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Periodic inspections are a mandatory obligation for all employers. They ensure that facilities and work equipment are in good condition and that employees are safe. This article provides a detailed list of general periodic inspections to be carried out in a company.
Mandatory Periodic Inspections in Companies: What Do They Entail?
What is a periodic inspection?
According to the Labor Code, all work equipment and protective measures must be “equipped, installed, used, adjusted and maintained to preserve the health and safety of workers” (article L. 4321-1). Furthermore, technical and safety installations and devices in workplaces must be “maintained and checked at appropriate intervals” (article R. 4224-17).
As a result of these provisions, the employer is required to regularly inspect all equipment and installations.
In most cases, it is up to the employer to determine the frequency of these inspections. To do this, they can refer to the manufacturer's instructions, risk assessment
Note: The article on occupational risk assessment dates from 2016. While fundamentally accurate, some developments have been introduced with the 2021 Health Law (See Health Law Article of April 6, 2022) and from practical experience.
Please note: Technical note no. 9 from the DRT (Directorate of Labor Relations) dated August 2, 1995, specifies that the frequency should never be less than once a year => clearly indicated for work equipment subject to mandatory general periodic inspections. Not all work equipment is subject to mandatory general periodic inspections. (Note to delete?)
For certain equipment and installations, the frequency is directly set by regulations or best practices (Labor Code, ministerial decrees, APSAD rules, etc.). This article provides a detailed list of equipment and installations covered by these regulatory requirements.
Please note: for readability, this is a detailed but not exhaustive. For more information, please feel free to contact our teams directly. You can also consult the ED 828 brochure from INRS on periodic workplace inspections, or the ED 6339 brochure from INRS (specific to lifting machinery, equipment, and accessories).
While the nature of the inspection varies depending on the type of equipment or installation concerned (control, examination, maintenance operation, etc.), the Labor Code distinguishes two main categories of inspections for work equipment :
- inspections during commissioning (or recommissioning);
- the periodic in-service inspection of the equipment.
Who should carry out the periodic inspections?
Inspections must generally be carried out by qualified persons, whether internal or external to the organization. The Labor Code stipulates that these persons must be “competent in the field of risk prevention posed by the equipment” and familiar with the applicable regulatory provisions (See Art. R. 4323-24) .
Consequently, any person within the company possessing both technical and regulatory expertise can carry out these inspections. However, if the employer chooses to use an external third party, it is their responsibility toassess the qualifications, competence, and knowledge of this third party.
Note that in certain cases explicitly provided for by regulations, the involvement of an accredited body may be made mandatory.
Documenting the results of inspections
The results of the inspections must be recorded in the safety register(s) maintained under the responsibility of the head of the establishment. They must be dated, state the identity of the person or body responsible for the inspection, and the person who carried it out (Article D4711-2 of the Labor Code). Unless otherwise specified, they must be kept for 5 years (Article D4711-3 of the Labor Code).
Inspection findings must be formalized as reports.
Note: When inspections are carried out by in-house personnel, the findings can be recorded in a maintenance or monitoring logbook.
All these documents must be made available to the labor inspectorate and the Social and Economic Committee (CSE).
What periodic inspections are required?
Periodic inspections of mechanical equipment and lifting devices
Periodic inspections of personal protective equipment (PPE)
Periodic inspections of electrical installations
Periodic inspections of fire and explosion protection equipment
Periodic inspections of buildings and workplaces
Periodic inspections related to personnel exposure
Periodic inspections specific to certain activities and equipment
Finally, certain equipment and activities, due to the specific risks they pose, are subject to more detailed regulations to mitigate those risks.
These include:
- activities involving storage and transport of hazardous products (tanks and reservoirs, transport pipelines, etc.);
- the combustion installations (boilers, etc.);
- the cooling towers (CT);
- activities emitting ionizing radiation ;
- activities that impact the environment (water and air emissions, noise pollution, etc.). This primarily concerns classified facilities for environmental protection (ICPE);
- equipment containing refrigerants ;
- thermodynamic and ventilation systems thermodynamic and ventilation systems combined with Joule effect heating;
- pressure equipment pressure equipment.
If this applies to you, feel free to contact our teams directly for any information on the applicable regulations.