SAFETY AUDIT NEW METHOD -1

INTRODUCTION

Why a new methodology ? |Because there are a lot of situations in which you want to assess the safety of a specific location without wanting to invest actually very much. Minimal resources should not mean by any circumstances the neglect of safety.

PROPOSED OBJECTIVES

The objective of the safety audit is to evaluate the effectiveness of the company’s safety effort  and make recommendations which lead to a reduction in accidents and minimisation of loss potential. Safety audits are an important part of a company’s control system and these checks ensure that deteriorating standards are detected. Examination of the defects exposed in this review results in hazardous conditions and potential accidents being avoided.

Regular audits should be based on the premise that resources should be made available to identify and eliminate hazards before accidents occur, rather than use the resource of manpower and materials only after injuries and damage to equipment have resulted in human suffering, significant monetary loss which, in certain circumstances, affect the profitability severely.Mistaken belief that management and sites are operating satisfactorily within the requirements of appropriate legislation/regulations and standards/codes of practice is eradicated, and the direct contact with individual workers has as its aim the resultant change in attitude and commitment to the use of safe working practices, which continual involvement and education generate. The safety audits will monitor all activities performed on site, and in particular:

• The basic safety policy and organisation of the company.

• Management commitment and example on safety matters.

• Administration and safety activity.

• Accident reporting and investigation.

• Opportunity of injury – and record of every injury.

• Safety committees.

• Working rules and practices for each company location, including visitors and contractors.

• Compliance with statutory regulations and company standards.

• Behaviour and unsafe acts of personnel and their relationship to compliance with safety rules.

• Activity related certification of employees.

• First Aid certified employees.

• Training needs and activities.

• Hazards review of process equipment for either new or existing facilities.

• Operating procedures.

• Safety work permits.

• Emergency procedures.

METHODOLOGY

The audit system uses as a basis a three sided pyramid shown in the next figure.

Figure 1 The safety audit structure

Facet 1: is represented by Operational Safety Audit

Facet 2: is represented by Management Safety Audit

Facet 3: is represented by Safety Indicators Audit which are also the output of the system.

The checklist is composed by:

-main items, questions or statements- which should be assessed on a 1(not good) to 5 (excellent) scale with the help of

-auxiliary items- which are questions to be answered with yes and no.

If all the auxiliary questions are responded with yes the main question could be assessed at 5.

A evaluation on the 1...5 scale which is below or equal to 3 should be considered as a weak point ,all the evaluations above 3 are giving strong points.

All the weak points should be mitigated.

An average value would be computed for the three facets of the pyramid. The average value of those averages gives the safety value of the audited enterprise, workplace, etc. This safety value could be a very serious warning- for values below 3- as there is no  proper safety inside such unit.

The results should be concentrated in the following tables.

OPERATIONAL SAFETY AUDIT

No	Weak Point Name	Weak Point assessment value at Date:	Proposed measures to improve the Weak Point	Responsible	Weak Point re-assessment value at Date:

MANAGEMENT SAFETY AUDIT

No	Weak Point Name	Weak Point assessment value at Date:	Proposed measures to improve the Weak Point	Responsible	Weak Point re-assessment value at Date:

SAFETY INDICATORS AUDIT

No	Weak Point Name	Weak Point assessment value at Date:	Proposed measures to improve the Weak Point	Responsible	Weak Point re-assessment value at Date: