Free site inspection report template: Word and PDF

Prepare the inspection and record its limits

Record the project, date, attendees and areas actually visited. An inspection captures conditions at a particular time. Identify inaccessible areas and topics outside the agreed inspection scope. Writing “no findings” for an area you did not inspect would be misleading.

Bring outstanding actions from the previous visit. Start the next inspection by checking which measures have actually been implemented effectively. Agree who must receive urgent findings immediately and who receives the subsequent report.

Document a finding in six steps

Give each finding a unique number. Describe the observed condition first, then the assessment and necessary action. Photos supplement the text; without a location and connection to the finding, they are often difficult to interpret later.

• Location: building, floor, grid line or another clearly identifiable area.
• Finding: condition actually observed, time and photo reference.
• Assessment: people affected and professionally assessed hazard; identify uncertainties.
• Action: specific step to take, with immediate action recorded separately where applicable.
• Responsibility and timing: named contact, agreed deadline and any required escalation.
• Follow-up: date, person checking, result and current status.

Fictional example: restricted access route

Record-keeping example only: at the fictional “Musterhof” project, packaging lies in the designated ground-floor pedestrian route, area C, at 09:20 on 13 October 2026. Photo B-014 identifies the location and condition. The responsible contact is informed immediately. The report records the removal arranged, safe interim routing and subsequent check.

The example is not a universal instruction for real hazards. Required immediate measures and authority to direct them depend on the situation and actual responsibilities. Do not delay the response to an acute hazard until the report is completed.

Reported completion still needs checking

Distinguish an open action, reported implementation and checked closure. An email saying “done” is initially a response. Record the basis for deciding that the action is complete: your inspection, a verifiable document or other suitable evidence. If effectiveness remains unclear, keep that uncertainty visible.

For overdue actions, establish the next contact, escalation route and follow-up. New deadlines should not silently overwrite the history. Effective protection and positive observations can also be recorded.

What an inspection report can and cannot do

Section 3 BaustellV describes coordination duties on construction sites. Section 6 ArbSchG concerns records of risk assessment, measures and review. A report can contribute information, but does not automatically replace an employer’s risk assessment or legally required equipment inspections.

Before sharing, check photos, names, recipients and outstanding actions. Record only information needed for the purpose and which you are authorised to process. The PDF is a working aid, not official proof that a site is completely safe.