Hazards audit instruments

The use of workplace inspections makes it necessary to have or develop written safety and health audit instruments. These instruments need to be tailored to meet the specific needs and intended purposes. Those using audit instruments need to be trained on their use and application. This means that they should be able to identify the hazards that are recorded on the audit form and must understand the workings of the workplace, process, equipment, etc., that they are to audit. These completed instruments are a record and documentation of one facet of your safety and health effort. A written sample safety and health audit policy is found in Figure 7.4. In Figure 7.5, you can find a sample jobsite inspection that can be altered and tailored to meet the unique needs of a particular company. 

Facilities Reviews There are many lands of facilities reviews that are useful in detec ting and preventing process safety problems. They include pre-start-up reviews (before the plant operates), new-plant reviews (the plant has started, but is stiU new), reviews of existing plants (safety, technology, and operations audits and reviews), management reviews, critical instrument reviews, and hazardous materials transportation reviews. 

It may be also noted that (i) between 1981 and 1984 six accidents with phosgene or MIC occurred, (ii) a 1982 audit was critical of the MIC tank and instrumentation and (iii) in 1984 a warning of a potential runaway reaction hazard was given. Therefore, clues to this accident were available before it happened. 

The use of audit (inspection) instruments can help determine whether controls are in place and are utilized. It will convey to some extent the overall effectiveness of your hazard control process. Audits will provide information on control processes and techniques that are not functioning correctly. The effectiveness of yonr hazard control procedures can only be accomplished if they are implemented. Therefore, periodic reviews and audits will confirm or disavow that employees are familiar and following the hazard control processes and procedure that the company has implemented. These audits will help identify hazards and issues that have transpired since the previous audit or inspection (see Chapters 7 and 14). 

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