What is a safety audit program

Safety Audit. Safeopedia Explains Safety Audit. What Does Safety Audit Mean? Safeopedia Explains Safety Audit A safety audit can involve a walkthrough of the facility, interviews with management and employees, and a review of the company's documentation and collected data.

Safety audits serve two broad purposes: Ensuring compliance with safety legislation - these are routinely conducted and can be carried out externally by representatives or a regulatory body or internally by a team drawn from the company's staff Identifying weaknesses in a company's safety program - these audits serve as a guide to optimize a company's safety management system and identify corrective actions that should be undertaken The broad objectives of a safety audit are to: Maintain a safe workplace by identifying hazards and implementing adequate controls for them Verify that employees are following the measures set out by the company's safety program Ensure that the facility, equipment, and operations meet safety requirements and industry best practices Determine whether the company's record-keeping is adequate Safety audits are more thorough than technical inspections and spot-checks.

Planning the Audit: The key components of an audit plan are the audit team, the scope of the uadit, and the targeted areas in the workplace or jobsite. Executing the Audit: This step involves carrying out the audit in accordance to the plan. Any variation from established safety procedures is noted and actual work conditions are observed.

Compiling the Report: The audit team compiles a report outlining the findings of the audit, including any regulatory violations, deviations from industry best practices, and safety procedures that are not properly followed. Corrective Actions: Based on their findings, the audit team identifies corrective actions that should be taken. This step should involve the company's managers and supervisors , since they are the ones who will be required to carry out these corrective actions.

To ensure that they are followed, the corrective actions are assigned a completion and review date. Publishing the Results of the Audit: The results of the audit should then be made available to all employees of the company.

Related Question How can digital transformation for manufacturers make a safer, more productive team? Share this Term. Let's Make Workplaces Safer! Fortunately, your auditor may be able to help you get on the right track quickly and with minimal expense. Many safety auditors are also safety consultants , meaning they specialize in improving organizational safety and health. Safety audits and safety inspections are not the same things. Learn more in our article: Safety Audits vs.

Many companies have access to auditors through their EHS solution providers; others need to look within their networks or search for the right individual or firm to hire. The parties then get in touch and plan for the audit, determining scope, timeline, and objectives.

Conducting the audit. Many aspects of the process can occur electronically, but most audits necessitate a physical visit. Auditors often take pictures, interview employees and organizational leadership, and collect other forms of evidence. This information is confidential—it stays between the auditor and the company getting audited. Once the audit is completed, the auditor creates a report detailing their findings. Good safety auditors also provide recommendations for safety program improvements.

Corrective and preventive actions. Effective follow-through involves taking both corrective and preventive actions —correcting existing problems and preventing future sources of risk from developing further.

Again, the best safety auditors are also safety consultants and can ensure this occurs in a thorough, timely, and cost-effective manner. Generally speaking, an organization should conduct a safety audit at least once per year. However, some organizations—particularly larger organizations—perform safety audits more often e. Other companies are obligated to perform audits at specific dates due to internal policies, pressure from customers or shareholders, or orders from OSHA or another regulatory body.

Using a medically unqualified driver. Operator Violations. Operating a motor vehicle without having in effect the required level of insurance. Failing to require drivers to make hours-of-service records log books. Repairs and Inspection Violations. Operating a vehicle declared out-of-service OOS for safety deficiencies before repairs are made.

Operating a motor vehicle not annually inspected. Prepare for your Safety Audit. What is a Safety Audit. How to Reregister after Revocation. What happens when a carrier passes or fails a Safety Audit?

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