1. Outdated or Generic Risk Assessments

Many companies will have a risk assessment but for some, it will have been done once and then not referred to or updated in line with their company’s requirements.

Problems found when reviewing company risk assessments that can cause problems during a health & safety audit include:

• Generic templates that have been copied from another source.
• The assessment is not specific to the needs of the company.
• The risk assessment is several years old and has not been updated.

Under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations of 1999, risk assessments must be suitable and sufficient and reviewed on a regular basis.

Typical problems we find when performing an audit:

• Risks that are listed in the assessment that no longer exist.
• Missing hazards such as manual handling, noise hazards, chemicals etc.
• No evidence of any review after changes.

2. Health & Safety Policy Not Updated

Any company with 5 or more employees must have a written health & safety policy, this is a requirement under the Health & Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.

Companies run the risk of not complying with this if they feel they are in a ‘safe’ environment rather than on a construction site, but a health & safety policy covers much more than that.

Common issues that Safepoint come across when performing health & safety audits are:

• The policy was written years ago and has not been updated.
• The staff are unaware that the policy exists, the policy and any updates must be shared with your employees and auditors will often ask employees if they know where the policy is located.
• No named responsible person on the policy.
• The organisational chart for the company is outdated.

3. Poor Training Records

While you may feel like you have invested in staff and their training, and training has taken place, problems arise when there is no proof of that training recoded. 

A health & safety auditor will expect to see documentation for:

• Fire safety training.
• First aid training.
• Manual handling.
• Equipment or machinery use.
• Workplace inductions.

Without training records, regulators such as the Health & Safety Executive will assume that the training did not happen.

4. Incorrect Accident & Near-Miss Reporting

Many businesses only record serious accidents and fail to record more minor incidents or near-misses. Robust safety systems will record these and learn from them, minimising any future risks to employees and the general public.

Good safety systems require:

• Accident logs.
• Near-miss reporting.
• Investigation procedures.

Certain incidents must be reported under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR) and failing to report these can lead to fines or enforcement action.

5. Safety Procedures Exist But Are Not Followed

People not following safety procedures is one of the main audit failures we come across. Procedures must be in place, staff need to know and understand them and there needs to be a culture of compliance among the workforce to ensure that these procedures are followed at all times.

Some of the most common examples that we see when performing audits are:

• PPE is required but employees are not wearing some or all of it.
• Fire exits blocked.
• Safety checks not completed.
• Equipment inspections not completed or recorded.

An auditor will compare what the paperwork says is happening with what they actually see happening when they are on site.

Safepoint Are Here To Help

Safepoint provide clear and actionable health & safety audits. We are not here to try and catch you out, our goal is help and support companies to identify gaps before they become safety or legal problems.

We have a collaborative approch and will help you to see what needs to be done to become a workplace that prioritises the health & safety of everyone who comes to your site.

If you would like to know more, or book an initial consultation, please do get in touch.

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