How to Perform a Safety Audit for Your Business
One of your responsibilities as a business owner is to provide a safe environment for employees, customers, vendors and other visitors.
You’re at risk if employees or others suffer an injury on your property. You could be susceptible to civil lawsuits and criminal actions. To help cut this risk, periodic safety audits can help you maintain and constantly improve the safety standards within your location.
A safety audit can give your business an objective assessment of risk levels, help you comply with regulatory standards and create both a healthier and happier workforce. Many businesses audit their safety posture after first creating a health and safety program tailored to the needs and nature of the business.
Some use audits to align with Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) federal standards, while 22 states operate their own OSHA-approved safety and health standards.
Beyond regulatory needs, OSHA points out that a safety program can bring many other benefits to a business such as:
- Preventing workplace injuries and illnesses
- Improving compliance with laws and regulations
- Reducing costs, including significant reductions in workers’ compensation premiums
- Engaging workers
- Enhancing a business’s social responsibility goals
- Increasing productivity and business operations
Planning
Before beginning a safety audit, your team should take time to review pertinent documentation such as:
- Accident reports
- Company policy statements
- Employee training requirements and participation records
- Industry best-practices guidelines
- Inspection results and corrective actions implemented
- State and federal guidelines and laws Read More
