Health and safety evaluations and inspections go beyond your internal safety management to provide insightful assessments of your working processes and procedures.
What is a Workplace Safety Assessment?
A workplace safety assessment reviews the safety systems, procedures, and work practices within an organization. The assessment may include management and employee participation, workplace conditions, hazard controls, accident analysis, and safety training efforts.
Workplace Safety Assessment vs. Safety Inspection
Safety inspections can be formal OSHA inspections or inspections from third-party safety compliance companies that identify hazards and other dangers that hinder a company from performing safely. A workplace safety assessment takes a broader view by reviewing safety programs, procedures, employee involvement, hazard controls, and the effectiveness of current practices.
Purpose of OSHA Safety Assessments
A workplace safety assessment helps employers review current safety practices, identify areas that need attention, and compare procedures with applicable federal, state, and local requirements. The findings can guide improvements to training, hazard controls, documentation, and daily work practices.
Important Elements of a Workplace Safety Assessment
Schedule Assessment
To gain valuable insights, companies must conduct site safety inspections following industry best practices. Consider these key elements when preparing your workplace for a safety evaluation.
Preparation & Organization
Advanced preparation is key for both parties of an inspection to be prepared for the experience. Leading up to an evaluation, employers should inform all affected employees of procedures and responsibilities regarding the process.
Effective Communication
It’s crucial for companies and assessors to have a trusting relationship and be able to effectively communicate with one another. Asking the right questions can streamline the evaluation process and help you get the most valuable information out of the experience. Safety assessors should address any deficiencies as well as offer positive feedback for effectively managed areas deserving of praise.
Consistency & Responsibility
Conducting only one safety assessment per year can lead to relaxed standards for the remainder of the year. Therefore, it’s important to schedule multiple specific inspections year-round, preventing a one-time sense of urgency as the annual evaluation approaches.
Advanced Technology
Ensuring that all safety assessment standards are met becomes a much easier process with modern safety management software. Customized applications allow businesses to easily and effectively test every element of workplace safety. For example, the SBD SafeTeam App provides employers with the tools to track incidents, manage inspections, monitor employee training, and more.
Objective Assessors
Businesses should ensure that their assessor is properly educated on all relevant laws, regulations, and standards. In addition to your business’s internal inspections, it’s beneficial to have a knowledgeable, unbiased third party conduct audits periodically.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who should participate in a workplace safety assessment?
A workplace safety assessment may involve company owners, managers, supervisors, safety personnel, and employees familiar with the work being performed. Input from different parts of the organization can help the assessment team see how safety procedures function in practice.
What should we have ready before a workplace safety assessment?
Employers may want to gather written safety programs, training records, incident records, workplace procedures, and documentation related to corrective actions. These materials help the assessment team review both the written program and its application at the worksite.
Can a workplace safety assessment focus on a specific concern?
Yes. An assessment can focus on a particular work area, process, jobsite, safety program, or concern identified by management. Sharing those priorities before the assessment can help the team focus its review.
What happens after a workplace safety assessment?
Safety By Design provides the assessment findings and discusses questions with the client’s team. Employers can then use the results to prioritize corrective actions, update procedures, improve training, or request additional safety support.
Get a Workplace Safety Assessment from Safety By Design
When our team conducts a factory safety assessment on your premises, we work alongside your management team and employees to uncover deficiencies in your workplace safety. Just specify the pertinent employees, and we will send our full findings along once the evaluation is complete. From there, we are happy to answer any questions necessary to make sure your team has all the information they need to optimize compliance and worksite safety.
Contact us to schedule a consultation for your safety assessment today!
