Not every workplace is safe for its workers, construction, automobiles, and chemical industries are some of those industries that might cause huge risks to its workers’ health and life. Thus, it is a duty of the employer to maintain the health and safety measures at the workplace. Many times, workers are exposed to risk due to the negligence. An occupational health and safety audit is a process that evaluates the extent to which a workplace complies with the health and safety guidelines and legislation of the country it is operating in. Also, this audit can minimize hazards and identify potential threats, in turn, increasing the safety of employees. It is very important to focus on workplace health and safety as every year numerous employees face serious health issues, injuries and even lose their lives in accidents caused due to inadequate workplace safety measures. The causes of fatalities include electrocution, being crushed, being incinerated, etc. while working. If employees are not protected, a company can face serious damage in terms of lawsuits, destruction of brand image and reputation, low productivity and efficiency of employees, etc.
Purpose of an Audit:
The different aspects of an audit include:
- Identifying the regulations and legislation which need to be complied with.
- Assessing whether the relevant legislation and regulations are being followed by the organization, or not.
- Evaluating the efficiency of management to make sure there is compliance.
- Recommending strategies that ensure workplace health and safety.
Advantages of the Occupational Health and Safety Audit:
An effective health and safety audit can have the following advantages:
- Identifying Issues: An occupational health and safety audit can help identify issues that are hidden. There can be a lot of hazards which are not obvious and might not have come under the radar of the management.
- Increasing Employee Awareness: An audit can make employees more responsible by making them aware of different types of workplace hazards and the numerous negative consequences. This can lower the risk of accidents and injuries due to irresponsible or negligent behavior.
- Lowers Costs: An audit can save a lot of future expenses as hazards are identified and negative impacts are prevented. Future hazard management costs are saved due to prevention. Also, the productivity and efficiency of employees increase due to avoidance of accidents or injuries.
- Compliance with The Legislation: An occupational health and safety audit will help the organization avoid legal complications. If the relevant government authorities detect that the company has not complied with a law or restriction, the heavy fine can be established, and the business license can be revoked as well. These issues can be avoided with the help of a detailed audit.
- Positive Impression: A detailed health and safety report can generate a positive image for government authorities as well as other stakeholders like employees, shareholders, etc. The report will not only ensure compliance with the law but also create the impression that the organization cares about the wellbeing of its employees.
- Objectivity and Accuracy: If an external expert audits your company, you can rest assured that the report will be authentic and without any bias. An internal report can involve influences of corruption, cover-ups, etc. But, a third-party audit will make sure that the actual scenario is revealed.
It can be concluded that if you want to ensure workplace safety, you should hire an unbiased, credible and highly experienced organization which specializes in occupational health and safety audit. You can save a lot of costs in the long run and can improve the reputation and brand image of your company.
About Carson Derrow
