Health and Safety Record Keeping

Health and Safety Record Management systems and practices

Records Management systems and practices should comply with the adequate records management framework, specifically the adequate records management standard, the document and records management system standard and will be audited to identify evidence supporting this compliance. Evidence consists of the following assertions:

The Audit Plan

Audit objective

The audit objective is to obtain a report of factual findings concerning the adequacy of records management practices in the organisation. The inspector is to report appropriately to the Department of Labour of non-compliance with controls or insufficient evidence of records for specific outcomes.

Standards

The audit checklist will provide measures against which the records management operations will be tested. The audit checklist consists of the ten outcomes from the Adequacy Standard.

Reporting

The consolidated Audit Report will include the following elements:

• Organisation 's name
• Chief executive responsible
• Level of cooperation afforded
• Quality of evidence provided
• Auditor's validation of scores
• Reasons for variance between scores
• Project improvements for the next 12-month period

Evidence

Evidence will be provided in some cases by a sample test of data and in other cases by 100% testing. The creation of official records, for example, will generally be sample tested, to give sufficient indication to form an opinion that this requirement is generally satisfied. In another example, assessing whether security measures are in place will usually require complete testing. Business requirements will include some sample testing, and some complete testing.

Annual Health and Safety Audit Form

An Annual Health and Safety Audit is recommended for all businesses/organisations. The employer must have arrangements for monitoring and review of his health and safety measures.

Objectives

The objectives of this form are:

• Review of Health and Safety system, identification of areas of low/non compliance.
• Identification of employee training needs to create a safer working environment.
• Assessment of key hazards within the workplace, which will require a Risk Assessment.
• Effectiveness of existing audits and management controls.
• Recommendation for improvement actions for senior management team.

The Health and Safety Annual Audit is divided into the following sections:

1. General Policy and Organisation
2. Arrangements to be considered
3. Plant and Substances
4. Other Hazards
5. Emergencies
6. Communication
7. Training
8. Supervision
9. Keeping Checks
10. Consideration of General Risks Identified during Risk Assessment
11. General Observations
12. Fire Precautions and Observations

This Health and Safety Annual Audit should be supplemented as appropriate by the Assessment Checklists available for specific hazardous issues. If individual hazards are identified these should be recorded and assessed on a Hazard Risk Assessment form.

All actions that are required as a result of the Audit should be recorded and monitored on the Health and Safety Annual Audit Action Plan. This should be done at least on an annual basis.

Single Hazard Risk Assessment Form

The Form

This form contains the following sections: -

• Description/Identification of the hazard/risk
• Consequences - description of the harm that might be caused by the hazard/risk
• Identification of the persons at risk, and the level of risk
• Consideration of precautions and controls
• Record of the form's inclusion in the relevant Risk Assessment Action Plan

Accident Record Form

An Accident Record form should be available to all employees so that an injured employee, or someone acting on their behalf, can complete the form as soon as possible after the accident. The Accident Record form should then be passed to the Duty Holder for secure safekeeping and monitoring. The record provides for:

• Record Number
• Details of injured party
• Details of reporting party
• Accident details
• Signature of reporting party
• Internal Accident Investigation Report.

Framework and Safety Risk Assessment Form and Policies

• The framework is described below:
• Health and Safety Policy Statements: General statement and policy examples, including contractors.
• Standard Health and Safety and Risk Assessment Forms: Annual audit, risk assessment forms & plans.
• Environmental forms: Policy, assessment checklist & action plan and waste disposal note.
• First Aid, Accidents and Disease. Accident, investigation, treatment and report forms.
• Fire Safety. Risk Assessment forms, policy and procedures and records.
• Smoke free, drugs and alcohol-free policy. Up-to-date policies governing smoking, drugs and alcohol.
• Safe driving. Safe Driving Policy, Guidance for Employees who drive for work and vehicle checklist.
• Display screen equipment. Questionnaire, identification & eyesight records and risk assessment.
• Chemical and hazardous substances. Safety data, risk assessment and action plan forms.
• Personal Protective Equipment. Risk survey and acknowledgement of use.
• Manual handling. Assessment checklist & control forms, employee assessments and action plan.
• Equipment and Machinery. Maintenance records, and risk assessment forms.
• Hot work. Risk assessment, action plan and permit forms.
• Asbestos containing materials. Inspection, assessment action plan, register, controls and disposal forms.

For More Information, Click Here