Free checklist
Construction safety inspection checklist
A safety walk that produces a photograph and an owner is a safety programme. One that produces a signed sheet in a binder is paperwork. This list is organised by hazard category so a finding can be trended across weeks and jobs.
The checklist
Every item, and the photo evidence it needs
The photo count on each row is what RTI would require before the item can be submitted. Work the list here and watch the gate hold, or load it into RTI and let it enforce the real thing.
Fall protection
Leading edges, openings and shafts protected
Guardrails complete, covers secured and marked, nothing removed and left open.
Personal fall arrest in use where required
Anchor points rated and used correctly, harnesses inspected and in date.
Roof and elevated work areas controlled
Warning lines, monitors or rails in place per the plan for that area.
Access and equipment
Ladders correct type, condition and angle, and secured
No damaged rails or rungs; extension above the landing where required.
Scaffold erected, inspected and tagged
Current tag visible, planking complete, base plates and mudsills present.
Aerial lifts and equipment inspected and operated by trained users
Daily inspection completed, no bypassed controls, guards in place.
Electrical and hazards
Temporary power protected and cords undamaged
GFCI in use, cords out of walkways and standing water, no missing plates.
Hot work permits, fire watch and extinguishers in place
Permit posted, watch present, extinguisher within reach and current.
Hazardous materials stored, labelled and documented
Containers labelled, safety data available on site, secondary containment where needed.
People and housekeeping
PPE appropriate to the work being done
Eye, head, hand and foot protection matched to the task, not the gate rule.
Walkways, stairs and egress clear
Nothing stored in exit paths or on stair landings.
Previous findings closed with a correction photo
Last week's open items reviewed on this week's walk and closed with evidence.
What usually sends this back
The failures are almost always the evidence, not the work
- Findings recorded without a location, which makes repeat conditions invisible.
- Corrections claimed on the spot with no closing photo.
- The same hazard category recurring for a month with no escalation.
Common questions
6 answers
- What does this safety walk checklist cover?
- 12 items across 4 sections, covering fall protection, access and equipment, electrical and hazards, people and housekeeping. Each item spells out what the person walking the job is actually looking for, not just a box to tick.
- Who should run this inspection?
- Site safety lead or superintendent, weekly, with the affected trade foreman present.
- When in the schedule should this walk happen?
- Weekly at minimum, plus after any incident, near miss or significant change in the work.
- Why does every item ask for a photo?
- All 12 items call for photo evidence, 25 photos in all. A checklist answer without the photo is a claim; the photo is what makes the record worth something in a dispute and lets a reviewer approve work without re-walking the job.
- What most often fails a safety walk inspection?
- Findings recorded without a location, which makes repeat conditions invisible. Corrections claimed on the spot with no closing photo. The same hazard category recurring for a month with no escalation.
- Can I use this checklist in RTI?
- Yes. Start a free RTI workspace, build this list as a checklist, and the Photo Gate holds the submit button until every mandatory item is answered and its photos are attached. Approved inspections roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper evident audit trail.
Related checklists
Run it with the Photo Gate
A checklist nobody can submit half-finished
Load this list into RTI, stick a QR tag on the area it covers, and the submit button stays locked until every mandatory item is answered and the 25 required photos exist. Approved walks roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper evident record behind every line.
See all 508 checklists · 6741 items and 5984 photo requirements in total.