies.
  • Measurement of noise, chemical exposure or other health hazards.
  • Rules of State Plan states that differ from federal OSHA.

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].

Who decides what protective equipment is needed?

The employer assesses the workplace to determine whether hazards are present that make personal protective equipment necessary [2], and protective equipment is provided, used and maintained wherever it is needed [1]. An observation that someone is not wearing it can point to a gap in that assessment, supply or training as well as in behavior.

Sources

Each cited excerpt was found word for word in the official text on the date shown.

  1. [1]29 CFR 1910.132 Personal protective equipment: general requirements (a) — eCFR (Office of the Federal Register). Retrieved September 24, 2026.
  2. [2]29 CFR 1910.132 General requirements (personal protective equipment) (d)(1) — eCFR (Office of the Federal Register). Retrieved September 24, 2026.
  3. [3]29 CFR 1910.147 The control of hazardous energy (lockout/tagout) (c)(7)(i)(C) — eCFR (Office of the Federal Register). Retrieved September 24, 2026.
  4. [4]29 CFR 1910.212 General requirements for all machines (a)(1) — eCFR (Office of the Federal Register). Retrieved September 24, 2026.
  5. [5]29 CFR 1910.22 Walking-working surfaces: general requirements (a)(3) — eCFR (Office of the Federal Register). Retrieved September 24, 2026.
  6. [6]29 CFR 1910.22 Walking-working surfaces: general requirements (d)(2) — eCFR (Office of the Federal Register). Retrieved September 24, 2026.
  7. [7]29 CFR 1910.22 Walking-working surfaces: general requirements (d)(2) — eCFR (Office of the Federal Register). Retrieved September 24, 2026.
  8. [8]29 CFR 1910.23 Ladders (b)(10) — eCFR (Office of the Federal Register). Retrieved September 24, 2026.
  9. [9]29 CFR 1910.23 Ladders (b)(10) — eCFR (Office of the Federal Register). Retrieved September 24, 2026.
  10. [10]29 CFR 1910.37 Maintenance, safeguards, and operational features for exit routes (a)(3) — eCFR (Office of the Federal Register). Retrieved September 24, 2026.
  11. [11]29 CFR 1977.12 Exercise of any right afforded by the Act (b)(1) — eCFR (Office of the Federal Register). Retrieved September 24, 2026.
  12. [12]29 CFR 1977.12 Exercise of any right afforded by the Act (b)(1) — eCFR (Office of the Federal Register). Retrieved September 24, 2026.
  13. [13]29 CFR 1977.12 Exercise of any right afforded by the Act (b)(2) — eCFR (Office of the Federal Register). Retrieved September 24, 2026.
  14. [14]29 CFR 1977.9 Complaints under or related to the Act (c) — eCFR (Office of the Federal Register). Retrieved September 24, 2026.

Guidance, not legal advice. It does not replace the law, the manufacturer's instructions or your organization's competent people.