Regulations and workplace environments can change. When that happens, Health & Safety compliance can falter, and the number of hazards may creep up. That’s why it is vital businesses use the tools available to them to ensure control measures are effective.
One such is method is with a Health & Safety audit. To find out more about how they can help you, click here. If you’d like to learn more about them, read our guide.
What is a Health & Safety audit?
A Health & Safety audit is a process designed to assess the efficacy of a business’s Health & Safety management system. Typically, it involves:
Evaluating policies and procedures
Ensuring compliance with Health & Safety laws
Identifying areas for improvement
Why is Health & Safety auditing important for businesses?
Health & Safety audits are an important tool as they ensure a business is managing risks properly and contributing to a safe working environment. Because of its proactive nature, it can find high-risk areas in the workplace, as well as gaps in compliance.
Furthermore, regular Health & Safety compliance audits illustrate a company’s commitment to creating a positive culture, which improves reputation and employee morale.
How to conduct a Health & Safety audit
Generally, a Health & Safety audit follows a structured approach that consists of the following steps:
Planning the Health & Safety audit
Before beginning the process, the audit’s objectives should be decided, and particular attention must be given to workplace areas and processes that are to be audited. Additionally, resources and time are to be set aside to carry out the audit.
Reviewing Health & Safety documentation
Regularly refreshed paperwork is a pillar of effective Health & Safety processes. During a Health & Safety audit, the following must be examined:
Health & Safety policies
Health & Safety training records
Accident reports
Investigations
Observation and inspection
There must be a walkthrough of the workplace to identify hazards and to understand how safety measures and controls are implemented. Equipment, facilities and work areas will be inspected ensuring they comply with safety standards.
Interviews and consultation
Dialogue with employees and managers to understand their Health & Safety competency is key. It’s also an opportunity to collate feedback on how well safety procedures are performing.
Evaluation and analysis
Ascertain if the current Health & Safety management is fit for purpose and is legally compliant. This stage also finds areas for improvement and pinpoints any patterns indicating recurring issues.
Reporting findings
Any findings and recommendations should be provided via a clear and structured report that outlines areas of non-compliance and actionable steps for improvement.
Implementing improvements
Identified issues must be addressed with an action plan, and where appropriate, assign responsibilities with respective deadlines for completing corrective measures.
Ongoing monitoring and review
Implemented changes, and their effectiveness, should be regularly reviewed. And any future Health & Safety audits should strive to maintain compliance and commit to continuous improvement.
Is carrying out a Health & Safety audit a legal requirement?
Whilst businesses don’t have an explicit duty to conduct a Health & Safety audit, there are other legal requirements that must be met that make it best practice for audits to be completed.
For example, the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 states that employers, so far as reasonably practicable, must ensure the health, safety, and welfare of employees and those impacted by work operations.
The Act also sets out that employers are obligated to ensure they provide suitable workplace environments, including any considerations relating to specific risks.
Legally, the onus isn’t on employers on alone. The Act stipulates employees have a responsibility to take reasonable care of their own and colleagues’ Health & Safety.
With a comprehensive Health & Safety audit, many of the above points are considered and contributes to a business’s compliance and culture.
How often should Health & Safety audits be carried out?
Similarly, there isn’t a law that dictates how often a workplace Health & Safety audit should be carried out. However, as mentioned, overarching legislation from the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 means routine audits are a clear action helping to achieve consistent Health & Safety compliance.
Industries that carry greater risk may require more frequent audits. For example, as per the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) stats, the following sectors continue to attribute for the most fatal accidents each year:
Forestry
Fishing
Therefore, a degree of discretion should be applied in accordance with the industry, risk, and resource.
How much does a Health & Safety audit cost?
There are several Health & Safety audit companies on the market, so the cost will vary from company to company. Though given the outcome of an audit, businesses should consider them to be a long-term investment.
Conclusion: Health & Safety audits
Health & Safety audits for business, despite not being a direct legal requirement, are critical to meeting foundational laws set out by the Health and Safety at Work Act etc. 1974.
Workplace Health & Safety audits not only help organisations satisfy legal requirements, but it also shows a diligent attitude towards reducing workplace accidents, which leads to better retention rates as employees feel valued.
Get Health & Safety audit support from Peninsula’s experts
Did you know that 95% of employers are oblivious to the fact that their workplace has at least five critical hazards?
And with business owners being so busy, it’s no surprise that is the reality. But the other reality is that without Health & Safety audits, the risk of illness and injury in the workplace increases.
But specialist support is available. And it might be cheaper than you think. With Peninsula’s SafeCheck service, the Health & Safety audit cost is £395, and when you factor that could save a life, it really is invaluable.
Want to learn more about our Health & Safety audits? Click here to enquire.
Source
Construction, agriculture, forestry and fishing continue to be the most dangerous sectors
