Module 4 (Cont.
): Workplace Safety Inspections and Audits
There are different ways to assess your workplace and determine how effective the
current safety and health procedures are. Two main methods that address different
aspects of workplace safety management are safety inspections and safety audits.
Inspections are a systematic and thorough examination of the physical conditions of the
workplace, with a formal process of documenting any hazards or unsafe practices. Audits
are similar, but have a different focus. There are two major purposes to audits: to identify
any weaknesses in the current safety program, and to determine whether the company
is in compliance with applicable safety regulations.
The ultimate aim of both these methods is to continuously improve safety in the workplace
and overall reduce injuries, illnesses, and fatalities. Although different, they both help
businesses establish a strong safety culture. Inspections are conducted internally
because they require the input of someone who is familiar with the workplace, while audits
are conducted externally because they require an outside perspective and need someone
who can make considerations without bias.
What is a Safety Inspection?
A safety inspection is a thorough, systematic, and documented procedure that identifies
potential hazards and unsafe practices in your workplace that is often carried out by a
safety specialist. They come in many different forms depending on what is being tested
and the unique hazards faced by your organization.
A safety inspection examines all the equipment involved in getting the job done at a
worksite, including PPE (personal protective equipment). The goal is to ascertain whether
the equipment's safeguards effectively prevent accidents or injuries. Safety inspections
also examine workplace behavior to determine whether any practices are unsafe.
Sometimes a safety issue might arise from both areas, like when a worker isn't wearing
PPE because there isn't any available.
Formal and frequent safety inspections are commonplace in virtually every industry. They
ensure compliance with regulatory agencies like OSHA, keep your workforce safe from
injury, and are a significant part of mitigating risk. Most importantly, safety inspections
contribute to good record-keeping, which can make the difference in root cause analysis,
incident reporting, and even contract acquisition.
The inspection should:
Determine whether safeguards are in place
Examine whether the equipment presents any hazards
Gather air, water, and other samples to test for hazardous substances
Observe work practices to identify unsafe actions
After completion of a safety inspection, the responsible area supervisor, building
coordinator, campus facilities maintenance and appropriate personnel is contacted for
remedial action. Once recognized, any hazards present can be rectified, eliminated, or
accounted for. These actions prevent future incidents, injury/illness, or
property/equipment damage.
What is a Safety Audit?
A safety audit is an activity where the effectiveness of a workplace’s health and safety
program is evaluated. Ultimately, an audit determines whether the goals and standards
set forth by the facility’s specific safety program are achieved during daily operations.
Safety audits aren’t used to identify hazards or unsafe practices; instead, audits gather
information about a safety program that should be already in place, and identify areas for
improvement.
Employers conducting an audit should:
Address a recent safety concern and ensure that the current health and safety
program is sufficient enough to keep workers from getting injured
Follow up on a recent incident to determine whether the injury or illness was a one-
time accident or if there is a risk it will happen again
Ensure that the company is meeting legislative requirements concerning safety
standards
Promote the company’s safety culture and encourage constant engagement in
safety-related activities.
Audits generally serve two purposes:
1. To determine whether your company is compliant with current safety regulations
2. To identify weaknesses in your safety programs
The safety auditor or auditing team initially takes a fact-finding approach, meaning they
avoid forming an opinion or making evaluative comments. The auditors are ideally experts
in both company programs and the applicable regulations. There are three fundamental
questions a safety audit should answer:
1. Does the program meet all regulatory requirements and industry best practices?
2. Is there formally documented proof of compliance?
3. Does employee training produce the correct behavior?
Depending on the scope of the audit, an audit can take anywhere from a few hours to
several weeks. After the fact-finding phase is complete, the audit undergoes a review
process. During the review, the three fundamental questions are compared against the
facts. Deficiencies are noted and evaluated, and the auditing team makes remediation
recommendations.
Corrective actions are up to the individual managers and supervisors who control the
safety program, so it's essential to publish the audit's results. Distributing the audit's
findings ensures everyone understands the necessary corrections, and it also
underscores the collective responsibility all employees have for instilling a positive safety
culture. A company that buries their safety audits or inspections is one that is merely
waiting for an OSHA citation.
Similarities Between a Safety Inspection and Safety Audit
There are several similarities between safety inspections and safety audits:
Broad goals: Both strive for a safer workplace that complies with all regulations
and standards.
Safety checklists: Both may use a safety checklist that includes relevant OSHA
standards, best practices, and other recommended precautions.
OSHA requirements: OSHA does not require safety audits or inspections, but the
agency views both as components of an effective safety plan.
Differences Between a Safety Inspection and Safety Audit
For all their similarities, a few key differences separate safety inspections and safety
audits.
Scope: An audit reviews safety programs and strategies, while an inspection
examines current tactics and routine employee actions.
Responsible parties: Safety inspections are usually performed by those familiar
with the workplace, while independent employees (whether from outside the
company or in another department) should conduct a safety audit.
How Does OSHA View Safety Audits?
OSHA does not request safety audit reports before conducting an inspection. That said,
OSHA may request audits as part of an ongoing review.
Should a voluntary audit identify a hazardous condition, OSHA looks at the following:
Has the employer corrected the hazardous condition before an inspection?
Has the employer taken appropriate steps to prevent a recurrence?
If a permanent solution isn’t in place, has the employer provided interim employee
protection?
If the above is true, OSHA will treat the audit as evidence of good faith and will not issue
a citation.
Completing a Site Safety Check
Whether your facility conducts a safety audit or inspection, it helps to critically examine
the workplace and identify any needs for corrective action. Consistent safety checks
should be a significant aspect to your company’s occupational health and safety program,
and they should follow a standardized format. Take the time to determine exactly what
they will examine, which areas are to be included, and how often they will be done.
Each inspection should take into account all the elements of your workplace: its
people, equipment used, processes, and environment. Elements that may develop into
unsafe conditions should receive particular attention, and it’s helpful to include areas
where hazards may exist even though no work is conducted there, such as parking lots,
locker rooms, and bathrooms. The personnel who examine your workplace need access
to paperwork such as a floorplan or diagram of the area, a list of hazardous products (or
a chemical inventory), an equipment inventory, incident reports, and reports on previous
inspections to determine whether any past recommendations were implemented
effectively. The importance of listening to workers and supervisors should be
emphasized, since they know the area better than anyone else.
The frequency of inspections depends on several factors. Site safety checks will be
conducted more frequently if you have a large size of operations, there are high-risk areas
onsite, new machinery is introduced, or there have been incidents in the past. Applicable
legislation may require a certain number of planned and formal inspections, depending
on the nature of equipment and work processes.
Continuously Improving Workplace Safety
Once a safety check has been completed, it’s important to analyze the results. Inspection
and audit reports can show whether there’s a need for improved safe work practices or
more employee training. They also may indicate specific areas or equipment that require
further, more in-depth analysis. Ultimately, reports provide insight on which areas are
unsafe and why. From there, you can determine steps to take and establish priorities for
corrective action. This not only helps you get into compliance, but also relates to injury
prevention as potential problems are spotted and resolved before they lead to an incident.
Safety audits and inspections are integral to continuously improving the workplace and
ensuring that operations run smoothly.
