RYKNELD HOMES HEALTH AND SAFETY AUDIT

Purpose:
The health and safety audit is an objective review of the design and effectiveness of the companies health and safety management
system. In evaluating its health and safety management Rykneld Homes will be able to:

Obtain valuable input from employees and others on the usability and practicality of the health and safety system;
Review each individual component of the operation to determine how well the system is being implemented;
 Give feed back and make recommendations as necessary.

Audit Scoring:
The reason for scoring the audit is to give benchmarks for improvements and will allow the setting of KPI's. Scoring on the audit form is
automatically carried out electronically. Each box of each section must be awarded btween 0 & 4 points depending on compliance. All
scoring must be justified by the auditors notes.

0 No Compliance
1 Limited Compliance
2 Some Compliance
3 Broad compliance
4 Full Compliance

L Shaw (desk)
Division: Finance and Resources
Manager: Sign (mobile)
Service Area: All Service Areas in the Division
Date: Apr 09
Location: Pioneer House/Area Housing Offices Auditor Details: D Goodwin

Summary Score Sheet

Available
SECTION Points Score %
Management Leadership and
1 Organisational Commitment 20 # 19 95%

2 Communication and Consultation 36 # 33 92%

3 Risk Assessment and Controls 32 # 26 81%

4 Workplace H&S Inspections 28 # 26 93%

5 H&S Training & Competence 20 # 20 100%

6 Emergency Control Systems 20 # 12 60%

7 Accident/Near Miss Reporting 28 # 25 89%

8 Programme Administration 25 # 17 68%

1
Overall Compliance 85%

2
 1 MANAGEMENT LEADERSHIP AND ORGANISATIONAL COMMITMENT
Questions
1.1 Are relevant persons at each level aware
of their specific health and safety
responsibilities?
Managers;Team Leaders/Assistant Team
leaders;Workers;Contractors.
1.2 Do senior managers tour the department
to reinforce health and safety policy,
practices and behviours?
1.3 Are employees evaluated on their
individual health and safety
performance?
1.4 Are health and safety issues raised with
contractors?
1.5 Is there a process in place to monitor
contractor H&S performance whilst on
site?
1.6 Is there a process for addressing visitor
H&S while on site?
Total
Performance
Score Comments Recommendations
The majority of employees working in the organisation Ensure that Team Leaders periodically remind
have an understanding of their general H&S employees of their H&S responsibilities. Ensure
responsibilities. There are some pockets of uncertainty that refresher trainig is undertaken with line
3 that should be addressed however this can be easily managers and that new employees undergo the
achieved through reminders by Team Leaders in team training.
meetings.
There is evidence that seniior managers discuss health Senior managers/directors ensure that direct
and Safety with employees however this appears to be contact with employees includes Health and
the exception rather than the norm. Safety as part of the themes to be discussed.
As health and safety performance criteria is not Performance KPI's should be established that will
2 established across the organisation and managers are encourage managers to consider health and
not required to report on their health and safety safety as a more integral part of their
performance it tends not to be high on the agenda at management process.
team meetings when set against other operational
issues.
There are no objective measures of this aspect. Health and Safety performance criteria should be
Performacne issues are discussed but no formal records established across the organisation and a
are made. mechanism established for measuring and
recording the information. This will provide a
2 framework for managers to report on their teams
health and safety performance and encourage .
Health and Safety performance needs to be
included in the EDPR process.
Health and safety issues are raised with contractors These processes need to be maintained and
through tendering processes and monitoring activities. developed as necessary to accommodate any
CDM coordinator appointments are established where changes that may occur.
4 necessary.The process ensures that H&S is addressed.
Contractors are monitored for health and safety This system needs to be developed with
performance however this is based on subjective evidence based inforamtion being recorded and
assessment with no specific objectives set. made available through a performacne
4 framework.
Visitor procedures exist for all sites under the Reviews of procedures need to be carried out
management of Ryjkneld Homes. periodically to ensure that they remain valid.
19
79%
3
 2 COMMUNICATION AND CONSULTATION
Questions
2.1 Are there H&S notice boards available for
all staff to see with information
appropriately displayed?
2.2 Is the written H&S policy statement
clearly displayed and is access readily
available to all employees?
Score Comments Action
Generally these were available up to date. More should be made of the opportunity to use
4 this medium for communicating Health and
Safety information to employees.
The H&S policy statement is available for all employees The workplace inspection process should
who have access to the intranet and should displayed address this issue and ensure that information
throughout the orgnisations sites whether mobile or remains up to date.
3 permanent however in some cases this has been
removed.

2.3 Do employees know how to find the full
Health and Safety Policy and are they
aware of its content?
2.4 Is the H&S Law Notice prominently
displayed and the information current and
up to date?
Line managers are generally aware of the H&S policy
and arrangements tending to access information relative
4 to their particular sphere of activity Knowledge amongst
employees varies across the organisation depending on
access availability..
The law poster is displayed and up to date in the
majority of cases. Consultation informationis not always
3 available and some inforamtion is out of date in isolated
locations.
The message needs to be got out to the general
employees of the organisation through team
meetings and information provided regarding the
policy, its content, how to use it and how it
affects them.
Regular checks on the information on the law
posters should be made during workplace
inspections and its validity checked with the H&S
Officer to track any changes that may occur.

2.5 Are employees aware of the consultation H&S Reps and ROES are in place and there is a H&S
process for their work area? group that discusses H&S issues. Generally employees
are aware of the consultation process and there is some
evidence that demonstrates employee involvement
4 however there are pockets of inconsistancy which can
be expected. Employees do have the opportunity to
raise issues at some team meetings.
In all cases where health and safey issues are
being considered then employees should be
consulted and their ideas considered when
making decisions. More employee involvement
needs to be achieved.

2.6 Can employees easily highlight unsafe
conditions, practices and raise H&S
issues other than formally through H&S
Reps, meetings etc?
2.7 Are records of Team Meetings/Tool box
Talks and Health and Safety Group
meetings made available to employees?
All employees felt happy that H&S issues could be Continue to reiterate this process through
raised through their line managers. There were isolated toolbox talks/Team Meetings and publicity
4 cases where there were concerns that issues would not campaigns.
be addressed.
Copies of meetings are made available on notice It would be benmificial to advise employees of
boards. the existance of this information at team
4 meetings.

2.8 Is there evidence of H&S issues being Health and safety is discussed in team meetings to
positively discussed during team varying degrees. Whilst it is always on the agenda it is
meetings/toolbox talks? not always appropriateley linked through the
consultation process and health and safety
3 management issues.
Use team meetings to promote health and safety,
discuss policy content and reviews and pass
information connected with the health and
Safety group and consultation processes to
ensure those at every level are aware of what is
being discussed and give them the opprortunitiy
to contribute.

2.9 Are H&S items raised by employees, Line managers address health and safety issues raised Managers and Team leaders need to continue to
followed through to a satisfactory by employeesin an appropriate manner relative to the reinforce the message that employees must raise
conclusion? risks involved. concerns and take appropriate action which must
4 be justifiable.

Total 33
Performance 92%

4
 3 RISK ASSESSMENTS AND CONTROLS
Questions
3.1 Is there an inventory of all work activities,
workplace H&S issues?
3.2 Are those responsible for undertaking
risk assessments appropriately trained?
3.3 Have suitable and sufficient risk
assessments been carried out for all
circumstances identified for 3.1 above?
3.4 Are all those employees affected by
workplace risks involved in the risk
assessment process?
3.5 Have appropriate controls been selected
taking into account the principles of
prevention.
3.6 Are the controls identified through the
risk assessment being communicated to
employees and adopted by them?
3.7 Is the use of appropriate control
measures rigourously enforced by line
management and appropriate action
taken when violations occur?
3.8 Are risk assessments reviewed at the
appropriate time to ensure they are still
relevant?
Total
Performance
Score Comments Action
There is an inventory of work related activities for each Contents of inventory need to be subject to a
department that identifies the risks associated with them regular review procedure which should be
4 which is held on the intranet. measured to ensure it remains valid..
Those undertaking risk aasessments have been trained. Identify those requireing training/refresher and
This training should be refreshed from time to time to implement. Record training on the training matrix
4 ensure competence is maintained. to be included in the performance framenwork.
All identified work activities have been risk assessed Risk assessment process should be monitored
under the Rykneld Homes arrangements. and performance measured as part of the
performance monitoring framework.
4
Some initaial assessments included employees however Include the employees and Safey
the majority have been completed in order to complete Representatives when risk assessments carried
the inventory. out. Amend the risk assessment form to include
4 the details of those individuals involved.
The application of the priciples of prevention is broadly Follow the principlces of prevention described in
followed where risk assessments have been completed. schedule 1 of the Managemtn of Health and
Safety Regulations 1999.
4
There is varying evidence that risk assesments are Employees need to be informed of the findings of
discussed with employees.Controls are being applied the risk assessments and the controls required.
and employees are aware of procedures but there are Performance of each department in passing
3 no records of how this information was communicated.. inforamtion etc should be monitored and
measured through the performacne framework.
Variations between the findings and workplace The use of the workplace inspection regime
inspections suggest that management intervention is not should be applied to enable effective
occuring in an appropriate manner in some areas. management of health and safety to be achieved.
2
There have only been minimal reviews of risk The reviews of risk assessments needs to be
assessments in the last twelve months. monitored and measure for all service areas with
1 Service Managers being responsible for
reporting on performance..
26
81%
5
 4 WORKPLACE HEALTH AND SAFETY INSPECTIONS
Questions Score Comments Action
4.1 Is there a written procedure that includes Written procedures are in place for most areas however Establish the written procedure for those areas
frequency of formal inspections by: some are not covered. not currently covered and review after 12 months
Managers; 4
Team Leaders;

4.2 Are inspections carried out in line with Where inspections are carried out they are carried out Ensure more rigourous compliance with the
the procedure? in line with the procedure. procedures.
4

4.3 Are workers/Safety Representatives There is some involvement of Health and Safety Reps Ideally Safety Reps should be invloved in 25% of
involved in inspections 3 and ROES in inspections however the level of inspections and this needs to be recorded and
involvement has varied over that last few months.. monitored..

4.4 Are those who undertake inspections All inspecting offices have received the appropriate Ensure that ttraining is recorded.
appropriately trained? training however records have not been maintained.
4

4.5 Is there a site-specific check list Specific site check lists are in place. Ensure that inspection check lists are reviewed
employed to assist with inspection? periodically.
4

4.6 Are issues highlighted during the Evidence indicates that this is being achieved. Ensure that issues raised are dealt with in a
inspections dealt with in a timely timely manner and that those responsible for
manner? 4 action are identified and are part of the
management team for the area under inspection.

4.7 Are inspections 'signed off' by line Inspections are signed off by Servie Managers in most Ensure that inspections are signed off.
managers/directors cases.

Total 26
Performance 93%

6
 5 HEALTH AND SAFETY TRAINING & COMPETENCE
Questions
5.1 Are there H&S induction programmes for
new employees relevant to jobs
undertaken?
5.2 Are health and safety inductions
completed with all new employees?
5.3 Are processes in place to ensure that
employees are competent to undertake
their work safely?
5.4 Is there a programme of refresher
training in place for those jobs where
such provision is necessary?
5.5 Are training programmes reviewed to
ensure that they are relevant to the
current tasks performed or meet the
requirements of current safety systems
and procedures?
Total
Performance
Score Comments Action
H&S and Safety inductions are included as part of the Ensure the process is followed.
corporate induction procedure.
4
Health and Safety inductions have been completed as Performance on induction training should be
part of the corporate process for new employees. included as a KPI to contribute to the measure
Health and Safety training performance.
Processes are in place to ensure employeesare trained The procedure that are in place need
to work safely however this has not been implemented implementation therfore health and safety
as effectively as it should. training should be a KPI and form part of the
4 health and safety performance framework.
Refresher training is included in the corporate training Ensure refresher training takes place and that
plan however implementation is not effectively carried managers are accountable through perforamcne
out therefore it tends to fade into the background when monitoring and reporting.
4 other priorities arise.
The corporate training plan was reviewed early in the Ensure that training plans are reviewed and
year by the H&S section and responsible Director but agreed with each Service Manager on an annual
4 not appropriately consulted on across all service areas. basis. This can be measured as part of the
performance framework for health and safety.
20
100%
7
 6 EMERGENCY CONTROL MEASURES
Questions
6.1 Have all circumstances which require
emergency planning been identified
relative to the location and operational
situations?
6.2 Are appropriate written emergency plans
available for those circumstances
identified in 6.1 above?
6.3 Are employees given emergency
response training relative to their sphere
of activity?
6.4 Are emergency response drills carried
out as detailed in the response plans?
6.5 Is emergency equipment appropriatley
inspected and maintained in a suitable
condition as identified in the emergency
response plans?
Total
Performance
Score Comments Action
Circumstances where emergencies are likely to occur A full inventory of emergency/rescue needs and
have been identified however they have not been arrangements must be determined for each
recorded. service area. Typical issues are:
Out of hours emergency procedures (board
meetings); Cash Handling/robbery; Personal
4
evac plans for board members with disabilities;
Emergencies involving employees travelling in
connection with work; Bomb Scares; Work at
height operations; Confined Spaces.
Some emergency plans are establishe however others A full inventory of emergency plans that indicate
have been draw up but have been withdrawn and are processes and responsibilities need to be drawn
under review. up for all situations identified in the inventory and
2 all employees being made aware of the
arrangements with approprite training provided
where required.
Fire emergency trainig has been provided but no other. All employees need to be trained in appropriate
responses as necessary and their competence
2 checked.
Fire only at Pioneer. As other emergency situation could A programme of emergency response drills
exist but no plans are in place drills cannot be carried should be developed that details the procedure
out to test reponses and procedures to be followed and records to be kept once the
emergency procedures have been established.
Drills should be carried out at intermittent and
2 random intervals. Performance in this area
should be included in the performance framework
along with assessments of the effectiveness of
the arangements.
Fire Safety related emergency equipment is tested or Programmes need to be established that are
checked in work locations however other equipment more robust and acurately record that testing of
does not have robust checking regimes with records every piece of equipment in use is being done.
being maintained. Not all first aid equipment is checked These systems must also indicate where
and the testing of panic alarms to interview cubicals and superevisory staff audit the checks to monitor
2 cash counters is not recorded. Other personal compliance. Workplace inspections should
equipment is issuesd but there was no evidence that it monitor performacne in this area.
is regularly checked.
12
60%
8
 7 ACCIDENT & NEAR MISS REPORTING
Questions
7.1 Are line managers conversant with the
accident/near miss reporting procedures.
7.2 Have line managers been trained in
accident investigation and causation?
7.3 Are employees aware of their
responsibiliteis under the accident
reporting procedure?
7.4 Are all accidents etc. reported by
employees as per the procedure?
7.5 Are accidents appropriately investigated,
recorded and reported by line managers.
7.6 Are investigation reports reviewed by line
managers and 'signed off'?
7.7 Are accident reports and subsequent
recommendations communicated to
employees?
Total
Performance
Score Comments Action
Yes Continue to keep abreast of procedures.
4
Some new line managers have been employed since New line managers need training and existing
3 the last audit. need refresher.
Accident reporting is generally satisfactory however Reinforce the need for full reporting of accidents
minor accidents tend not to be reported as employees through team meetings and explain the process
think it not woth taking the trouble. with reminders scheduled from time to time.
4
Procedures are followed. None
4
All accidents reported have been investigated and Training of new line managers in accident
reported appropriately. causation would be appropriate.
4
Accident reports that go through line managers are New line managers need to be aware of the
investigated and signed off. system.
4
There is evidence that accident reports and subsequent Accident reports at H&S group should be
recommendations are being discussed although this discussed at team meetings.
2 needs to be expanded.
25
89%
9
 8 PROGRAMME ADMINISTRATION
Questions Score Comments Action
8.1 Are health and safety statisitics Corporate statisitics are available for the Service area to Current information gathered is 'reactive'
maintained use. monitoring of H&S. Whilst useful this should be
developed into an objective proactive monitoring
of the maintenance of H&S systems and
managemnt processes that are designed to
prevent accidents. Subjects being considered for
inclusion are;
Risk Assessmnts
4 DSE Assessments
Workplace ispections
Vehicle Operations
Fire Safety
H&S Training
Work Equipment Safety - PAT
Policy Reviews
Emergency Planning.
8.2 Are statistics analysed to identify trends Limited monitoring through the H&S group. H&S performance should be included in the
and needs balanced score card for the organisation and
audited for compliance and accuracy through the
2 H&S department.

8.3 Is the health and safety management Yes Future audit processes should consider ensuring
system evaluated at least annually that objective monitoring claims are accurate and
through the use of the audit process? 4 that established processes are maintained.

8.4 Has an action plan been developed from Yes, there is an action plan from the last audit. The current Service Action Plan includes
the recommendations of the audit/s? sections to adress the shortfalls of health and
4 safety management that have been identified for
this service area.

8.5 Has the action plan been implemented? Some implementation has taken place since the last See 8.4 above.
audit but not all actions have been carried out.
3

Total 17
Performance 85%

10