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Question: Assignment 1: Safety Audit (15%) Purpose Perform a safety audit of your workplace or a fictional workplace that includes hazard recognition, risk assessment, and control of physical, chemical and biological agents, and psychosocial hazards. Provide your recommendations as a result of the audit. ( i want tables, bullet points, and graphics in this assignment

Assignment 1: Safety Audit (15%)

Perform a safety audit of your workplace or a fictional workplace that includes hazard recognition, risk assessment, and control of physical, chemical and biological agents, and psychosocial hazards. Provide your recommendations as a result of the audit. ( i want tables, bullet points, and graphics in this assignment )

Your safety audit report should not exceed 750 words.

Your submission should be 1.5-spaced, with a 12-point font. You are encouraged to use tables, bullet points, and graphics where appropriate. Full student and assessment identification must be included with your submission.

Please like answer it'll be motivation to me please don't …

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Safety Audits: Four Key Questions and How to Do Them Right

Toby graham.

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Is your workplace safety program working as intended? Are your people as safe, healthy, and productive as possible?

The only way to find out is through a safety audit.

Also called health and safety audits  or EHS audits  ( “EHS” stands for “environment, health, and safety” ), safety audits are the gold standard for testing workplace safety program effectiveness. Safety audits help employers keep their workers out of danger, avoid legal risks, increase efficiency, and determine whether they’re in compliance with federal and state regulations.

As such, safety audits are an essential component of any safety program. And before long, if you conduct them regularly, the audits will pay for themselves.

Here’s everything you need to know about safety audits and why your organization should conduct them on an ongoing basis.

What Is a Safety Audit?

An audit is a systematic review of something. It’s a sweeping, rigorous, and sometimes-painful process meant to verify that what’s supposed to be happening is  happening—or that what was claimed to have happened did  actually happen.

Audits are typically conducted by independent entities rather than the person or organization undergoing the audit. In other words, you can’t audit yourself. You may not know what to look for, and even if you did, you couldn’t be objective about it.

Consider an Internal Revenue Service audit, for instance. When someone gets audited by the IRS, a government agent combs through that person’s financial records to check for errors and missing information and to determine if the individual filed their taxes correctly. The taxpayer couldn’t do this themselves, as a)  they’re probably not an accounting expert and  b)  would have an incentive to overlook errors and misrepresent their finances.

Most people dread the possibility of an IRS audit, but if they really have nothing to fear if they’ve been doing what they’re supposed to be doing—namely, keeping detailed, accurate records and paying what they owe on time.

A safety audit is similar in terms of depth and objective analysis. However, unlike an IRS audit, there’s no immediate penalty if errors emerge—as long as you take action quickly.

Audits are considered a best practice, especially for large and mid-sized employers. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration  recommends that employers of all kinds conduct regular safety audits  “to promptly correct all violations of the [Occupational Safety and Health Act] that are discovered in order to ensure safety and health in the workplace.” And while OSHA doesn’t mandate them, the agency increasingly expects to see them— shaming  and imposing hefty fines  on companies that don’t conduct them regularly.

During a safety audit, an auditor or team of auditors scrutinizes your organization’s safety program for gaps, problems, and inefficiencies. The auditing party has 3 basic priorities:

• Uncover issues that endanger people’s health and safety.
• Identify areas of non-compliance with occupational health and safety regulations.
• Assess other opportunities to improve the program.

A good safety auditor will tell you in no uncertain terms what your organization is doing well and what needs to be fixed. As with an IRS audit, there’s nothing to fear if your safety program is operating as it should. But if your people are exhibiting unsafe behaviors or working in hazardous conditions, if your program is deficient or cumbersome—or if you have no formal program in place—you’ll have some work ahead of you.

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. They’re like physicians—diagnosing the symptoms of poor EHS performance and then treating any underlying causes.

Safety Audits vs. Safety Inspections: What’s the Difference?

Safety audits and safety inspections are not the same things. Yes, they’re similar in that both involve an examination of an organization’s EHS program, and yes, the two terms are often used interchangeably. 

That said, each term has a specific meaning, and mixing them up could get you in trouble. 

An audit is distinct from an inspection in 2 fundamental ways:

1. Safety audits are more in-depth than safety inspections. 

2. Safety audits and safety inspections are typically performed by different people. 

Learn more in our article: Safety Audits vs. Safety Inspections: What’s the Difference? 

What Does a Safety Audit Look Like?

Whoever performs it, a safety audit usually involves the same basic steps:

1. Preparation. An organization decides that it’s time for an audit, and selects a safety auditor. 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. At this point, the auditor may request some initial documentation and information from the organization, or simply set a date to visit the company’s facilities.

2. Conducting the audit.  One or more safety auditors investigate the organization’s premises, procedures, people, and programs, paying close attention to any clear or potential hazards, safety issues, and regulatory violations. Many aspects of the process can occur electronically, but most audits necessitate a physical visit. Depending on the style and type of audit being conducted, an auditor may use a checklist, grade the organization in various categories, and/or jot down qualitative thoughts and observations. 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.

3. Reporting. Once the audit is completed, the auditor creates a report detailing their findings. This report typically summarizes what is and isn’t working, indicating the relative priority and severity of different safety issues with various forms of data, charts, and graphs. Good safety auditors also provide recommendations for safety program improvements.

4. Corrective and preventive actions.  Either on their own or with the help of the safety auditor, the organization’s internal team gets to work addressing the audit findings. 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.

How Often Should Safety Audits Happen?

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.g. every 6 or 3 months) to minimize their risks. 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.

Significant changes in business, technology, laws and regulations, working conditions, and workforce composition also trigger safety audits. For example, if you recently opened a plant in another state, hired 100 new employees, or purchased a fleet of forklifts, it’s probably a good idea to conduct a safety audit.

What are the Benefits of Performing a Safety Audit?

Regularly occurring safety audits offer myriad benefits to organizations, as well as their employees, contractors, and customers:

• improved workforce safety
• fewer accidents, injuries, and illnesses
• lower workers’ compensation costs
• fewer legal claims
• less regulatory uncertainty and compliance risk
• less turnover
• greater productivity
• improved employee morale
• improved efficiency
• improved publicity and reputation
• better decision-making

With the right cadence, technology, and safety partner by your side, safety audits will quickly pay for themselves. Calculate your safety ROI.

Access Expert Safety Auditors + EHS Software and Training with KPA

KPA is the leader in both safety audit software and EHS consulting services. Our team has the knowledge and tools you need to keep your employees safe, minimize your risks, and maximize your organization’s performance.

KPA’s safety consultants will address safety issues at your facilities before they lead to injuries, fines, and lawsuits. Working on-site , remotely , or both, your KPA Risk Management Consultant will work with you to identify potential risks, develop programs and training, and take action to mitigate risk. Our goal is to help ensure a safe workplace for your employees through programs aligned with EPA and OSHA requirements, so your people can work at their best—while you avoid citations and potential legal action.

Plus, we provide award-winning, interactive safety training  covering over 100 key topics—ranging from equipment and machine safety to industry regulations, internal policies, ethics, employment law, harassment prevention, and more.

It’s all supported by our powerful, cloud-based EHS software platform that helps organizations across industries maintain safety cultures, streamline operations, and comprehensively manage risk.

Find out how KPA can turn your organization into a better, safer place to work. 

Toby manages the marketing communications team here at KPA. She's on a quest to help people tell clear, fun stories that their audience can relate to. She's a HUGE sugar junkie...and usually starts wandering the halls looking for cookies around 3pm daily.

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How to Conduct a Safety Audit With an Example Audit Template

Have you ever stopped to consider the sobering statistics on workplace accidents? 

Every year, millions of injuries occur on the job, leading to lost productivity, financial strain, and even worse, human suffering.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics says that more than 2.8 million people got injured or sick at work in 2022. Also, every year in the United States alone, more than 2 million people get injuries on the job. Even more alarming is that many of these incidents result in severe consequences, such as long-term disability or even death.

Regular safety audits are one of the best ways to make sure everyone stays safe at work.

In this article, we’ll show you:

• Why safety audits matter
• Planning: Getting ready for the audit
• Preparations: Setting the stage for success
• Checklist Creation: Making a tailored guide
• Audit Steps: How to conduct the audit
• Hazard Identification: Spotting workplace risks
• Findings Categorization: Organizing for action
• Report Generation: Documenting and recommending

So, let’s dive in and learn how to conduct a safety audit effectively!

Planning the Safety Audit

The first step in conducting a successful safety audit is planning the scope and logistics. 

This involves deciding which areas, processes, and hazards will be included, getting buy-in from management, assembling the right audit team, and communicating with staff.

These are the steps in this phase:

Step 1: Decide on Scope

As a safety manager, you should determine the physical areas, departments, and processes that will be examined. 

A comprehensive audit would cover an entire facility, while a focused audit may hone in on high-risk areas or recent incidents. 

For example, you can consider machinery, equipment, tools, hazardous materials, workstations, storage areas, traffic routes, facilities, and any other potential hazards.

Prioritize auditing higher-risk departments and areas first if unable to cover everything at once. Be sure to include office areas in addition to production floors and warehouses.

Step 2: Get Management Approval

Now, review the proposed scope and secure formal approval from company leadership before proceeding. 

Management support is crucial for implementing any recommended changes post-audit.

You can present the business case for a safety audit, including reducing incidents and costs, improving morale, and avoiding regulatory fines. Offer to share results and recommendations with management throughout the process to maintain engagement.

Step 3: Assemble Audit Team

Identify staff across departments and levels to participate, looking for diversity of perspective. 

Include representatives from:

• Operations/production
• Engineering and maintenance
• Environment, health and safety (EHS)
• Human resources
• Leadership/management
• Staff-level production workers

Industrial hygienists and other experts in their field are the best people to deal with specific risks like noise, air quality, and ergonomics.

It is best to have a team of 5 to 8 people so that tasks can be split up and checks can be done thoroughly. Larger groups might miss potential hazards.

Pre-Audit Preparations

Conducting the proper preparations before an audit will help ensure it goes smoothly and identifies the most pressing hazards and risks. 

Here are some key steps for pre-audit preparations:

Review Previous Audits and Inspection Records

Look back at previous safety audits and workplace inspection records. This will give you an idea of what hazards and issues have been found before, and whether they were adequately addressed. Have certain problems persisted over multiple audits? That indicates a need for more robust corrective actions.

Examine Accident and Injury Data

Analyze what accidents and injuries have occurred in the workplace since the last audit. 

Do the accidents suggest any emerging risks or inadequately controlled hazards? 

Are injuries concentrated in certain departments or job roles?

When you understand accident trends, it will help you determine what to focus on during the upcoming audit.

Ensure Audit Tools/Checklists Are Ready

Prepare and update any audit tools, forms or checklists needed to conduct the audit. Review regulatory requirements and internal policies to ensure the audit will properly cover all applicable standards and rules. 

Make sure to include issues that have arisen in past audits or incident investigations as well. The audit tools should be comprehensive while also customized to the workplace.

With the proper pre-audit preparations completed, the safety audit will be more efficient, thorough and effective. Taking these steps helps maximize the value of the audit process.

You can also get help from this Guide to Safety Audits and Inspections

Creating The Audit Checklist

The audit checklist is one of the most important components of a safety audit. This checklist will serve as your guide during the actual inspection, ensuring you cover all areas thoroughly and consistently.

When creating your checklist, include all areas you want to evaluate for safety hazards and risks. 

Walk through your entire facility during the planning stage to identify zones or departments to inspect.

Customize your checklist to your specific work environment. 

For an office, you may want to inspect things like:

• Workstations
• Walkways and aisles
• Kitchen and breakroom
• Electrical rooms
• Storage areas

For a manufacturing facility or warehouse, your checklist may include:

• Production floor
• Assembly lines
• Forklifts and lifting equipment
• Chemical storage
• Inventory racks and shelves
• Shipping and receiving docks

The sections can be broken down room-by-room or area-by-area. Within each section list what you want to evaluate. 

For example:

Example of Audit Checklist

You can also download our EHS Audit Checklist , which is an Ultimate Template for Internal EHS Audits.

Conducting the Audit in 9 Quick Steps

Once you have created your audit checklist and assembled your team, it's time to conduct the actual safety audit. This involves having team members physically inspect the workplace to identify any hazards or areas of non-compliance.

When conducting the audit:

Step 1: Assign inspection areas

Divide up sections of the workplace for auditors to inspect individually. This ensures all areas are covered sufficiently. Provide maps if needed.

Step 2: Take notes 

Auditors should take detailed notes during inspections describing any hazards, risks or non-compliance observed. Notes should include location, description, severity, and recommended actions.

Step 3: Take photos

Photos provide useful visual evidence of any issues. They also help jog auditors' memories when compiling findings later.

Step 4: Be thorough 

Inspect all areas, equipment, materials, processes etc. identified in the audit plan. Look high and low. Open cabinets and storage areas.

Step 5: Observe activities

Watching people work can reveal unsafe behaviors or procedures.

Step 6: Talk to workers

Employees often have insights into risks. Their feedback provides valuable perspective.

Step 7: Use tools

Devices like light meters, noise dosimeters, gas detectors etc. provide objective data.

Step 8: Check compliance

Verify all policies, procedures, training, postings, permits, etc. are in place.

Step 9: Document everything

Comprehensive notes and photos facilitate analysis and reporting.

Taking the time to be systematic and meticulous during the inspection process leads to more robust findings and recommendations.

Identifying Hazards

The audit process involves carefully examining the workplace to identify any hazards or risks that could lead to injuries, incidents, or non-compliance issues. 

Some key things to look for when conducting your walkthrough inspection include:

• Safety hazards 

Look for slip, trip, and fall hazards such as uneven flooring, obstructed walkways, poor lighting, lack of guardrails on stairs, etc. Also look for any fire hazards, electrical issues, lack of emergency exits, and improper chemical storage.

• Mechanical & equipment hazards 

Inspect machinery and equipment for proper guards and safety mechanisms. Look for frayed cords, damaged parts, lack of maintenance, etc. that could pose risks.

• Ergonomic hazards

Check workstations and processes for awkward postures, highly repetitive actions, improper seating, and other factors that could lead to strains and sprains.

• Non-compliance issues

Note any instances where regulatory standards or company policies are not being followed in terms of signage, personal protective equipment (PPE), lockout procedures, etc.

• New or altered processes

Determine if any new equipment, materials, or processes have been implemented without proper hazard analysis and risk assessment.

As you identify hazards, gauge their severity level so higher-risk items can be prioritized for corrective action. 

Categorizing Findings

Once you've identified all the hazards and issues, it's important to categorize your findings in a logical way. 

This helps determine which problems are most severe and require immediate action.

Organize by Area

Group findings by location or department. This allows you to see if certain areas have more hazards than others. For example, you may find the loading dock has several tripping dangers, while the office area has multiple blocked fire exits. Categorizing this way helps focus corrective actions.

The table explains it more clearly:

Organize by Severity

Rank hazards from most to least severe. This focuses attention on fixing major problems first. Use a simple high/medium/low scale or a more granular 1-5 ranking. Factors like injury likelihood and potential damage level determine severity. For instance, exposed electrical wiring would be high severity, while a slightly uneven floor may be low.

Organize by Required Actions

Categorize based on the type of corrective action needed. For example, group findings needing repair work, improved training, updated procedures, equipment purchases, or area redesign. This facilitates planning the proper fixes. Related items become apparent, like buying a new machine guard and training on its use.

Generating the Safety Audit Report

The audit report is the key deliverable that documents your findings and provides recommendations.

A good audit report should clearly convey the following:

• Summary of Audit Scope

Briefly summarize the scope of the audit, including:

• Areas, processes, and equipment covered
• Time period audited
• Audit team members
• Overview of Findings

Provide an overview of the number and types of findings identified during the audit. You can break this down by hazard category or severity level.

• Detailed Findings

List each finding along with these key details:

• Location observed
• Description of unsafe condition or hazard
• Applicable regulations or standards violated
• Recommended corrective actions
• Assigned owner and target due date for corrections
• Priorities & Recommendations

Summarize the most serious findings and priority recommendations for corrective action based on severity and potential risk. Provide guidance on which findings should be addressed immediately.

• Conclusion & Follow-up

Wrap up with next steps for implementing corrective actions and following up on this audit. You may recommend conducting more frequent inspections or audits in problem areas.

Audit Report Template

How SafetyIQ Streamines the Process of Conducting Safety Audits

SafetyIQ’s audit and inspection software streamlines the process of conducting safety audits, making it more efficient and effective. Here are the key features:

Digital Transformation

SafetyIQ replaces paper-based audits and inspections with digital forms accessible via an app. This transition reduces data entry time and allows for real-time reporting.

Configurable Forms

The software offers customizable forms that mimic existing processes. Users can schedule and assign standardized audits and inspections, capturing critical information efficiently.

Task Assignment and Tracking

Safety managers can assign corrective actions based on importance and urgency. Stakeholders receive automatic reminders, preventing tasks from falling through the cracks.

Analytics and Insights

SafetyIQ provides actionable insights through data visualizations and reports. Incident data analysis helps identify trends and assess risks, enabling informed decision-making.

Hence, SafetyIQ’s software enhances safety programs by streamlining audits, improving productivity, and promoting a preventative safety strategy. 

FOR MORE DETAILS, YOU CAN REFER TO OUR SAFETY AUDITS & INSPECTIONS GUIDE .

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Consent Preferences

Safety Audit

• EHS Guidelines
• Case Studies

Safety Audit :

The health and safety management audit our members adopted is a structured process of collecting independent information on the efficiency, effectiveness and reliability of the total H&S management system and drawing up plans for corrective action.

Auditing examines each stages in the H&S management system by measuring compliance with the controls the organization has developed, with the ultimate aim of assessing their effectiveness and their validity for the future.

The objective of the safety audit is to evaluate the effectiveness of the company’s safety effort and make recommendations which lead to a reduction in accidents and minimization of loss potential. Safety audits are an important part of a company’s control system and these checks ensure that deteriorating standards are detected. Examination of the defects exposed in this review results in hazardous conditions and potential accidents being avoided.

Regular audits should be based on the premise that resources should be made available to identify    and eliminate hazards before accidents occur, rather than use the resource of manpower and            materials only after injuries and damage to equipment have resulted in human suffering, significant   monetary loss which, in certain circumstances, affect the profitability severely.

The safety audits will monitor all activities performed on site, and in particular:

• The basic safety policy and organization of the company.
• Management commitment and example on safety matters.
• Administration and safety activity.
• Accident reporting and investigation.
• Opportunity of injury – and record of every injury.
• Safety committees.
• Working rules and practices for each company location, including visitors and contractors.
• Compliance with statutory regulations and company standards.
• Behavior and unsafe acts of personnel and their relationship to compliance with safety rules.
• Activity related certification of employees.
• First Aid certified employees.
• Training needs and activities.
• Hazards review of process equipment for either new or existing facilities.

• Safety work permits.
• Emergency procedures.

Application of  safety audit:

Safety audits are conducted in order to assess the degree of compliance with the applicable safety regulatory requirements and with the procedural provisions of a Safety Management System(SMS) if one is in place. They are intended to provide assurance of the safety management functions, including staffing, compliance with applicable regulations, levels of competency and training.

Safety audits are used to ensure that:

• Organizations SMS has a sound structure and adequate staffing levels;
• Approved procedures and instructions are complied with;
• The required level of personnel competency and training to operate equipment and facilities,and to maintain their levels of performance, is achieved;
• Equipment performance is adequate for the safety levels of the service provided;
• Effective arrangements exist for promoting safety, monitoring safety performance and processing safety issues;
• Adequate arrangements exist to handle foreseeable emergencies.

Safety audits are carried out by a single individual or a team of people who are competent (adequately qualified, experienced and trained) and have a satisfactory degree of independence from the audited organization or unit. The frequency of the audits depends on the regulatory/management policy. For example some State authorities may conduct annual safety audits; others may consider that a full safety audit is only necessary at a few years interval.

Description of Safety Audit Practice:

Safety audit practice subjects each area of a company’s activity to a systematic critical examination with the object of minimizing human suffering and monetary loss. Every component of the total systems included, e.g. management policy, attitudes training, features of the process, layout and construction of the plant, operating procedures, emergency plans, personal protection standards, accident records,etc.

An audit, as in the fields of accountancy, aims to disclose the strengths, the weaknesses and the main areas of vulnerability or risk, and is carried out by appropriately qualified personnel.It is important to ensure that the attitude of all personnel to safety audit practice is positive. It may need to be pointed out that the reason for the audit is to help the plant management to establish those areas within the plant where additional effort is required to ensure safety at all times. The audit is not there to find fault with the efforts of local manage. The safety audit is an aid to sound, safe, plant management.

Audits will involve plant operatives and review training, work experience, knowledge of procedures, emergency procedures and other plant operating instructions.

A formal report and action plan is subsequently prepared and monitored.

Types of safety audit:

There are three types of audit , which classified under three category as follows.

2. program audit.

3. Management system audit.

1. Compliance audit

The most basic audit is a compliance or condition inspection. OSHA does not specifically require that companies conduct safety and health audits, but OSHA regulations are written such that employers must furnish their employees with a place of employment that is free from recognized hazards and complies with certain OSHA standards. Management then develops programs for each employee to comply with certain standards, rules and regulations. In addition, compliance requirements dictate certain record-keeping, programs and training requirements. A true compliance audit will look at all three factors — conformance, record-keeping and training.

A safety audit based on OSHA compliance will determine whether the company can provide a safe and healthful workplace. But this audit on its own tends to focus more on unsafe conditions rather than unsafe acts and behaviors. However, the majority of accidents occur from unsafe acts, i.e., you can have a wet floor (unsafe condition), but an injury may not occur until someone walks on the wet floor and slips (unsafe act). It is impossible to have a workplace free from unsafe conditions all of the time, because conditions and people change and the potential that someone will create unsafe conditions is always present.

2. Program audit:

To achieve a goal of reducing accidents and incidents as well as unsafe acts and conditions which result in accidents, you must have programs in place that dictate how to implement safety rules or requirements. An example of a regulatory requirement is to record accidents on an OSHA 300 log and to do so within six days. A program requirement would describe the method one would use to investigate the accident.  OSHA, while providing suggestions for investigating an accident, does not regulate how to investigate. So it is up to the company to define and write down the procedure for investigating the accident in order to implement the safety rule or requirement and to make it meaningful. Having done so, the company now has a safety program in place for the procedure.

A program audit is an analysis that gauges the implementation and strategy of these safety programs. Is the company following its own procedures and programs?

One drawback to a program audit is determining what to use as a standard. There is plenty of guidance but not much consistency in professional practice when it comes to what should be included in safety programs. There are some fundamentals, however. For one, it is essential to any safety program that all procedures are written down. Writing down the program allows the communication of the hazard as well as the procedures for minimizing exposure to the hazard and allows the procedure to be checked, measured and or audited. If unsafe acts create unsafe conditions, you need a program to communicate how to stop doing those things.

One challenge is that keeping safety programs current requires being able to manage change. New facilities, equipment and personnel (i.e., change in shift hours if it means an increase in workers’ exposure time) require changes in safety programs.

Both the compliance and program audit are useful snapshots to indicate potential exposures and risks. The value of these audits is to find the safety gaps so they can be closed. Another value is to verify if people are really following established safety guidelines. But an audit that is conducted only once a year is limited if there is no ongoing process by which to measure peoples’ performance how often and how well are employees using and following safety programs.

Management systems audit

Who conducts the safety audit.

The Safety Audit is an interdisciplinary self-assessment tool, so the work is conducted by a community team of domestic violence experts and key workers who represent the systems that are being examined. Team members collect data and meet as a group to discuss the Audit findings; recommend changes in policy, procedure, and training; strategics how to implement the recommended changes; and help implement, monitor, and evaluate the changes over time.

What happens during a Safety Audit?

The process involves examining whether institutional policies and practice enhance the safety of battered women and their children, as well as enforce perpetrator accountability. The Safety Audit does not assess individual effectiveness or actions. An Audit involves mapping the system, interviewing and observing workers, analyzing paperwork and other texts generated in the handling of domestic violence cases. Recommendations coming out of an Audit process are directed toward institutional changes that will enhance victim safety and perpetrator accountability.

Who serves on the Safety Audit Team:

The Audit team typically consists of practitioners from agencies involved in the case processing under review. All Audit teams have a significant presence of community-based advocates who have expertise in the dynamics of domestic abuse and a close relationship with victims of battering. The goal is to have an analysis that incorporates the knowledge of a cross section of people who work with these cases everyday. Audit team members must be committed to inter agency cooperative work, confidentiality as agreed upon by the team, and an openness to find and fix problems without creating or deepening inter agency conflicts.

Safety Audit Preparation:

Step One - one week prior to the audit, inform all affected managers and supervisors. They should be directed to have all records, documents and procedures available when the audits starts.

Step Two - Review all past program area audits and corrective action recommendations.

Step Three - Review all company, local, state and federal requirements for the specific program. Become familiar with the document, inspection and training requirements.

Step Four - Determine the scope of the audit. This can be based on accident and inspection reports and input from various managers. Set a start and stop time & date for the audit.

Fact Finding:

A fact finding event is used to gather all applicable information. Auditors should make an effort not to form an opinion or make evaluative comments during this phase.

A Team Approach - If a safety audit team is used, make assignments to each person that defines their area of inspection. Ensure they have the proper program background information and documents.

Safety Audit Areas - most audits can be broken down into these areas:

Employee knowledge – OSHA standards require "effective training" - an effective program ensures that employees have the knowledge required to operate in a safe manner on a daily basis. The level of knowledge required depends on the specific activities in which the employee is involved and their specific duties and responsibilities. Generally, managers and supervisors should have a higher level of knowledge than general employees. This includes practical knowledge of program administration, management and training. They should be able to discuss all elements of each program that affects their assigned employees. Many programs divide employees into these two groups- authorized employees and affected employees. Authorized employees must have a high level of working knowledge involving hazard identification and hazard control procedures. Determining employee level of knowledge can be achieved though written quizzes, formal interviews or informal questions in the workplace.

Written Program Review - during the safety audit, a comprehensive review of the written program should be conducted. This review should compare the company program to requirements for hazard identification and control, required employee training and record keeping against the local, state and federal requirements. Additionally, if applicable, the company insurance carrier should be asked to conduct an independent written program review. Program Administration - This part of the safety audit review checks the implementation and management of specific program requirements. This section asks these and other similar questions:

• Is there an effective and on-going employee training program?

• Are specific duties and responsibilities assigned?

• Are sufficient assets provided?

Record & Document Review - Missing or incomplete documents or records is a good indication that a program that is not working as designed. Records are the company's only means of proving that specific regulatory requirements have been met. Record review also includes a look at the results, recommendations and corrective actions from the last program audit.

Equipment and Material - This area of an safety audit inspects the material condition and applicability of the equipment for hazard control in a specific program. Examples of audit questions for this area are:

• Is the equipment in a safe condition?

• Is there adequate equipment to conduct tasks safely?

• Is personal protective equipment used and stored properly?

• Is equipment, such as exit lights, emergency lights, fire extinguishers, material storage and handling equipment designed and staged to control hazards effectively?

Review of Findings of the safety audit:

After all documents, written programs, procedures, work practices and equipment have been inspected, gather your team and material together to formulate a concise report that details all areas of the program. Remember to focus on the four basic questions mentioned earlier. Each program requirement should be addressed with deficiencies noted. Include comments of a positive nature for each element that is being effectively managed.

Recommendations from the safety audit:

Develop recommended actions for each deficient condition of the program. Careful forethought should be applied to ensure that this is not a process that simply makes more rules,additional record keeping requirement or makes production tasks more difficult. Examine the manner and means in which the current deficient elements are managed to determine if there is a simpler procedure that can be employed.

Corrective Actions from the safety audit:

Development of corrective action should involve the managers and supervisor who will be required to execute the corrections. Set priorities based on level of hazard. All corrective actions should be assigned a completion and review date. Records of completed corrective actions should be reviewed through the normal management chain and then be filed for use during the next audit.

Publish the Safety Audit results:

It is essential to let all supervisors and manager know the basic findings and recommendations. Don’t forget to acknowledge those departments, managers and supervisors who are properly executing their responsibilities. After a few audits, everyone will want to show up on the plus side of the results, making the safety mangers job much easier.

What are the outcomes of a Safety Audit:

• Discovering gaps in safety and accountability within the case processing systems under review, i.e., answering the “Audit question.”
• Specific recommendations for system change that enable community partners to close the discovered gaps.
• New expertise in a process that can be used for ongoing community planning, evaluation, and problem-solving.
• New ways of community partners to work together.

Safety Audit Team:

Safety audits should be carried out at general management level and at each plant or site. The audit team members should be carefully selected for their knowledge and experience in the field of audit, from general management, plant management, and other safety specialists.

• Site Plant Manager • Site Plant Foreman • Safety Specialist.

As safety audits are carried out at a number of levels in a factory, e.g. small department, followed by operating and then general management level, it is essential that a team member at the lowest level is also incorporated in the next level team, and so on,so as to ensure a common approach, improved ease of reporting and communication.

When safety audits are carried out at a Main Branch satellite works, it is recommended that one of the Safety Audit Team who conducted the audit at the satellite works, participate in the Main Branch Team.

The indications given for frequency, duration, team composition and areas of activity may be adjusted according to plant size.

Safety Audit Report:

Local management must be involved in the review of the findings of the audit team before the audit team leaves site.

Following the audits, a report should be issued containing the following:

• A description of all findings relative to items needing a proposal for remedial action.
• A description of any defects detected on equipment and initial proposals for remedial actions.
• The names and job titles of those people who are responsible for initiating remedial actions.
• The need for any revision of operating instructions or company standards.
• Agreed target dates for completion (which realistically allow sufficient time for thorough technical.
• assessment and consequent changes, if necessary).

Copies of the audit report shall be given to the local plant manager and to the company management, who will take decisions and supervise follow-up actions agreed by the safety audit team.

Monitoring and Follow-up:

Monitoring of approved safety audit conclusions and recommendations is an important activity to ensure improvement of the safety level of a plant or company.

It is the responsibility of the Plant Manager to see that audit conclusions and recommendations are implemented by the agreed target dates.

Appendix A: Proposed Characteristics of Safety Audits, Safety Inspections and Safety Walks

Third Party Audits ( external auditing ):

An organization which possesses the necessary expertise and technical experience to verify on behalf of a State authority the compliance of an air navigation service provider with the applicable regulatory requirements is called a qualified entity.

Internal Safety Audits ( self auditing ):

Internal safety audits and safety surveys should be used to assess the level of compliance with the applicable regulatory framework and the organizational SMS processes and procedures, to verify the effectiveness of such processes and procedures and to identify corrective measures if needed. Planning of the audits should take into account the safety significance of the processes to be audited and the results of previous audits. An annual audit program should include:

• Definition of the audits, in terms of criteria, scope, frequency, and methods;
• Description of the processes used to select the auditors;
• The requirement that individuals shall not audit their own work;
• Documented procedures for assignment of responsibilities, planning and conduct of audits, reporting results and maintaining records;
• Audits of contractors and vendors.

Click the below link to download the audit forms

Quarterly safety audit form

Annual safety audit form