Last Updated on March 6, 2024 by Ossian Muscad
In many industries, the terms “safety inspection” and “safety audit” are often used interchangeably by veterans and newcomers alike. However, despite their similar-sounding nature and the shared goal of promoting a safe and efficient work environment, these two procedures serve distinctly different functions within an organization. Understanding the nuances between safety inspections and safety audits is crucial for any business looking to enhance its operational safety and efficiency.
If you’re at the stage of considering integrating these safety protocols into your standard operating procedures, you’ve come to the right place. This article aims to compare these concepts, emphasizing their differences and explaining why both are essential components of a comprehensive workplace safety strategy.
General Rule of Thumb
To start, here’s the biggest difference between safety inspections and audits:
- Safety inspections look for hazards and risky behaviors that might lead to potential accidents within the workplace.
- Safety audits focus more on checking programs and processes to ensure they meet the company’s safety standards and goals.
- Safety inspections emphasize the physical environment, such as machinery, equipment, and workplace conditions, to identify any immediate hazards that could cause harm.
- On the other hand, safety audits scrutinize the underlying systems, procedures, and policies in place. They assess whether these measures effectively manage and mitigate risks in line with regulatory compliance and industry best practices.
An inspection focuses exclusively on people, places, and things. On the other hand, an audit is all about the processes, operations, and programs. As you can see, these processes don’t cross paths; they go in separate directions. In addition, you can audit your safety inspection program but can’t inspect your safety audits. To further expand our understanding of the two processes, let’s go deeper and discuss both safety inspection and safety audit separately to see the distinction and how they reinforce a safe work environment.
What is a Safety Inspection?
A safety inspection is a meticulous and comprehensive process designed to identify potential hazards within the workplace. Typically carried out by a safety officer or an experienced inspector, this procedure involves a thorough examination of the workplace’s physical environment—including equipment and machinery—to spot any conditions that might pose a risk to employees.
The goal of a safety inspection is to preemptively unearth potential dangers so that appropriate remedial actions can be executed to mitigate them, ultimately preventing accidents before they occur. This proactive approach ensures the ongoing safety and well-being of all employees.
During the inspection, various aspects of the workplace are scrutinized, such as the integrity of machinery, electrical systems, and the storage and handling of hazardous materials. Upon completion, a detailed report is produced, cataloging identified hazards and providing recommendations for how they can be rectified. To maintain a consistently safe working environment, these inspections should be conducted on a regular basis, allowing for the timely identification and correction of potential hazards.
What is a Safety Audit?
On the other hand, a safety audit assesses whether a company’s safety program meets its goals and objectives. It is usually conducted by an external auditor who will review all the safety documents, policies, and procedures to ensure they are up-to-date and compliant with the latest safety regulations. A safety audit aims to identify gaps in the safety program so that corrective action can be taken to improve it. It’s a reactive approach to safety that helps improve the safety program after an accident.
A safety audit looks at all aspects of the company’s safety program, including the training, hazard identification, and incident reporting procedures. The objective is to find out if any areas need improvement. Once the audit is complete, the auditor will provide a report that includes all the findings and recommendations for improving the safety program.
The safety auditor or an entire auditing team initially conducts the process through a fact-finding approach. They avoid making evaluative comments or opinions during the first phase of the process. The auditors are experts in the applicable company regulations and existing programs.
Fundamental Questions for Safety Audit
There are five fundamental questions that a safety audit should answer:
- Does the program comply with all industry best practices and regulatory equipment?
- Is there a formally documented proof of compliance?
- Does employee training produce corrective behavior?
- Are safety procedures being effectively communicated and implemented throughout all levels of the organization?
- Based on audit findings and recommendations, are there adequate measures to continuously monitor and improve the safety program?
Depending on the scope, a safety audit can take anywhere from a few hours to several weeks to complete. It’s important to note that a safety audit is not the same as a safety inspection. A safety audit should be conducted regularly, at least once a year, to ensure that the safety program is up to date-and compliant with the latest safety regulations.
Safety Inspections and Safety Audit Best Practices
There are a few best practices that should be followed when conducting a safety inspection or safety audit. Knowing and implementing these practices will help ensure the effectiveness of both processes and maintain a safe work environment for all employees. The following are some best practices to consider:
Safety Audit
- A safety audit should be conducted quarterly — at least four times a year for maximum effectiveness. That way, any gaps in the safety program can be identified and addressed in a timely manner.
- The last safety audit of the year should be done comprehensively with all employees to ensure that everyone is on the same page and that there are no surprises.
- Improve your safety audits by taking the time and resources to do them right. That means hiring an external auditor who is knowledgeable and experienced in safety audits.
- Document everything. The auditor should be able to record all of their findings to make sure no issue is ignored.
- Ensure proper communication of the audit findings. After the audit, sharing the findings, recommendations, and any planned corrective actions with all the relevant stakeholders is critical.
- Follow up on corrective actions. After the safety audit, make sure to follow through and implement any necessary changes or improvements.
- Gather feedback from employees. It’s essential to get input from all levels of the organization on the effectiveness of the safety program and ways it can be improved.
- Keep up to date with safety regulations. As laws and regulations change, it’s important to update the safety program accordingly.
- Ensure that all employees are properly trained on safety procedures and protocols.
- Continuously evaluate and improve the safety program to maintain a safe working environment for all employees.
Safety Inspection
- Conduct a safety inspection at least once a month—preferably once a week. The more you conduct inspections, the more likely you can identify potential hazards before they lead to an accident.
- Don’t forget to involve the employees in the safety inspection process. They are the ones who are working in the facility every day, and they might have some valuable insights.
- Again, make sure to document everything. The inspection report should include all the hazards found and recommendations on how to fix them.
- Create a follow-up plan. Once safety hazards are identified and recommendations are made, it’s crucial to have a plan to address these issues. This plan should be made available to all employees and specify who is responsible for each action, what the action is, and when it will be completed.
- Regularly review and adapt. The safety inspection process should not be static. Regularly review your procedures and make necessary adaptations based on previous inspection findings, operations changes, or safety regulation updates. This helps ensure your inspection process remains relevant and effective.
- Regularly train employees on safety procedures and protocols.
- Encourage a culture of safety in the workplace by involving all employees in the inspection process and promoting open communication about potential hazards.
- Use digital tools to streamline the inspection process, such as mobile apps that allow for real-time reporting and tracking of corrective actions.
- Conduct follow-up inspections to ensure that any identified hazards have been properly addressed and corrected.
- Continuously evaluate and improve the safety inspection process to maintain a safe working environment for all employees.
Conducting a safety audit or inspection is essential to maintaining a safe workplace. Following these best practices ensures that your safety program and work equipment are up-to-date and compliant with the latest safety regulations.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: What is the main difference between a safety inspection and a safety audit?
A safety inspection focuses on identifying and correcting specific hazards within the workplace, often involving a visual examination of equipment, procedures, and practices. A safety audit, on the other hand, is a more comprehensive evaluation of the overall safety management system, assessing whether safety policies and procedures meet regulatory and best practice requirements and are effectively implemented.
Q2: How often should safety inspections and audits be carried out?
Safety inspections should be conducted more frequently, ideally once a month or even once a week, depending on the workplace’s specific needs and risk levels. Safety audits are broader in scope and thus conducted less frequently, typically quarterly or at least once a year, to ensure ongoing compliance and effectiveness of safety programs.
Q3: Who should conduct safety inspections and audits?
Trained employees or safety officers who are familiar with the workspace and potential hazards can carry out safety inspections within the organization. Safety audits often benefit from external auditors’ impartiality and expertise in safety regulations and best practices. However, internal audits can also be effective if conducted by competent personnel.
Q4: Can a safety inspection or audit result in penalties for the company?
While the primary purpose of both safety inspections and audits is to improve safety rather than penalize, failure to address identified hazards or compliance issues can lead to regulatory penalties, especially if these oversights result in accidents or violations of safety laws.
Q5: What should be included in the report following a safety inspection or audit?
The report should detail the findings, including any hazards identified or areas of non-compliance with safety regulations. It should also include recommendations for corrective actions and improvements, as well as a plan for implementation and follow-up.
Q6: How can a company prepare for a safety inspection or audit?
Preparation involves:
- Ensuring that all safety policies and procedures are up-to-date and documented.
- Conducting regular self-inspections to identify and mitigate hazards.
- Ensuring all employees are trained on safety protocols.
- Rectifying any previously identified issues.
Engaging employees in the safety process and cultivating a strong culture of safety can also enhance the efficacy of both inspections and audits.
Streamline Safety Audits and Inspections with DATAMYTE
DATAMYTE is a quality management platform with low-code capabilities. Our Digital Clipboard, in particular, is a low-code workflow automation software that features a workflow, checklist, and smart form builder. This tool lets you create custom safety inspection and audit checklists, assign tasks and corrective actions to team members, track progress in real time, and generate reports with ease.
DATAMYTE also lets you conduct layered process audits, a high-frequency evaluation of critical process steps, focusing on areas with the highest failure risk or non-compliance. Conducting LPA with DATAMYTE lets you effectively identify and correct potential defects before they become major quality issues.
With DATAMYTE, you have an all-in-one solution for managing safety inspections, audits, and quality processes. Book a demo now to see how DATAMYTE can help streamline your safety program and improve compliance across your organization.
Conclusion
The importance of regular safety inspections and audits cannot be overstated in creating and maintaining a safe workplace. These proactive measures not only ensure compliance with safety regulations but also build a culture of safety that involves every employee. By implementing the best practices outlined, organizations can effectively identify potential hazards, make informed decisions on corrective actions, and continuously improve their safety protocols. The goal is to foster an environment where safety is prioritized, and every individual feels responsible for contributing to the well-being of their coworkers and the organization as a whole.
