A health and safety audit is a thorough, systematic review of an organisation’s health and safety management system, processes and organisational responsibilities. The purpose is to identify potential hazards and risks in the workplace and recommend corrective actions.
Health and safety auditing is an essential part of an organisation’s commitment to maintaining a safe and healthy workplace. It helps to protect the wellbeing of employees, contractors, and visitors. Regular audits also safeguard organisations by identifying areas for improvement to ensure compliance with the law and industry standards.
Our guide explains what a health and safety audit covers, the benefits of an audit for your organisation, and the reasons for drawing on the professional expertise of independent auditors.
What does a health and safety audit usually cover?
Health and safety auditing involves meticulously examining an organisation’s safety management system and includes agreeing an audit protocol that meets the objectives of the client sponsor who commissions the audit.
An audit includes inspecting the workplace environment, reviewing organisational responsibilities, assessing the efficacy of safety programmes, and confirming adherence to the organisations policies and arrangement, regulations, approved codes of practice (ACOP), guidance and industry best practices.
The process is usually spearheaded by a competent, experienced, and professional health and safety auditor who has up-to-date knowledge of industry standards and health and safety law, and the experience to identify potential risks and hazards that are not evaluated as being managed effectively.
A well-conducted health and safety audit examines several critical elements:
Safety management systems
This involves reviewing an organisation’s policies and procedures for managing health and safety risks to ensure they are comprehensive, up-to-date, and align with regulatory requirements.
It also includes looking at the commitment of senior management in promoting a strong safety culture in the organisation, how responsibilities for health and safety are allocated, and the level of employee involvement in safety processes. Employee engagement is vital as they are often in the best position to identify hazards and suggest improvements to safety practices and consultation is a legal requirement.
The audit checks how incidents, hazards, and safety concerns are reported, investigated, and communicated within an organisation because effective communication channels enable timely responses and interventions to safety issues.
Performance monitoring may also be included in the health and safety audit checklist. This is a review of how an organisation monitors and tracks its own health and safety performance through indicators such as incident rates, agreed objectives and safety improvements.
Risk assessment and control
An audit assesses how effectively an organisation identifies potential hazards, evaluates risks, and implements measures to mitigate or eliminate risks. This is often referred to as a risk profile.
This includes a detailed examination of processes and practices, provision and use of personal protective equipment (PPE), levels of competence, skill matrix and employee training, safe systems of work, work procedures and equipment maintenance records.
Emergency preparedness
An organisation’s readiness to respond to emergencies is examined during an audit, which involves checking:
- Compliance with the findings from fire risk assessments
- Emergency response plans
- Fire drill and evacuation procedures
- Employee training on emergency procedures
- Emergency equipment accessibility and maintenance
- First aid arrangements
- Emergency communication systems
- Plans for managing critical incidents.
An audit makes sure an organisation has plans, procedures, and equipment in place to reduce the risk of injuries, ill health, and fatalities in crisis situations.
Training and competence
It is essential that all managers and employees receive appropriate health and safety training. An audit assesses whether employees at all levels in an organisation have received the right training, whether they understand their responsibilities and can apply safe practices effectively.
An audit may review:
- Training programmes. Does training cover topics that are relevant to the specific needs of different job roles and tasks?
- The effectiveness of induction training for new employees. Do new employees receive essential health and safety information?
- Refresher training. Do employees receive refresher training and regular updates about changes to policies, procedures, and regulations?
- Additional training for managers and supervisors. Do senior employees receive training to understand their additional health and safety responsibilities (which may include conducting risk assessments and implementing control measures)?
- The effectiveness of training. This may be assessed through surveys or interviews with employees as well as by monitoring incident rates and identifying trends.
- Training records. Are training records regularly updated? Do they verify that employees have completed required health and safety training courses and refreshers?
This assessment helps an organisation to identify any gaps in training and competence. Issues can then be addressed to ensure employees can help maintain a safe work environment.
Record-keeping
Accurate record-keeping is vital for demonstrating health and safety compliance , maintenance of plant and equipment is up to date and preventing accidents.
For example, organised records make it easier to ensure employees’ training is up-to-date and equipment is regularly maintained. Records also help an organisation to provide evidence of compliance and learn from past incidents to improve safety performance.
An audit will check records of inspections, completion of recommendations and actions, incident reports, training records, maintenance of equipment forms, legal compliance documents and more.
How does a health and safety audit benefit an organisation?
The objective of a health and safety audit is primarily to check that an organisations management system is working effectively and is a central to meeting the requirements of Managing for Health and Safety (HSG65). The guidance sets out the Plan, Do, Check and Act process.
Ultimately an audit protects employees, contractors and visitors from harm. But a professional audit can also enhance an organisations reputation with employees, partners and customers and safeguard it from the consequences, such as losses from accidents, incidents and ill health
Here are some compelling reasons to conduct regular health and safety audits:
Cost saving
The total cost of workplace injuries to UK employers is around £3.5 billion a year. This figure takes into account prosecutions and fines, loss of working hours, and payment of workers’ compensation and medical expenses.
The timely identification and rectification of potential hazards can lead to significant cost savings by preventing accidents and associated expenses.
Increases productivity
Regular audits demonstrate an organisation’s commitment to employee safety. A study by Lockheed Martin found that when employees see their employer proactively ensuring their safety it boosts morale and reduces absenteeism which increases productivity.
Customer trust and reputation
A strong health and safety record elevates an organisation’s reputation with customers, partners, and employees. As we all know, a positive reputation is the foundation of any business.
A study by Harvard found that companies with positive reputations attract the best employees and attract loyal customers who purchase a broad range of their products and services. Conversely, if a serious accident occurs in the workplace, it can damage a hard-won reputation overnight.
Additionally, in many industries, customers and partners may require proof of effective health and safety management as a condition of doing business.
Helps prevent litigation
Health and safety audits are a legal safeguard, supporting organisations to stay compliant with laws such as the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and industry-specific health and safety legislation.
Addressing safety issues and implementing control measures based on audit findings reduces the chances of litigation, protecting the organisation from time consuming, expensive, and stressful legal claims which can also damage the reputation of the organisation.
Why choose Praxis42 health and safety auditors?
At Praxis42, our highly qualified health and safety consultants conduct comprehensive health and safety audits for organisations across all sectors.
We promise:
A bespoke, pragmatic approach
Our approach to health and safety is tailored to suit your unique requirements and aligns with sector-specific guidelines.
We work with you to identify the most important areas of focus from the audit and deliver pragmatic solutions and recommendations.
Our consultants evaluate your existing health and safety procedures, which can also include carrying out a risk assessment and gap analysis. We then present findings and recommendations for enhancing safety performance and complying with legislation and industry standards.
Follow-up guidance and support
Our services extend beyond the initial audit. We provide follow-up reviews to ensure that the recommended improvements have been implemented effectively and are delivering the desired results.
We also offer IOSH Approved and Licensed health and safety training courses to equip your managers and employees with the knowledge and skills to maintain a safe and healthy workplace. Our courses have been developed by experienced health and safety consultants who are well respected in their fields.
Dedicated to supporting the long-term health of your business
Regular health and safety audits are an indispensable tool for maintaining a secure and healthy workplace. They provide a clear, structured approach to ensuring the wellbeing of employees, legal compliance, and long-term organisational sustainability.
With the professional expertise of Praxis42, you can confidently navigate this complex process, keeping your organisation safe, compliant, and ready for future challenges.
