Safety uditing is a valuable safety management tool, and is used to build up a picture of existing health and safety management controls and determine their suitability. The audit examines your management policies and procedures for securing health, safety and welfare in the workplace. This is supported by an inspection which will help identify areas where new policies are required, and where existing procedures are not working effectively.

Comply at Work will produce a written report which compares 'what is' against 'what should be', which practical suggestions for improvement. Recommendations can be broken down into three categories:

• those that must be addressed in order to comply with current legislation

• those that are good practice and ought to be addressed by a responsible and progressive employer, and

• other enhancements to health, safety or welfare that are worth considering

Health and Safety Audits are best carried out using an external pair of eyes so nothing is overlooked. An audit will show how your organisation measures up to legal requirements, and whether your safety performance is up to standard. It provides a benchmark from which you can develop a health and safety plan.