Preparing for a WorkSafe Visit: A Manufacturer's Checklist

Preparing for a WorkSafe Visit: A Manufacturer's Checklist

A WorkSafe inspection can start with a phone call, a knock at reception, or an inspector already walking your floor after an incident. What decides how the visit goes isn't luck — it's whether your safety records, plant registrations and hazard controls are current and can be produced on the spot, as the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 (Vic) requires.

Why would a WorkSafe inspector turn up at your factory?

WorkSafe Victoria inspectors visit workplaces for five main reasons: a notifiable incident has been reported, the site falls inside a targeted inspection program for a poor-performing industry sector or high-risk hazard, an inspector observed something concerning (for example, driving past and seeing an unguarded machine or unsafe forklift operation), an employee or member of the public has raised a concern, or WorkSafe has been asked to attend to review a Provisional Improvement Notice or an unresolved safety issue between employer and employees (WorkSafe Victoria, "WorkSafe inspectors and enforcement," reviewed 27 July 2022).

Manufacturing is a recurring focus for WorkSafe's targeted programs because of the concentration of plant, machinery and manual handling hazards on the floor. An inspection can also follow a smaller incident that never made headlines — a near-miss, a minor injury, or a chemical spill duty holders are required to report.

What can an inspector actually do once they're on site?

WorkSafe inspectors have broad legislated powers under Part 9 of the OHS Act 2004. They can enter a workplace during working hours, or at any time they reasonably believe there is an immediate risk to health or safety. They must carry official identification and produce it on request, and they must tell the person in charge — and any health and safety representative — why they're there, unless doing so would defeat the purpose of the visit (WorkSafe Victoria, "WorkSafe inspectors and enforcement," reviewed 27 July 2022).

Once on site, an inspector is entitled to:

1. Ask you, your employees or other people questions, and require documents to be produced for examination or copying.
2. Take photographs, recordings and measurements, and make sketches.
3. Take samples of substances, or seize items for further testing or as evidence.
4. Call in technical experts, interpreters or police officers to assist.
5. Review a Provisional Improvement Notice issued by a health and safety representative, and confirm, modify or cancel it.
6. Issue a non-disturbance notice to preserve an incident scene.

It's an offence to hinder, obstruct or intentionally hide something from an inspector, so the safest approach is straightforward cooperation (WorkSafe Victoria, "WorkSafe inspectors and enforcement," reviewed 27 July 2022).

What should you have ready before they arrive?

The manufacturers who get through an inspection with the least disruption are the ones who can hand over documentation without a scramble. Keep these current and accessible at all times, not just before a visit:

Document or record	Why an inspector looks for it
SDS register and hazardous chemical inventory	Confirms chemicals on site are identified, labelled and stored correctly
JSEAs / SWMS for current tasks	Shows risks for specific jobs have been assessed and controlled
Plant registration certificates and maintenance logs	Confirms registrable plant is registered and inspected per schedule
Training, licence and competency records	Shows operators of forklifts, EWPs and other high-risk plant are licensed and inducted
Incident and hazard register	Demonstrates hazards are being identified and notifiable incidents reported
Emergency procedures and evacuation drill records	Confirms the site can respond to a fire or emergency
Contractor induction records	Shows contractors on site have been briefed on your site's hazards
HSR and OHS committee consultation records	Confirms employees are being consulted on safety issues that affect them

None of this needs to be produced from memory on the day — it needs to already exist, dated, and easy to locate.

How should you handle the day of the inspection?

Greet the inspector, check their WorkSafe identification, and notify your health and safety representative so they can take part. Walk the floor with the inspector rather than leaving them unsupervised, answer questions honestly, and take your own notes and photographs of anything they document. If they take items or documents away, you're entitled to ask for a list of what was taken; at the end of the visit they must give you a written report covering what they did, what they observed and any powers they used (WorkSafe Victoria, "What to expect if your workplace is inspected by WorkSafe," reviewed 15 August 2022).

What happens if the inspector finds a problem?

Most issues result in an Improvement Notice: a written direction to fix a specific problem by a set date, used where the risk isn't immediate. Where an inspector reasonably believes there's an immediate or imminent and serious risk, they'll issue a Prohibition Notice instead, stopping the activity until the risk is removed. Both notices carry the same penalty for non-compliance. For certain offences, an inspector can also issue an on-the-spot infringement notice — a fixed fine (WorkSafe Victoria, "What to expect if your workplace is inspected by WorkSafe," reviewed 15 August 2022).

If you disagree with a notice, certain decisions are "reviewable" and you can apply to WorkSafe's Internal Review Unit, or in some cases to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (WorkSafe Victoria, "WorkSafe inspectors and enforcement," reviewed 27 July 2022).

Being audit-ready isn't about passing an inspection once — it's a standing state your site should be able to demonstrate on any given day. If you'd rather have a safety manager on call keeping your registers, SWMS and training records current year-round rather than scrambling before a visit, book an audit and we'll show you where the gaps are.

FAQ

Can WorkSafe show up unannounced? Yes. Inspectors can enter a workplace during working hours without giving notice, and can enter at any time if they reasonably believe there's an immediate risk to health or safety (WorkSafe Victoria, reviewed 27 July 2022).

What's the difference between an improvement notice and a prohibition notice? An improvement notice sets a date to fix a problem that isn't an immediate risk. A prohibition notice stops an activity immediately because the risk is immediate or imminent and serious. Both carry the same penalty if ignored (WorkSafe Victoria, reviewed 15 August 2022).

Can I refuse an inspector entry or dispute what they find? You can't refuse entry — hindering or obstructing an inspector is an offence. You can, however, apply for an internal review of a reviewable decision, or in some cases take it to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (WorkSafe Victoria, reviewed 27 July 2022).

This article is general information for Victorian manufacturers, not legal advice. Last updated: 3 August 2026.