A Pre-Start Health and Safety Review includes a written report on the construction, addition or installation of a new apparatus, structure, protective element or process, or modifications to an existing apparatus, structure, protective element or process. The report details the measures (steps, actions or engineering controls) necessary to bring the construction, addition, installation or modification into compliance with the applicable provisions of the Regulation for Industrial Establishments.
The Pre-Start Health and Safety Review is undertaken before start-up and ideally at the design stage. The employer must address any measures necessary to bring the construction, addition, installation or modification into compliance before production begins.
"Ontario Ministry of Labour Guideline for Pre-Start Health and Safety Reviews: How to apply section 7 of the Regulation for Industrial Establishment" April 2001
- Initiation of the process:
A site visit will be made to collect the important data which will be used to evaluate and to identify the related section of the Regulation 851, as per the (section-7) table. The review will be based on the information submitted by the client such as manuals and demonstration of the operation as well as photos and measurements taken by the professional engineer.
- Review the collected information:
Design drawings, layouts, specifications and other documentations must be reviewed to determine whether the equipment is in compliance with the applicable sections of the Regulation and or the recommended Safety Standards, or not.
- Evaluation:
All sources of information used in collecting the data including physical inspection and documentation are essential to determine the safety status of the equipment and its compliance with the applicable Act, Regulations, Codes and Safety Standards.
- Writing the PSR report:
After careful evaluation of the information, deficiencies and non compliance if there is any, recommendations and remedies must be indicated in the report. All sources of information and machine identity should be clearly stated in the report as well as other professionals who contributed to the report if applied. The report should be stamped and dated by all professional engineers who performed the PSR.
Following up on implementing the recommended remedies is not part of the PSR but it could be done upon client’s request and agreement between the engineering firm and the client.