What is a Safety Audit Checklist?
A safety audit checklist is a tool used to ensure organizations comply with safety regulatory requirements to mitigate risks and prevent any work-related incidents, injuries, or fatalities. Regular safety audits help identify gaps in safety practices, allowing organizations to implement necessary improvements for better workplace health and safety management. For maximum effectiveness, organizations should tailor their checklists to their specific industry to cover all relevant aspects of workplace health and safety.
What Should be Included in a Safety Audit Checklist?
A safety audit checklist should be detailed and comprehensive. It should contain all the essential elements of a building or place of business that needs regular checking. Aside from including the identified risks, safety audit checklists ideally indicate the likelihood, severity, and potential impact level of the said risks.
The following are a few examples of the types of questions for your safety audit checklist:
For Fires and Explosions
Safety audit checklists should help inspectors check fire hazards in workplaces, as well as recognize the risks associated with them. Here are a few sample questions you can include:
- Are employees aware of the evacuation procedures in case of fires or explosions?
- Is the fire alarm system functioning properly?
- Are exit doors easily opened from the inside?
- Are extinguishers in place, clear of obstructions, and marked correctly?
- Is there appropriate direction notices for fire exits?
For Electrical Concerns
It’s the business owners’ and safety managers’ responsibility to ensure that the workplace is free from potential electrical issues. To do this, consider asking the following questions with your safety audit checklist:
- Are safety switches installed?
- Are portable power tools in good condition?
- Is there an existing emergency shut-down procedure?
- Are leads not frayed, damaged, or strained and in a good working condition?
- Are plugs, sockets, or switches not broken and in a good working condition?
For General Building Safety
Aside from other typical aspects to check inside the workplace, safety audit checklists should also help in identifying, inspecting, and correcting potential hazards from the building itself. Consider asking these common questions:
- Are floor surfaces even and uncluttered?
- Are stairs clear from clutters and other obstructions?
- Are liquid spills removed promptly?
- Are footpaths in good and safe condition?
- Are railings in good working condition?
Safety Audit Checklist Form Example
Here is an example safety audit checklist for a construction site for your reference:
FAQs about Safety Audits
Safety audits are performed by individuals or teams who are trained to conduct periodic safety audits and should be independent from the organization or department being audited.
Safety inspections are more frequently conducted and usually done by employees of the company who may belong to the same department being inspected for safety. The safety officers who conduct the safety inspections are more familiar with day-to-day operations.
Regular safety audits should be performed to ensure that organizational safety programs are implemented and practiced as required. It enables leaders and safety officers to verify the effectiveness of said programs by identifying whether or not they are able to proactively recognize potential hazards in workplaces. Aside from conformance with industry requirements, safety audits are also important because as a safety management practice, it is seen to have reduced unsafe conditions in occupational places.
Roselin Manawis