Health and Safety Audit

The route to legal compliance and continuous improvement

Health & Safety Audits tailored to your organisation

And when we say tailored, we actually mean tailored! We don’t use generic audit templates

Completed by competent and experienced staff

We have extensive experience of auditing Education and Charity clients

We are collaborative, not combative

Our professional and friendly approach puts staff at ease, fostering open discussion

The benefits of a Health & Safety Audit

A Health & Safety Audit is an essential part of a successful Health & Safety management system.

An audit will assess the effectiveness of your current Health & Safety management system – ensuring that you protect your people and are fully compliant with the relevant laws and regulations, reducing the risk of prosecution and/or failing an inspection.

In addition, a good Health & Safety audit programme will:

Help to create a culture of compliance and continuous improvement, raising standards across the board

Give both you and your Governors/Trustees confidence that Health & Safety is being appropriately managed

Highlight successes as well as areas for improvement, empowering you to praise the people who are getting it right

Provide you with a clear plan of action, enabling you to implement improvements to your Health & Safety management system

Serve as evidence of due diligence and the desire for continuous improvement to the inspectorates (e.g. ISI, Ofsted, Estyn, CQC, HSE etc.)

https://www.pearsonwebb.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/fire-rosk-assessment-red-flags.jpg

Are you seeing red flags?

When it comes to your Health & Safety Audits, do any of these statements resonate with you?

Your staff dread being audited

Audit doesn’t cover sector-specific aspects of Health & Safety

A tick-box Q&A exercise, without considering documentary evidence

Health & Safety standards and culture are not improving

Recommendations limited to pointing out what’s wrong, with little or no guidance on how to put it right

Very few/no actions or recommendations outlined

Not audited in a number of years

Lack of follow-up support from the auditor

If so, it might be time for a change.

Your starting point and objectives are individual.
We believe your audit should be too.

What will a Health & Safety Audit cover?

The aspects to be covered are wide-ranging and will be based upon your desired scope – browse the dropdown sections below for some examples.

You may be new to the organisation and want a top-level audit to determine current levels of compliance

You may have serious concerns and need an in-depth audit of all aspects and departments

You may want to set an annual budget for audit, and gradually cover all departments on an incremental basis

You may be expecting an inspection imminently and want to identify (and be able to rectify) any gaps in compliance

You may want an annual audit to demonstrate regular review, provide peace of mind, and drive continuous improvement

You may be comfortable with your general levels of Health & Safety compliance, but have concerns about a specific aspect, and need a more focused audit

To discuss your Health & Safety Audit requirements further Contact Us

https://www.pearsonwebb.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/what-will-a-health-and-safety-audit-cover.jpg

Health & Safety Management System

We can review all elements of your H&S Management System – typically based around the Plan, Do, Check, Act approach (as set out the Health and Safety Executive’s guidance HSG65 Managing for Health and Safety).

For example:

Plan

H&S policies and procedures
Emergency arrangements (e.g. fire, lockdown etc.)

Access to competent advice
Consultation with employees
Control of contractors
Risk assessment
Staff and pupil/student H&S training
Aspects listed under the remaining dropdown tabs in this section

Check

Proactive monitoring (e.g. internal/external audits, routine inspections of premises, plant, equipment etc.)
Reactive monitoring (e.g. accident, incident, near miss and occupational disease reporting and monitoring cases of ill health and sickness absence records etc.)

Act

Evidence of acting on the findings identified during proactive and reactive monitoring

Premises Safety

Asbestos
Electrical safety
Fire safety
Gas safety
Glazing safety
Housekeeping
Legionella
Premises risk assessments
Premises maintenance (planned and reactive)
Safety signs and notices
Slips, trips, falls (including management during winter conditions)
Security
Tree management
Welfare facilities
Workplace environment

Work Equipment, Machinery and Substances

Control of substances hazardous to health (COSHH)
Dangerous substances and explosive atmospheres (DSEAR)
Display screen equipment (DSE)
Equipment and machinery risk assessments
Ionising radiation
Lifting equipment
Local exhaust ventilation (LEV)
Noise
Plant, machinery and equipment
Pressure systems
Radon
Vibration

Work Activities

Driving for work
Home/flexible working
Lone/remote working
Manual handling
Personal protective equipment (PPE)
Violence and aggression
Work at height

Health and Wellbeing

Alcohol and drug misuse
First aid
Infection control
Occupational health and health surveillance
Individual risk assessments, e.g. disabilities/health conditions, new and expectant mothers, and young persons
Storage and administration of medication
Stress management

Education Risks

Boarding and residential risks
Challenging behaviour and violence/aggression
Educational visits
Events
Higher-risk academic departments within Schools such as:
- Art
- Co-curricular activities
- Design and Technology
- Duke of Edinburgh
- Dance & Drama
- EYFS
- Food & Nutrition
- Forest School
- Music
- Outdoor Education
- Science
- Sport
Higher-risk academic departments within FE Colleges, such as those for Schools above and:
- Animal Care
- Catering
- Construction
- Engineering
- Hair & Beauty
- Horticulture

Higher-risk support departments such as:
- Catering
- Cleaning/housekeeping
- Estates/maintenance
- IT
- Grounds maintenance
- Theatres

Lettings
Peripatetics and instructors
Play equipment
Pupil/student access to high-risk areas
Pupil/student H&S inductions
Sports facilities and equipment
Storage and administration of medication
Swimming pools
Transport management (e.g. minibuses)
Work experience placements
Wraparound care and holiday clubs

Charity Risks

Community outreach work
Events
Fundraising
Lettings
Retail outlets and operations
Warehouse and logistics
Tenant management
Trips and visits
Violence and aggression

Care Risks

Challenging behaviour and violence/aggression
Domiciliary care
Lifting equipment
Moving and handling
Personal protective equipment
Slips, trips, falls management
Storage and administration of medication
Supported living
Swimming and therapy pools

https://www.pearsonwebb.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/no-nonsense-audits-from-pearsonwebb.jpg

No nonsense, no jargon – just clear, practical advice on how to improve

And if you need additional support to make the required improvements, you can count on us

Following your audit, you’ll receive a detailed report comprising:

An Executive Summary – providing you with the headline findings (useful for briefing your Governors/Trustees)

Full commentary on findings for each area of scope – highlighting the positives and areas of best practice identified, as well as the areas requiring improvement

Action Plan – a clear, prioritised list of recommendations outlining exactly what you need to do to achieve compliance or make improvements – no woolly advice!

In our quest to be as helpful as possible, we’ll also provide links to further guidance and template documents where appropriate to support you in their completion.

If you need help in addressing the report findings, we can provide you with as much consultancy support as you need – click here for some examples.

Michelle completed a Health and Safety audit for the charity, and was available following it, to support with implementation of the recommendations and interpretation of the legislation. The charity will certainly seek support from Michelle in the future as her expertise and input were greatly appreciated.

Alison Ormston

Head of Compliance, Risk & Governance – Yorkshire Cancer Research

OUR APPROACHSteps to Health & Safety Audit

1. Agree Scope

Discussion around objectives, timescales, and sites/departments for inclusion

2. Proposal

Proposal provided by Pearson Webb, setting out time required and fees payable

3. Agree Dates

Proposal and pricing agreed by both parties – agenda and schedule agreed for site visit

4. Pre-Visit Info

Pre-visit information (policies etc.) provided by client (if possible before visit)

5. Site Visit

Q&A with relevant staff to determine current level of compliance for areas of scope

6. Debrief Meeting

Debrief (on site or shortly thereafter) to flag urgent concerns or additional information required

7. Reports Issued

Evidence and findings reviewed, and H&S Audit reports and action plans issued by Pearson Webb

8. Follow Up

Follow-up call/visit agreed to review progress and deal with queries or clarifications

9. Future Priorities

Discuss the areas of focus for the next audit to ensure continuous improvement