One of the biggest parts of my work is carrying out a Health & Safety Audit.
I love to carry audits out so that we have a starting point, then I draw up a 12 month plan and get to work with my clients working through at a pace that works for my client.
So what is it?
A health and safety audit is an expert assessment of an organisation’s health and safety policies, systems and procedures.
The health a safety audit should address:
- Current procedures and systems correct and delivering the expected outcomes
- Is the organisation protecting the wellbeing of the workforce and complying with the relevant regulations?
What are the benefits of a health and safety audit?
Annual health and safety audits are widely recognised as best practice for all types of organisations. Audits are much more than just a box-ticking exercise.
Why have a health and safety audit?
Companies of all types and sizes consider regular audits to be essential.
Reasons why you should conduct a health and safety audit:
- Health and safety audits reveal much more than just what is going wrong.
- Setting up a safety audit system doesn’t just protect employees and customers from injury and illness. It motivates staff by showing them that their employer is serious about their well-being.
- A correctly conducted safety audit can safeguard a company’s assets. A serious health and safety incident can lead to unfavourable publicity that damages trade.
- When the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecutes for a health and safety breach, they invariably cite failures that an audit would have highlighted.
- Every employer is legally obliged to have a health and safety policy in place.
How long does it take?
I usually spend around 2 hours carrying out the on site audit looking at the premises and all documentation. I then write up the report and put it into an action plan for the next 12 months.
