Safety Audits
It is a process in which an organization’s safety procedures, policies, equipment, etc. are examined carefully to see if they are effective.
Safety audits serve two broad purposes:
They are routinely conducted in order to determine whether the company is in compliance with safety legislation. These can be performed by representatives of a regulatory body or by the company itself.
They are used to identify weaknesses in their safety programs and processes. These audits are then used as a guide for designing safety plans or to identify corrective actions that should be undertaken.
A safety audit can involve a walk-through of the facility, interviewing management or employees and reviewing the company’s documentation.
Although performing these safety audits can be time-consuming, the benefits are extensive as under:
As an integral part of any safety management system, periodic audit only can reveal to know whether it is actually working or not;
Review of controls and regular auditing allows to identify areas where it is occurring and to know how to correct;
Regular feedback on the safety management system and to avoid potential losses to improve the company’s safety performance;
Safety audits allow to find where additional training is needed and to help the workforce;
Demonstrating the company’s commitment to safety of employees, potential customers and Government regulations.
General Safety Audit
The General Safety Audit contains different applications of the Safety Management Systems, namely Fire Safety, Electrical Safety, Mechanical Safety, Physical, Chemical and Construction safety etc.
The audit is carried out as per IS 14489:1998 on “Code of Practice on Occupational Safety & Health Audit”, and other applicable statutory and regulatory requirements.
Methodology
Collection of information, analysis of data, making a schedule, site study,
Identification of the activities that can lead to major fires and explosions.