Inspections and assessments program

This program establishes the minimum global requirements for conducting inspections and assessments at all Microsoft locations. These requirements are intended to be adequate for all Microsoft locations. Any variation to this global Program, whether creating a location-specific procedure or plan, modifying the existing requirements, or making other changes, must be evaluated through the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Governance Framework before implementation. To request a variation, please adhere to the OHS Bypass or Program Deviation processes found on the Global OHS team site.

Information about approved variations to this Program can be found in Section 8 of this document.  

This document provides requirements for Microsoft full-time employees (FTEs), interns, and external staff involved in conducting inspections and assessments to ensure compliance with Microsoft and local health and safety standards and requirements. Microsoft Suppliers must maintain their own health and safety programs consistent with the Microsoft Supplier Code of Conduct, including setting health and safety standards, processes, and procedures for Microsoft external staff and subcontractors who provide services to Microsoft, to the extent permitted by law.

The inspections and assessments apply for those areas under Microsoft control and are not intended to assess vendors, contractors, or lessors.

3.1 General requirements:

Microsoft defines inspections and assessments as the process to verify compliance and conformance with health and safety requirements at Microsoft workplaces to ensure a safe and healthy work environment. These workplace inspections and assessments are an important part of a proactive health and safety culture.

The scope and frequency of workplace inspections and assessments depend on the nature and risk level of the work; the materials, substances, and equipment involved; procedures; applicable standards and legal requirements; and the changes or new information that may affect health and safety.

Workplace inspections and assessments can be carried out by the OHS/Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) team, safety committees, the Real Estate and Facilities (RE&F) team, business groups, managers, or specific external staff. They should be planned, coordinated, performed, and documented in accordance with the guidelines of this Program.

The level of risk determines the frequency of inspections and assessments, as specified in Table 1. Some locations or business groups may also have additional inspection types as needed.

Table 1 - Inspections and Assessments Minimum Frequency

NOTES:

• Workplaces with high-risk findings may need to inspect as frequently as monthly or more.
• Where local legislation requires a higher frequency of inspections, the more stringent requirement shall apply.
• Safety events or situations may warrant an immediate inspection.
• Please note that this table displays the minimum frequency of inspections or assessments. However, each country may choose to conduct more frequent inspections or assessments based on the risk level.
• Responsibility for conducting inspections will vary by country; see Roles and Responsibilities section of this document.

Risk-level description 

Risk levels for a workplace safety inspection or assessment reflect potential exposure to hazards across different work environments and activities. Some of the factors that may influence the risk level are:

• The type and severity of hazards, such as physical, biological, chemical, and ergonomic.
• The likelihood and consequences of exposure to hazards, such as injuries, illnesses, or fatalities.
• The nature and complexity of the work activity, such as the use of machinery, tools, vehicles, or personal protective equipment.
• Work environmental factors, such as the building layout, lighting, ventilation, or temperature.
• The number and characteristics of the workers, such as skills, training, supervision, or shift schedules.

Microsoft has defined the level of risk for the following areas based on the factors mentioned above; however, the level of risk may vary considering local risk analysis. Therefore, the following Table 2 is only a guideline.

Table 2 - Example Areas According to Risk Level

3.2 Scheduling requirements :

Each OHS Local Manager must schedule their inspections using the Inspection Scheduler, located in the Inspection Management section of the Assessment and Inspection module.

Inspections may be scheduled at any time during the year to ensure all planned activities are fully captured and displayed in Enablon. The Inspection Scheduler also supports long‑term planning by allowing inspections to be scheduled more than one year in advance.

Establishing an inspection schedule does not prevent conducting supplementary inspections when necessary.

3.3 Plan for a workplace inspection or assessment:

Before conducting a workplace inspection and/or assessment, create a schedule considering the following:

• How frequently the activity will be conducted according to Microsoft requirements (Table 1) and/or local legal requirements, when applicable.
• On which date the inspection will occur.
• Who will participate in the inspection process. It is recommended to establish a team for this purpose.
• Where and what to inspect based on the inspection checklists in Enablon and/or local legal requirements, when applicable.
• Verify whether the inspection checklist already exists in Enablon > Assessment and Inspection module.
• If the checklist is not available:
  • Inform and discuss the needs with your Regional Manager.
  • Submit a Program Deviation Request
  • Once the deviation is approved, create a case in the OHS Launchpad.
• Work with the inspection Program Manager to add the new checklist to Enablon.
• Communicate the inspection schedule to all stakeholders involved in the inspection, informing them of the purpose, expectations, and their involvement in the inspection process.
• Gather any pertinent information, such as equipment inventory, chemical inventory, maps, records from previous inspections, etc.
• Determine whether there are any safety protocols, security protocols, or PPE requirements needed to enter the work area, and ensure all members of the team are compliant.
• Verify if photography is allowed in the work area.

3.4 Perform an inspection or assessment:

Personnel who conduct workplace inspections and operation-specific inspections must have sufficient knowledge and understanding of this Program and OHS requirements to accurately assess conformance.

While performing an inspection, the inspection team must:

• Observe all areas and equipment closely, looking for workplace hazards and unsafe conditions.
• Use the inspection checklists in Enablon. Exceptions or deviations must be approved prior to performing an inspection and approved by OHS/EHS Regional manager.
• Ensure that all areas and activities are covered so all possible hazards are identified.
• Report immediate hazards so they can be corrected as soon as possible.
• Take pictures and videos of the unsafe conditions, if necessary and if allowed.
• .Remain objective and respectful. Try to minimize work disruptions and interrupting workers whenever possible.
• Report immediate hazards so they can be corrected as soon as possible.

While performing an assessment, the assessment team must:

• Review the workplace safety plans and programs to ensure they comply with applicable legal requirements and Microsoft standards.
• Ensure all safety compliance records are available.
• Verify employees are aware of their roles in various programs. The team may choose to interview a few employees to accomplish this.
• Report on findings and provide recommendations for improvement.

3.5 Action Plan:

An Action Plan must be generated in Enablon for identified nonconformances if they cannot be corrected immediately. The Action Plan must address the root cause(s) and clearly identify actions to prevent the same nonconformance in the future.

The Action Plan must be assigned to an individual with the appropriate authority and area of responsibility to adequately address the nonconformance.

A feasible yet reasonable closure date must be assigned to the Action Plan and assigned to a trained and qualified individual.

Develop the Action Plan within Enablon; the person responsible for creating the Action Plan must have Enablon access. Avoid developing the Action Plan outside Enablon then later entering the data.

• Note: For an emergency preparedness Action Plan (e.g., exit routes, fire extinguishers, etc.), coordinate with local RE&F personnel to ensure proper delegation.

3.6 Follow-up

Schedule regular follow-up meetings to ensure Action Plans are implemented appropriately and timely.

When an action’s proposed deadline has passed, work with the team responsible to determine the reason for the delay, how to solve the issue, if additional support is necessary, and a new due date. If the new due date passes, consider escalating to a manager of person responsible for action.

Once the Action Plan has been implemented, close it in Enablon by entering the following information:

• Whether the finding was resolved.
• Whether it was resolved on time.
• How it was resolved.
• Attached files as additional support for completion (highly recommended).

IMPORTANT: If a finding persists, the root cause has not been properly eliminated. Further analysis is necessary to determine new preventive and/or corrective actions.

Inspections and assessments must be recorded in Enablon. While performing an inspection, enter data directly into Enablon, unless doing so is not possible. Avoid conducting inspections outside Enablon and then later entering the data. Include inspection or assessment observations or findings. For each inspection or assessment, include the location, description, severity, and cause of each hazard, as well as the suggested action and priority level.

IMPORTANT: When an inspection or an assessment is performed by qualified and trained inspectors, as established by manufacturers and/or legal requirements, findings must be recorded in Enablon.

The following terms are used in this document, and their definitions apply within its scope unless superseded by local regulatory definitions in the event of a conflict.

Workplace inspection: A workplace inspection is the process of examining the workplace for potential hazards and ensuring that it meets safety standards and regulations. Workplace inspections can help prevent accidents, injuries, illnesses, and property damage by identifying and correcting unsafe or unhealthy conditions and practices.

Assessment: A strategic review of procedures and programs to identify potential hazards and compliance issues and to monitor the performance of the existing programs like maintenance, waste management, training requirements, etc.

Unsafe condition: A situation that may cause harm or injury to people, property, or the environment.

Hazard: A situation in the workplace with the potential to cause harm to people, property, or the environment. 

Enablon: An integrated software solution to manage many documentation needs, like injury and illness investigations, inspections results, and Action Plans, for an OHS program. Microsoft has licensed the solution to support our OHS Programs.