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Chapter 33 SAFETY AUDIT

Any of you who have been following this series of articles over the last year will have realised that safety does not 'happen by accident' it must be planned. This month we are going to look at the SAFETY AUDIT - the way to check up on your organisation and see how you rate.

Take ten minutes and ask yourself each of the following questions which are a selection of the questions asked from a SAFETY AUDIT for a Golf Course/ Sports Ground.

DOCUMENTATION

• Copy of 'Health & safety at Work - what you should know!' Poster
• Copy of your Employers Liability Insurance Policy
• Accident Book or File
• Risk Assessments

SAFETY POLICY

• Do you have a Safety Policy?
• Does it identify who is ultimately responsiblefor all matters of Health & Safety?
• Does it detail the duties which are required of the various individuals?

SIGNS

Do you have

• use Crawling boards on roof
• access forbidden to unauthorised persons
• signs at fuel store
• signs at pesticide store
• keep clear fire escape on outside of Fire Escape
• fire exit
• Fire Action
• First Aid Box
• wear protective clothing

EMERGENCIES

• Do you have a note of type and location of all your Fire Appliances?
• Are they the correct type and in the right place?
• Are they serviced at least once a year?
• Do you have a note of the location of all your First Aid Boxes?
• Do you have a list of contents and do you have a program for checking them?
• Do you have trained first aiders ?
• Is appropriate emergency equipment available? e.g. eye wash
• Is there an emergency procedure plan and is it regularly practised?
• Do you keep a note of all accidents and examine each to see if there is any way to prevent re-occurrence ?

HOUSEKEEPING

• Is area tidy, clean and well kept?
• Are gangways clear and is work-in-progress properly stored?
• Is the building in a good state of repair?
• Is the area round the building tidy?

MANAGEMENT AND SUPERVISION

• Do managers and supervisors have a positive attitude towards health and safety ?
• Are relations between management and operatives positive and co-operative ?
• Are regular inspections carried out and recommendations properly considered and acted on ?

WORK ENVIRONMENT

• Is the workshop able to be kept at the correct temperature?
• Is there adequate air movement (but without draughts)?
• Can the windows be opened?
• Is the ventilation plant as noise-free as possible?
• Are the hoods and ducting in good condition?
• Does the fan discharge outside and is the discharge well clear of any air inlets, windows etc. ?
• Are there any predominant odours?
• Does the light available appear reasonable in relation to the work being carried out ?
• If heavy weights are to be lifted, have staff been adequately trained or is special equipment provided ?

..

EQUIPMENT

• Is all your equipment regularly checked/ serviced?
• Do you keep records of this?
• Is the warning labelling of plant adequate and conforming to legislation ?
• Have you carried out a noise assessment on your equipment?
• Is there mandatory signs for ear defenders on the noisy equipment ?

CHEMICALS, etc.

• Are all the containers labelled correctly?
• Do the operators know what they are using?
• Do they know the precautions they should take?
• Is there a fully documented list of chemicals in use ?
• Are hazard data sheets/ COSHH Assessments available to all concerned ?
• Is storage correct for:
  • Pesticides ?
  • Petrol & diesel ?
  • Propane Gas ?
  • Workshop Chemicals ?

OPERATIVES

• Are they properly clothed for their tasks ?
• Are they wearing appropriate protective equipment ?
• Do you have a note of the protective clothing given
• out - to whom/ what/ & when?
• Do they have an adequate knowledge of their job ?
• Have you considered aspects of the work where workers may be at greater risk because of age or sex e.g. heavy lifting, use of pesticides

WELFARE

• Do your operatives have access to clean, well-ventilated toilets ?
• Do the operatives have a clean drinking water supply?
• Do the operatives have an uncontaminated area in which to eat ?
• Do the operatives have any washing facilities ?
• Do you provide skin cleansers & barrier creams?
• Are there lockers for operatives Personal Protective Equipment and a separate one for clean clothes?

ENVIRONMENT

• Do you carry out any operations likely to give rise to pollution of water?
• Do you carry out any operations likely to affect those who use your premises?e.g. golfers, players, spectators

Well, how did you score?

Basically, the answer should be yes for every question but it could be the question is not applicable in your circumstances.

By identifying the no and the don't know, you can list the things you have to do - then sort them into priorities.

To every don't know - find out if it applies and what is required.

To every no - check which need to be done immediately, which short term and which long term.

To every yes - good, but don't rest on your laurels - re-assess regularly.

If you have answered all the questions as truthfully as possible and have given reasonable answers, this should act as a basis for your future Health & Safety plans.

Remember the next time you answer these questions it could be to an HSE Inspector !!

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