• Army safety inspections include hazardous material safety.inhalation hazard class 2 image by k9dg from Fotolia.com
  
  Like other work areas, Army work areas can be hazardous. The Army holds a variety of inspections of its various work areas to ensure the safety of those who serve. Army safety inspections focus on many of the same areas as other business inspections, while focusing on key safety hazard areas.
  
  

Work Areas

• Army safety inspections focus heavily on ensuring that work areas are safe for the employees and soldiers who work there. Safety inspection checklists include ensuring that all open areas such as chutes, holes and stairways are guarded by handrails or other protective barriers, to prevent workers from falling and hurting themselves. To prevent slipping, all work areas must be kept dry. Areas in which work requires the use of liquid must include drainage systems and also feature mats, platforms or other dry areas where people can stand or walk. All installations over work areas, including shelves, light fixtures, and fans, must be tightly secured. The area must also provide proper clearance in the aisles and passageways for any equipment and personnel that must pass through.
  
  

First Aid and Fire Safety

• All Army areas must be near a hospital, doctor or clinic, or must provide on-site employees or professionals who can handle medical emergencies. Each work place must contain physician-approved first aid supplies, as well as rinsing stations in areas where the skin or eyes may come in contact with hazardous materials. Army regulations require portable fire extinguishers in all work areas, and prohibit the use of extinguishers that contain carbon tetrachloride or chlorobromomethane, which can cause illness if people are exposed to them over long periods of time. In high-risk areas, the distance between an employee and a fire extinguisher must be less than 75 feet or less than 50 feet, depending on the type of fire extinguisher in use. All fire protection equipment must be inspected monthly. Every building must provide at least two exits that are clearly marked, in case of fire emergency.
  
  

Hazardous Materials

• The Army has strict regulations regarding storage and handling of hazardous materials, and safety inspectors ensure each of these regulations are followed. The Army separates hazardous materials into different classes based on flammability, flashpoint and boiling point. Each class of product has its own regulations regarding how much material can be stored in a certain type of container. For instance, a highly flammable Class IA liquid can only safely be stored in glass in 1 pint increments, while less flammable material can be stored in a gallon container safely. Inspectors also check storage cabinets, as well as signage indicating the presence of hazardous materials.