If you have been following our blog, you have seen that we talk about safety audits in just about every post. While it might seem redundant, it is really just that important for your company. There is nothing that can protect you from OSHA more than a safety audit administered by a qualified third party.
A good third party safety audit will cover everything OSHA looks for in an audit. We cannot speak for other companies, but we can say that during our audits we examine your current hazard assessments, machinery, processes, signage, training, employee safety competence, evacuation plans, accident incidents and investigations, and anything else that you need to ensure compliance with OSHA. This all encompassing view allows us to truly understand your company, your needs, and how to effectively minimize risk while not disturbing your company’s operations.
When shopping for a consulting firm to handle your safety audit, there are a few key factors to keep in mind. First and foremost, why is this organization qualified to audit your business? Do they have a team of engineers, auditors, safety professionals, and trainers who have very specific and very relevant knowledge of your industry? Or, did a recent college graduate read through some OSHA regulations and decide that he can handle understanding the intricacies of OSHA as it relates to your operations? You will also want to consider what other clients the organization has. We list a small sampling of some of our clients, to give you a feel of what industries we cover. If you start speaking to an audit team and they hedge when asked about which industries they specialize in, or what clients they have worked with, you might want to reconsider. Finally, you want to consider what the audit team will do for you after the audit process is complete. Will they help you stay in compliance over time? Will they forget about you in a month, and be unavailable to you if you have questions? Are they even going to write out a full plan of next steps?
If you have been considering a safety audit, stop procrastinating. It is never going to be a fun or desirable prospect, but it is a necessity. If you have questions about our process, or how we can help your company, please contact us. And if you have any other things you would recommend looking for in a third party audit team, please leave a comment.
