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Safety Audit; Difference Between Audit & Inspection
Chapter : Safety Management
Safety Audit; Difference Between Audit & Inspection
A safety audit is a procedure in which a facillty collects data on one or more workplace components to assess the risk of health or safety concerns. The purpose of safety audits is accountability. Safety audits are intended to guarantee that a company's physical and human assets are protected by compelling program features for recognizing, reducing, or mitigating hazards.
Types of Safety Audits
Compliance Audits
A compliance audit is the simplest and most rudimentary type of safety audit. Compliance audits examine whether your business adheres to the safety standards outlined in its bylaws, processes, rules, regulations, and any associated liabilities. The norms of the country are crucial in establishing these standards.
The compliance audit also examines if the workplace is safe and free of dangers as organizations should make every effort to decrease the number of dangerous acts that could transpire.
A safety auditor will use various programs, rules, training modules, and record-keeping techniques and examine their safety regulations, methods, and practices to see if they comply with OSHA safety requirements and other safety legislation and policies to ensure workplace safety,
Failure to follow the safety rules can result in fines and penalties and a detrimental impact on an organization's reputation and goodwill.
Program Audits
Program audits entail assessing numerous safety measures after thoroughly examining all employee input and each component to identify the program's good safety outcomes.
Safety program audits are the only way to put HSE to the test by systematically analyzing the program design and efficacy by delving into the rules and foundations of practice.
Management system audits
A management system audit, also known as an overall audit, keeps track of the program and compliance audits. It is the last step in the audit process, and it is used to validate risk control measures and guarantee that safety compliance is sufficient. This audit aims to assess the current performance of the complete safety procedure and determine whether it complies with business policy and regulatory standards. It's a type of integrated audit that verifies whether the safety initiatives align with the company's practices and goals. It depicts the audit program in its entirety.
Audit is a comprehensive, structured process and part of the Safety Management System. It digs deeper, aiming to identify root causes of issues. Since it follows specific rules and standards, audits are less frequent and more thorough, presenting a bigger picture of your entire program.
Inspection, on the other hand, is part of the Safety Management System. It's more straightforward, but it may miss underlying issues, especially those that take extra time to identify. It usually focuses on fewer characteristics and is more frequent compared to audits.
Both serve crucial roles, but understanding their purpose helps in deploying the right one at the right time for your operations.
Key takeaway: Audits are about root causes and structure, inspections are about identifying issues quickly.
Audit
- Audit is a function of QA process.
- Cannot be a part of Inspection.
- Complex and prolonged process.
- It has specific rules and Audit standards.
- It is more structured.
- Will identify underlying root causes for observed deficiencies.
- Presents an accurate picture of program.
- Audits often go deeper than Inspection and are concerned with wider requirements.
- Less frequent.
Inspection
- Inspection is the function of QC Process
- May be a part of Audit.
- Simple process.
- No fixed rules and standards.
- Less structured.
- May not identify underlying root causes for observed deficiencies.
- May miss issues that take extra time to find.
- Inspection generally focus on a smaller number of characteristics.
- Inspections are typically more frequent than Audits.
Friday, 27 September 2024
Friday, 5 July 2024
SMS : Taking the Measure of Your Safety Program Using EHS Metrics
Taking the Measure of Your Safety Program Using EHS Metrics
It’s important to have a comprehensive picture of how your safety program contributes to your organization’s overall mission, both so you can defend it against attacks and so you can determine how to make it even more effective.
It’s time to go beyond recordable injuries and illnesses as a metric for evaluating your safety program. We’ll help you expand your repertoire of indicators on the front and back ends.
What Makes a Good Metric?
What exactly is a “metric”? In the classic sense, a metric is a standard of measurement. The decimal system of weights and measures is a metric. When we talk about EHS metrics, we are talking about a measure of performance toward a goal; it can be used to quantify, measure, and track value.A good metric is one that provides decision makers with the data they need to make fact-based decisions. A good environmental or safety metric must be aligned (consistent and compatible) with the methods used by the business to measure financial and management performance, collect data, and report business results.
The method used to display the results of the metric must also be consistent with the terminology and methods used to display other business outcomes within the organization. Therefore, a good metric can be measured and reported in relation to at least one of these attributes:
- Quantity
- Time
- Quality
- Cost
- Demonstrate progress toward the organization's goals and objectives.
- Inspire or motivate a change in behavior or a process.
- Make it easy to measure and/or collect data.
- Be easily understood by management.
Choosing What to Measure
Following are general tips for choosing the data or other information that will be measured:- Use data that are readily available and can be gathered at regular intervals.
- Use the ratios, formulas, key performance measures, and language used by business leaders.
- Track the costs associated with your metrics to calculate a return-on-investment for your safety program.
- Include measures of results and quality, in addition to information on costs.
- Tie metrics directly to the key challenges facing the business and the results that must be achieved.
- Avoid metrics that do not add value in making decisions.
- Identify and compare results with those of key competitors or similar operations, whenever possible.
- Establish goals for continuous improvement.
- Avoid soft metrics based on feelings or intuition about a program, and use hard metrics or data to drive fact-based decision making.
SMS : Are You Asking the Right Questions about Your Safety Programs
Are You Asking the Right Questions about Your Safety Programs
What return on investment can safety and health programs provide.
- Improved employee morale
- Decreased lost time
- Fewer workplace injuries and illnesses
- Lower insurance costs
- Safety culture adoption
How can safety and health become a part of the way a business runs?
- Combine performance standards with safety and health standards
- Talk the talk and walk the walk
- Top down support
- Bottom up implementation
What indicators tell you if you're getting weaker or stronger?
- Statistical reports
- Opinion surveys
- Risk analysis
- Periodic inspections
- Process improvement initiatives
What practices are best for assuring lasting success?
- Obtain management buy-in.
- Build trust.
- Conduct self-assessments.
- Develop a site safety vision.
- Develop a system of accountability and measures.
- Implement recognition and rewards.
- Provide awareness training.
- Implement process changes.
- Continually measure, communicate results and celebrate successes.
Ensure the Success of Your Safety Program
Tracking performance is critical to continual improvement and success, but in the area of safety, many organizations have struggled to identify measurements that have a strong correlation to successful safety performance.Many companies make the mistake of relying exclusively on lagging indicators, such as incident rates, lost or restricted workdays, or workers compensation costs. Although these can be useful and valuable indicators, they only provide an "after the fact" reactive view of your safety program.
A better practice is to incorporate leading indicators, which identify, track, measure, and correct the factors that have a strong correlation with potential accidents, into your overall safety metrics strategy. The goal is to use this information to identify accident casual factors and correct them before an accident happens.
SMS : Make the Most of Safety Committees
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Don't sell them short:
Get the Most from Your Committee.
- Should consist of both management and hourly employees.
- Can help review and update safety programs and safe work practices.
- Should review accident investigations to look for other potential causal factors (i.e., workplace hazards) and to recommend corrective actions.
- Could be involved with reviewing safety suggestions and recommending corrective action.
- Could also be used as a pipeline for employees to report unsafe working conditions or unsafe work practices. Safety committee members can then bring these concerns to the committee and then to management.
SMS : Organizing for Safety: Roles Rights and Responsibilities
Organizing for Safety: Roles, Rights and Responsibilities
- Establish and maintain an effective health and safety program and obtain input from the occupational health committee (OSH);
- Make sure that managers and supervisors are trained, supported, and held accountable for fulfilling their workplace health and safety requirements;
- Oversee the health and safety performance of their managers and supervisors;
- Make sure workers have the information, training, certification, supervision, and experience to do their jobs safely;
- Make sure medical/first aid facilities are provided as needed;
- Set-up effective occupational health committees;
- Cooperate with the occupational health and safety (OHS) representative and other parties to resolve health and safety issues in a timely fashion;
- Keep OSH representative meeting minutes on file and readily available;
- Ensure workers are not exposed to harassment in the workplace; and
- Ensure that legal health and safety requirements are met.
- Provide a safe and healthy workplace;
- Make sure that managers and supervisors are trained, supported, and held accountable for fulfilling their workplace health and safety requirements;
- Oversee the health and safety performance of their managers and supervisors;
- Make sure workers have the information, training, certification, supervision, and experience to do their jobs safely;
- Ensure workers are not exposed to harassment in the workplace; and
- Ensure that legal health and safety requirements are met.
Safety Is Everyones responsibility :-
- Every person is the architect of their own fortune, good or bad, depends on the individual’s acceptance of personal responsibility. At a young age, we are taught to assume responsibilities. ("Look before you cross the street . . . playing with matches is dangerous . . . be home before dark . . .") Even today, as adults, we still learn and decide whether to accept certain obligations. Young or old, we make individual choices.
- When responsibilities are shunned or rejected, someone must cope with the results. Police officers, judges, juvenile officers, and social workers respond to most of these rejections in our society. In safety, doctors, nurses, and funeral directors deal with the consequences of rejected responsibilities.
- There are laws, both federal and state, designed to spell out responsibilities for safety in the workplace, but actual performance of these obligations still belongs to you.
- By accepting and practicing safety responsibility, you insure your future both at home and on¬ the¬ job. You do the same for your fellow worker as well, because socially and morally you are responsible for preventing accidents to others as well.
- If you see an unsafe act, do something about it ¬ point it out so others are aware and can avoid future mistakes.
- Point out to other employees when safety isn't being practiced. (IT MAY SAVE YOUR LIFE SOMEDAY!) After all, it's their responsibility to prevent an accident to you as well.
- Be willing to serve on a safety committee. Be more than just a member, be active and creative.
- Use good work habits don't be impulsive, and remember that hurry up can hurt!
- Develop the attitude that "If I do something wrong, I'm going to get hurt!" Then do the job the right way.
- If you are a supervisor ¬ help new employees learn that safety is the rule, not the exception. Teach them proper safety responsibility before you turn them loose. Practice leaving personal problems and emotional stress away from the job. Remember that accidents don't happen ¬ they are caused.
- Correct little mistakes before they grow into permanent bad habits.
- While attempts may be made to cloud or reject the responsibility for safety, when all is said and done, safety responsibility is up to you. You are the architects of your own fortune.
Managers/Heads of Department
- Ensure there is an effective company policy for health and safety and that all employees, contractors and temporary workers are made aware of their individual responsibility.
- To understand and ensure, through the appointment of competent persons, that the company’s responsibilities as employers under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and any relevant Acts of Parliament and Statutory Instruments are met.
- To appoint a Director responsible for safety.
- To ensure that all Directors and Managers understand and fulfill their responsibilities with regard to health and safety.
- Arrange for funds and facilities to meet the requirements of company policy and legislation.
- Make provision for adequate and appropriate training to be given to all employees.
- To ensure that notification and reporting procedures to the relevant statutory authorities are carried out.
- Set a personal example on all matters of health and safety.
Director Responsible for Health and Safety
- Understand and ensure that the implications and duties imposed by new Acts of Parliament, Statutory Instruments, H.S.E. Guidance Notes and Codes of Practice are brought to the attention of the Board of Directors.
- To bring company related health and safety matters to the attention of the Board of Directors at regular intervals.
- To ensure that good communications exist between employer and employees and are maintained.
- Liaise with the person appointed in the role of Safety Manager over the full range of their duties and responsibilities, with respect to inspections, audits, report recommendations, changes in legislation and advice obtained from other sources.
- Ensure adequate means of distributing and communicating health, safety and welfare information obtained for the H.S.E., Safety organizations and Trade associations regarding new techniques of accident prevention, new legislation requirements and codes of practice etc.
- Ensure that an adequate programme of training for health and safety is established and that the safety culture is encouraged amongst employees.
- Set a personal example at all times by using the correct personal protective clothing/equipment and following all safety requirements and procedures.
Safety Manager
- Understand the application of the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974 and other legislation relevant to the Companies business.
- Keep up to date with changes in current legislation and to bring to the attention of the Director responsible for Health and Safety any relevant new legislation.
- Attend such courses/seminars run by external sources to enable accurate interpretation of legislation to enable implementation within the organization.
- Ensure that all “assessments” as required by legislation are conducted and reviewed at relevant intervals and to maintain records of the same.
- To recommend control measures and advise on the standard of P.P.E. issued to employees.
- Conduct health and safety inspections and prepare reports of all the company’s operations.
- Immediately contact the Director responsible for health and safety if situations are found, that in the opinion of the Safety Manager, require immediate rectification or the stopping of any operation.
- To notify the Director responsible for health and safety if the corrective action agreed after any workplace inspection is not implemented by the arranged date.
- To carry out investigations into all accidents and near-miss incidents and to record the findings on the relevant forms.
- Advise the Company Secretary of all incidents reportable
- To arrange Health surveillance as instructed.
- To highlight areas where training/certification is required to meet the standards imposed by Legislation, Approved Codes of Practice, or H.S.E. guidance.
- To bring new techniques for improving health, safety and welfare to the attention of the Director responsible for health and safety.
- To set a personal example by wearing appropriate personal protective clothing/equipment and observing all safety requirements/procedures.
The Duties of a Safety Supervisor
A safety supervisor maintains safe working conditions in a variety of industries.
A safety supervisor is responsible for maintaining and protecting both employee and public health and safety in a variety of industries.
Safety supervisors may work in the food industry ensuring food is handled and served correctly, in an industrial environment protecting the safety of workers around equipment or in a lab monitoring safe handling of chemicals. Safety supervisors may work alongside employees or may be solely responsible for safety-monitoring efforts.
Responsibilities of a Safety Supervisor Job Description of a Field Safety Supervisor
Risk Identification
Safety supervisors identify possible risks to employee or public safety.
The safety supervisor is responsible for identifying potential risks within the work environment as well as the public arena. Safety supervisors typically watch over current working conditions and may investigate employee work locations to pinpoint potential hazards in the manner of work, the equipment used or the products and services manufactured.
The employees must be provided with a safe environment in which to work, one that is free of direct contact with hazardous materials or dangerous equipment, and public safety risks must also be identified to protect consumers and members of the public who use or pass by job sites and work locations.
Safety Implementation
Safety supervisors are responsible for obtaining needed safety equipment.
When a possible risk factor has been identified in an employee's work environment, job function or job process, it is up to the safety supervisor to implement the necessary changes to rectify those risks. Working independently or in collaboration with government agencies designed to protect the health and safety of workers, such as OSHA, the safety supervisor will be expected to design and implement reasonable accommodations to improve worker safety.
Accommodations might include safety training and the procurement of safety equipment, such as gloves for the handling of hazardous materials, hard hats in construction zones and safety gates or fencing for areas that may present a risk of someone falling.
Supervising
Some safety supervisors spend time supervising employees or fellow safety administrators.
In some companies, a safety supervisor works alone to identify and implement safe working conditions and procedures. The safety supervisor might be a traditional employee who is conducting a generic job function while at the same time maintaining the responsibility for overseeing personal and coworker safety within that job role.
Other safety supervisors work solely within the safety role and may move around the company to observe different job functions to study and understand how the job operates and what safety precautions may need to be implemented. Other safety supervisors might work as part of a team within a safety organization. The safety supervisor would be responsible for overseeing the training and work of other safety administrators within the safety team.
- Understand and implement the company safety policy.
- Appreciate the responsibilities of personnel under their authority and ensure that each employee knows his/her responsibility and are equipped to play their part
- Conduct Risk Assessments on activities within their department ensuring that the methods and systems of work are safe. Also that the necessary procedures, rules and regulations designed to achieve this are formulated, published and applied.
- Provide written instructions of work methods outlining potential hazards and precautions, and ensure they are complied with.
- Ensure accident and near-miss reporting procedures are understood and complied with, and assist with accident investigations where appropriate.
- Ensure all employees and sub-contractors are suitably trained/competent to carry out the prescribed task and that the necessary licenses/certificates of competence are in force and appropriate.
- Ensure the Statutory Notices, the Safety Policy, Insurance Certificate and the names of Appointed First Aiders are displayed and maintained in prominent locations.
- Ensure that all new employees in the company are provided with a copy of the policy statement, receive such induction training as may be laid down in procedures, are issued with personal protective equipment as required and their personal responsibilities as set out in this manual.
- Reprimand any employee for failing to discharge their health and safety responsibilities.
- Set a personal example with regard to health and safety matters.
- Understand and implement the Company Safety Policy.
- Appreciate the responsibilities of personnel under their authority and ensure that each employee knows his/her responsibility and are equipped to play their part.
- Ensure that all written schemes and procedures identified in Part 3 of this document are prepared, contain sufficient detail for each task to be critically analyzed, and fully comprehensible to all required to use them.
- Prepare and maintain a scheme which identifies work equipment requiring inspection by competent persons and ensuring that the equipment is easily identifiable and available for inspection on the date required.
- Prepare and maintain suitable records of all inspections. These records to identify precisely what was inspected, how, who by, when, any defects found, remedial action taken and the date/time of the next inspection.
- As the appointed “responsible person” under the Supply of Machinery Regulations ensure that all items of work equipment manufactured in house comply with the essential health and safety requirements of schedule three of the regulations and that all necessary documentation i.e. user and maintenance guides etc. are produced.
- Conduct Risk Assessments on activities within their department ensuring that the methods and systems of work are safe. Also that the necessary procedures, rules and regulations designed to achieve this are formulated, published and applied.
- Ensure that all engineering construction work under his control complies with all relevant construction statutory instruments.
- Ensure accident and near-miss reporting procedures are understood and implemented. Assist with accident investigations where appropriate.
- Ensure all employees and sub-contractors are suitably trained/competent to carry out the prescribed task and that the necessary licenses/certificates of competence are in force and appropriate.
- Ensure the Statutory Notices, the Safety Policy, Insurance Certificate and the names of Appointed First-Aiders are displayed and maintained in prominent locations.
- Ensure that the impending start of any new employee is advised to the Company Secretary in good time.
- Reprimand any employee for failing to discharge their health and safety responsibilities.
- Set a personal example with regard to health and safety matters.
Duties of the Operational Supervisor
Anyone on site who is responsible for directing workers or overseeing work with sub-trades is considered a supervisor under the occupational health and safety regulations. This is important for employers to know and understand. An employee does not have to have the word “supervisor” in their title to be considered a supervisor under legislation. It is the employer’s responsibility to make sure that whomever is directed to supervise has the appropriate training to do so. Supervisors must:
- Understand and ensure compliance with workplace health and safety requirements;
- Cooperate with the occupational health committee, ensure that it functions properly, and ensure all workers support committee members in their health and safety activities;
- Make sure hazards are identified and proper steps are taken to eliminate the hazards or control the risks;
- Inspect work areas and correct unsafe acts and conditions;
- Instruct and coach workers to follow safe work procedures;
- Ensure only authorized, competent workers operate equipment;
- Ensure equipment is properly maintained;
- Ensure the necessary personal protective equipment is provided to workers and used properly;
- Know how to safely handle, store, produce, and dispose of chemical and biological substances at the workplace;
- Understand and implement emergency procedures;
- Report and investigate incidents (meaning accidents and dangerous occurrences);
- Promote health and safety awareness;
- Cooperate with other parties in dealing with health and safety issues;
- Ensure that workers under their direct supervision are sufficiently supervised; and
- Ensure that workers under their direct supervision are not exposed to harassment at their workplace.
- Understand and ensure compliance with workplace health and safety requirements;
- Cooperate with the occupational health committee, ensure that it functions properly, and ensure all workers support committee members in their health and safety activities;
- Make sure hazards are identified and proper steps are taken to eliminate the hazards or control the risks;
- Inspect work areas and correct unsafe acts and conditions;
- Instruct and coach workers to follow safe work procedures;
- Ensure only authorized, competent workers operate equipment;
- Ensure equipment is properly maintained;
- Ensure the necessary personal protective equipment is provided to workers and used properly;
- Know how to safely handle, store, produce, and dispose of chemical and biological substances at the workplace;
- Understand and implement emergency procedures;
- Report and investigate incidents (meaning accidents and dangerous occurrences);
- Promote health and safety awareness;
- Cooperate with other parties in dealing with health and safety issues;
- Ensure that workers under their direct supervision are sufficiently supervised; and
- Ensure that workers under their direct supervision are not exposed to harassment at their workplace.
Duties Of Supervisors
The following are some of the responsibilities of supervisors:- Make sure hazards are identified and proper steps are taken to eliminate the hazards or control the risks;
- Inspect work areas and correct unsafe acts and conditions;
- Instruct and coach workers to follow safe work procedures;
- Ensure only authorized, competent workers operate equipment;
- Ensure equipment is properly maintained;
- Ensure the necessary personal protective equipment is provided to workers and used properly;
- Ensure that workers under their direct supervision are sufficiently supervised; and
- Ensure that workers under their direct supervision are not exposed to harassment at their workplace.
All Employees
- Carry out assigned tasks and duties in a safe manner, in accordance with instructions, and to comply with safety rules/procedures, regulations and codes of practice.
- If aware of any unsafe practice or condition, or if in any doubt about the safety of any situation, consult their supervisor.
- Obtain and use the correct tools/equipment for the work and not to use any that are unsafe or damaged. All tools, equipment and personal protective equipment must be stored in the approved place after use.
- Ensure that all guards are securely fixed and that all safety equipment and personal protective clothing/equipment provided are used.
- Not to operate any plant or equipment unless authorized.
- To report any accident, near-miss, dangerous occurrence or dangerous condition to their line management.
- To switch off and secure unattended plant or equipment.
- To avoid improvised arrangements and suggest safe ways of eliminating hazards.
- Not to participate in horseplay or place fellow employees in danger by their actions.
- Understand and comply with legislation and workplace health and safety requirements;
- Follow safe work procedures;
- Use safety equipment, machine guards, safety devices, and personal protective equipment;
- Report unsafe acts and workplace hazards;
- Report incidents (meaning accidents and dangerous occurrences), injuries, or illnesses immediately;
- Work and act safely and help others to work and act safely
- A danger that is not normal for the job (e.g., repairing a roof in dangerous winds);
- A danger that would normally stop work (e.g., operating a forklift with a flat tire); or
- A situation for which a worker is not properly trained, equipped, or experienced to do the work assigned (e.g., cleaning windows on a tall building with no fall protection equipment or training).
- All Sub-Contractors must comply with the aims of this policy as a condition of their sub contract and will be required to forward a copy of their Safety Policy and Safety plan for the work to vendors/suppliers/contractors for scrutiny.
- Sub-Contractors will at pre-contract meetings or other time as may be stipulated, submit Assessments, Test Certificates and Method Statements to comply with Statutory requirements.
- All Sub-Contractors and their employees must respond to, and promptly comply with, any instruction issued by the organisation where it effects health and safety.
- Operators certificates of competence and test certificates for the various types of plant and equipment to be used will be presented to site management before the operation commences.
- Every Sub-Contractor will be responsible for providing his employees with all necessary personal protective clothing and equipment.
- All portable tooling and other plant and equipment will be maintained and in good working order and in the case of lighting appliances and electrical equipment evidence must be produced as to the correct testing and certification.
- Any hired ride on plant will only be operated by persons appointed as being competent and where applicable certificated to C.I.T.B. or Q.P.T.C. standards for the plant in question.
- All electrical plant will be rated at 110 volts or lower and be operated through a center tapped earth transformer. Any other electrical equipment must be notified to the site manager who will require evidence of the additional circuit and equipment protection measures to ensure the safety of the operatives.
- Any materials or substances brought onto the site must be correctly labelled and in approved containers or packages. Such materials or substances must be advised to the site manager together with an appropriate assessment to ensure that the substance poses no risk to health or safety of those affected by its use and that the correct storage and fire precautions are adequately catered for.
- Sub-Contractors will be responsible for ensuring that the personnel placed on site are fully trained and competent in the work to be undertaken. Evidence of training will be required at the tendering stage and may be requested during site safety inspections/audits.
- Sub-Contractors will ensure that they maintain their workplaces in a safe condition and that their storage areas are kept clean, tidy and free from hazards.
- Further conditions on any other health and safety matters will be contained in the conditions of order/contract and will form part of this policy’s requirements.
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