Safety audits for Labor Day

The American Society of Safety Engineers is recommending that employers commemorate Labor Day by conducting a companywide safety audit as part of their efforts to protect workers, according to Business & Labor Reports.

“A safety audit is a tool occupational safety, health and environmental practitioners use to assess workplace hazards and risk and make recommendations for reducing them in an effort to prevent accidents, injuries and illnesses,” ASSE president Donald S. Jones said. “With more than 5,000 people dying each year from on-the-job accidents and four million suffering from workplace injuries and illnesses, we must continue to work diligently to protect our workers.”

Safety audits are part of a safety management system that monitors safety and health performance, as well as compliance with OSHA and other regulatory standards. Each component of the total system is included: management policy, operating procedures, emergency procedures and training. The aim is to disclose the strengths and weaknesses, with the objective of minimizing loss through accidents. The outcome of the audit will be a report, followed by an action plan, which must be monitored. The audit will be carried out by a competent team that is independent from the company.