Seven important steps to an effective health and safety audit by SafetyWallet for Empangeni businesses
A health and safety audit may not be a legal obligation for businesses in Empangeni. However, it is highly recommended that employers have one conducted regardless of their industry, sector or the nature of business of the organisation.
Where numerous business rely a lot on internal audits to examine their compliance, some make use of external auditors and others use a combination of both. More than a thousand organisations have become SafetyWallet subscribers and subsequently rely on its comprehensive services and solutions to ensure compliance.
SafetyWallet’s Health and Safety Audit involves an in-depth examination process where the subscriber’s health and safety management system is checked. A substantial amount of emphasis is placed on identifying and effectively managing occupational health and safety in the workplace.
SafetyWallet offers its subscribers a structured and guided path they can follow towards continuous and consistent improvement, not only in achieving health and safety compliance, but in maintaining it as well. During the health and safety audit, the SafetyWallet auditor will review the elements contained in the subscriber’s health and safety programme.
It will be weighed against the requirements of the Occupational Health and Safety Act, regulations and any other relevant legislation, national standards, by-laws and SafetyWallet audit protocols. To ensure the effectiveness of arrangements that have been implemented, the SafetyWallet auditor will proceed to inspect the subscriber’s premises and operational activities will be sampled.
Key personnel will also be interviewed by the auditor and during these interviews, the aspects of occupational health and safety and how it relates to their functions, roles, duties and responsibilities will be discussed in confidentiality. Once the audit is finished, the SafetyWallet auditor will compile a comprehensive audit report that they will present to the SafetyWallet subscriber and their management team.
The report will indicate the strengths noted and highlight areas for improvement in the health and safety programme. Lastly, the auditor will also present their observation, recommendations and an action plan for consideration. 
Why must SafetyWallet conduct your health and safety audit?
To ensure that the external health and safety audit is done effectively, it is crucial that only a trained and qualified professional be appointed. SafetyWallet provides subscribers with just such an auditor who is professional, trained and qualified.
Apart from areas for improvement that are identified during the audit, it is crucial that the relevant control measures be identified in dealing with such areas, and that they are effectively implemented and monitored.
It is also necessary to ensure that the audit process runs smoothly by following the necessary steps, that include:
- Audit planning
- Audit execution
- Audit report compilation
- Identify corrective actions and set improvements in motion
- Effective and efficient communication of results.
What are the seven steps involved in an effective health and safety audit by SafetyWallet?
Subscribe to SafetyWallet
This can be done quickly and easily by navigating to the SafetyWallet website and signing up, or registering, from the homepage. Once completed, the subscriber can select their SafetyWallet subscription reward circle according to the organisation’s size. The following options are available in this regard:
- Friend Circle – with 1 to 50 employees.
- Family Circle – with 51 to 100 employees.
- Champion Circle – with 101 to 300 employees, and
- Pinnacle Club – with 300 or more employees.
Calculate your audit fee
Subscribers can now proceed to calculate their audit fee by using the Compliance Audit Cost Calculator provided on the website. Subscribers must keep in mind that when they subscribe to SafetyWallet, they have an array of rewards and discounts to their disposal, with the first becoming available as soon as they subscribe.
The rewards are based on several factors and there is a SafetyWallet subscription reward, a discount reward on the annual audits of up to 80% (where the subscriber only pays the outstanding 20%), and further rewards based on the number of contractors/suppliers, and the annual health and safety compliance audit done by SafetyWallet.
Book your audit online
Once the subscriber has calculated their audit fee and have viewed their monthly subscription fees and rewards, they can proceed to book the health and safety audit online through the area provided on the website.
Set up your audit
With the audit booked, the subscriber may rest assured that SafetyWallet offers them qualified and trained personnel that will help the subscriber navigate the SHE risk management principles.
Conduct the audit
Through the provision of a SafetyWallet auditor, the health and safety audit can be conducted effectively, with the subscriber’s current level of compliance determined in an unbiased and objective manner.
Finalise the audit report
Once the audit is concluded, the subscriber and their management team will be presented with the auditor’s findings, recommendations, measures which can be implemented, and a detailed action plan for consideration.
Detailed feedback
The subscriber will have a clear understanding of their current level of compliance and what they must do to improve it. In addition, SafetyWallet also offers them the necessary tools, support and assistance to ensure that compliance is improved. Once the subscriber is found compliant, they will also be provided with their compliance certificate which is valid for a year. 
