Guidance for completing a successful health and safety audit

1. The previous audit programme and schedule started in 2003 looked at departments and institutions of the University, checking that they had policy, risk assessments, training and systems in place, amongst other things. The current programme focuses on looking in more detail at the quality of these systems, namely:
   
   • The department’s/institution’s Safety Policy
   
   • Risk assessments for what the department/institution consider their top three hazards
   
   • Training needs – how and why have these been established
   
   • Committee meeting minutes, action plans and follow-ups

2. Preparation for the audit should on average take no more than half a day.

3. Time spent in departments/institutions should on average be no more than one full day, though for those occupying several sites this may be longer allowing for site visits.

4. Interviews should be kept to a minimum, but must include:
   
   • Head of department/institution
   
   • Chair of Safety Committee
   
   • Safety Officer
   
   • Facility or Buildings Manager or Administrator
   
   • Principal Investigator
   
   • Others depending on the department/institution

5. During the audit, inspections of relevant areas of the department/institution will include laboratories, workshops, stores and delivery areas, plants rooms etc, as considered appropriate by the auditors.

6. Reports of the audit will be produced as soon as possible with the aim of getting them to the Head of department/institution in two weeks.

7. The primary aim of the audit is to ensure the department/institution has an effective and appropriate health and safety management system in place and, more importantly, it works.

8. The audit team will normally be no more than two people and will include officers from outside the Safety Office on occasions where this is deemed to be appropriate.

9. All dates will be agreed with the department beforehand.