A safety audit is an expert assessment that gathers information about the efficiency and reliability of an organisation’s health and safety policies, systems, and procedures. It looks at whether there are effective programs in place for identifying, eliminating, or controlling hazards and risks to a company and its workers.
Why do you need one?
Safety audits are conducted for several reasons and can depend on a company’s individual needs, for example:
- The law requires it – some facilities may be legally required to meet certain health and safety standards. These businesses would therefore need a safety audit to ensure that they are meeting the health and safety standards required of them
- Injuries – if someone has been injured in the workplace then an audit may be conducted to determine the likelihood and risk of this injury happening to other individuals in the workplace
- Safety concerns – if you have a workplace that poses several risks or hazards to those working within it then its vital that the workplace is made safe and secure
- Promoting safety – some businesses may want to promote their business as safety-oriented to set the tone for their employees as well as externally to clients etc.
An internal audit can be completed in house if a member of your team has the right training and qualifications, such as a NEBOSH diploma. Some companies have their own internal health and safety team which helps to ensure greater control over the process. However, an external health and safety consultancy like C2 Safety ensures that your audit will be completed by industry professionals who know the laws and standards to help identify any potential safety concerns. C2 Safety have a variety of qualifications and have recognised standards such as ISO 9001 which can provide your business with the reassurance that your health and safety is expertly managed and is compliant with current legislation.
A safety audit is designed to meet the following objectives:
- To maintain a safe workplace through hazard and risk recognition and removal
- To verify that employees are following effective health and safety procedures
- To make sure that equipment and operations meet the health and safety requirements and legislation relevant to the organisation
- To provide records that show that the required health and safety and medical activities are maintained
An audit can analyse a variety of items within a business which is why it usually uses a checklist format. Examples of checklist items to be audited include:
- Machinery and tools
- Vehicles
- Processes, organisational, and administrative procedures
- Fire protection and emergency response procedures
- Electrical hazards and hazard signage
- Personal protective equipment
- Materials handling and storage
This checklist is just an example of what safety audits can cover. Audits are specific to each company and therefore a checklist of items to be audited will vary depending on the nature of the business.
Once the report has been completed, it will outline corrective actions that must be prioritised and amended accordingly. Finally, the audit will specify what needs to be done to correct a hazardous situation and will clearly identify who is responsible for taking the corrective action.
