NCFSE Safety audit is a tool used by management to promote and ensure the safe work procedures to be followed at industry. It identifies various hazards and risks present at the site. Safety audit is finding out whether the safety system is on right track. It ensures that existing loss prevention systems, safe work procedures and other work practices are in place and being followed. Duty has been defined under state factory rules by Factories Act, 1948: To advise on maintenance of records which are related to accidents, dangerous occurrences and occupational diseases To advice on measures to be adopted for removing the unsafe actions by workers To provide advice on matters related to carrying out plant safety inspection To carry out health & safety surveys is the duty of safety committee. Internal Safety Audit: It is carried out in house and done by internal management.
External Safety Audit: It is carried out through
an external source.
Sometimes, it is for certifications and for
complying with the internal management guidelines Internal Safety Audits are conducted by either the safety committee members or safety representatives or safety officer and procedure followed generally going through the records, matching standards with targets and physical observations at workplace.
External Safety Audits are conducted by
external person for auditing from certified agencies and procedure is almost same. It ensures that management system is functioning in a manner that protects employees, customers, communities, the environment, assets against risks It is control mechanism. Other benefits of Audit such as: 1. Identification of opportunities for improvement 2. Increased safety awareness 3. Greater confidence regarding compliance with regulatory requirements Regular routine workstation inspecting Periodic detailed on machines High level audits on overview of entire safety structure Preliminary visit of factory Identify audit elements Prepare questions Discussion with management, officers, executives, workers etc. Cross verification at site, personal or records, accidents etc. Verification, preparation report, observation. Organisational & Administration Safety policy, operating instructions, emergency and disaster control plan. Industrial hazard control like housekeeping, storage of materials etc. Machine garding, material handling Use of PPE Fire Prevention and Control Equipment provided, maintenance, testing etc. Industrial Hygiene Ventilation, skin contamination control, air/water pollution, noise control etc.
Reporting and Investigation of Accident
Type of accidents, procedures of investigation etc. Safety policy Safety organisation Safety training Safety promotional activities Communication for safety Personal and placement Accident investigation & reporting 1 = Unacceptable performance 2 = Acceptable, improvement is necessary 3 = average performance, improvement desirable 4 = Above average performance Safety survey are made to have detailed observations of all types of unsafe physical and environment conditions The occupier/manager of factory and other workers should provide necessary co- operation to the authorities conducting surveys Safety surveys also helps in determining safety and training needs of workers/supervisors/ management etc. The reports on observations and remedial measures are discussed in joint meeting of all heads and owner of plant. For each observation noted in survey, remedial measures may be suggested Action plan can be drawn for taking up suggested remedial measures within time limits Statutory check of records and visual checking Productive machine safety PPE Working at heights Electrical Safety Work permit Fire Control Maintenance Storage of Chemicals Occupational safety Environment protection Hazard identification techniques Emergency preparedness Audit is to give qualitative/quantitative terms to find out how far the defined standards are achieved Audit inspection, each audit item will be rated from 0 to 4 according to manner of guideline set. 0 = unacceptable performance and poor attitude and immediate work stoppage To make detailed observation of all types of unsafe physical and environmental condition as well as unsafe practices committed by workers throughout plants In every part of factory, sufficient and suitable lighting should be provided In every factory all glazed windows and skylights used for lighting of inner and outer surface shall be kept clean. In every part of factory, provision shall be made for the prevention of: 1. Glare 2. Shadow Place in Industry Level of illumination (in Lux) Canteen 150 Cloak Room 100 Entries, Corridors, Stairs etc. 100 Assembly Shop and Rough Work 150 Medium Work 300 Fine Work 700 Very Fine Work 1500 The level of illumination required in a work room of factory depends on other factors such as: Age of workers: below 40 years can work in half and one-third of average illumination and above 40 years 2 to 5 times of average illumination Size of object Contrast between object and background Glare arises when some part of field is bright