A quarry face that looks stable at the start of a shift can be a different hazard by the time the second load-out truck rolls through. Loose ground, blocked escapeways, and a guard left off a conveyor drive don't announce themselves — they wait for the person who walks past without checking. A pre-shift MSHA workplace examination is the one record that proves someone looked before the crew went in. Sign up to log every pre-shift examination against the working area, the hazards found, and the corrective action taken in one CMMS record instead of a notebook left in a truck cab.
Why It Matters
Every working area a crew enters that shift has to be examined before work starts, not after. Ground conditions, equipment guarding, and escapeways all shift with weather, blasting, and traffic, so yesterday's clear examination doesn't carry over to today's shift.
What The Examination Actually Covers
Ground Control
Loose rock, cracked highwalls, and undermined benches are checked before anyone works beneath or near them.
Escapeways And Access
Haul roads, walkways, and secondary exits are confirmed clear so a crew always has a way out.
Equipment And Guarding
Conveyor guards, crusher access points, and fixed equipment are checked before anyone works around moving parts.
What Gets Checked, And Where
A workplace examination isn't one walk across the whole site. It's a point-by-point check of each area a crew will actually enter that shift, with the hazard type matched to the specific location instead of a single generic pass.
| Area |
Checked For |
Why It Matters |
| Pit Face And Highwall |
Loose rock, cracking, undercutting |
A fall of ground is one of the leading causes of quarry fatalities |
| Haul Roads |
Berms, visibility, surface condition |
A missing berm turns a normal haul route into a rollover risk |
| Fixed Plant |
Guards, access points, lockout points |
A missing guard near a crusher or conveyor is a direct contact hazard |
| Escapeways |
Clear path, secondary exit, signage |
A blocked exit turns a manageable incident into a trapped crew |
Pre-Shift Workplace Examination Checklist
Walk every area the crew will enter that shift: examined in person before work starts, not assumed safe from the previous shift's record
Check ground conditions at the active face: highwalls, benches, and stockpiles scanned for cracking, loose material, or undercutting
Confirm escapeways and haul roads are clear: access and exit routes verified passable, with berms and signage in place
Inspect fixed equipment guarding: conveyor, crusher, and screen guards checked in place before anyone works nearby
Record every hazard found and the corrective action taken: logged with location and severity, not just a pass or fail note
Sign and timestamp the examination before the crew starts: record kept against the specific area and shift for audit trail
Every Hazard Found, Every Action Taken, One Record
Oxmaint ties every pre-shift workplace examination to the specific area, the hazards logged, and the corrective action taken, so nothing gets missed between shifts. Sign up for a free trial to run it on your own site, or book a demo to see it configured for your plant.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q
Why does a workplace examination have to happen before every shift?
Ground conditions, weather, and traffic change constantly at an active quarry face, so an area that was safe at the end of one shift can be different by the start of the next. The examination has to reflect the current state of the ground, not yesterday's record.
Q
Who is responsible for signing off the examination each shift?
A competent person designated for that area has to complete and sign the examination before work begins, and that record has to be kept and made available for review, not just completed and set aside.
Q
What happens if a hazard is found during the examination?
Work in that area has to stop until the hazard is corrected or the area is clearly marked and access restricted. The corrective action taken has to be recorded against the same examination, not handled off the books.
Turn Workplace Examinations Into An Audit-Ready Trail
Oxmaint keeps every pre-shift examination, hazard flag, and corrective action tied to the exact area and shift, so an MSHA review is a search through records, not a scramble through old notebooks. Sign up for a free trial to run it on your own site, or book a demo to see it configured for your plant.
