Health And Safety Audit London

Look Beyond The Document Register

A health and safety audit compares the arrangements a business describes with the way its work is managed. We review relevant records, sample workplace conditions and speak with the people responsible for decisions. For London businesses, that can mean checking a single occupied building or agreeing a consistent review across a portfolio.

The purpose is to identify gaps that could affect people, rather than produce a long list of cosmetic document changes. An unsigned policy and an unguarded work activity have different implications. Findings should explain the evidence, the possible consequence and the practical improvement needed, with the limits of the audit made clear.

When To Commission An Audit

An audit can help when responsibility changes, a business takes on new premises or directors need a clearer picture of existing arrangements. It can also support a review after repeated near misses, a client challenge or a period of rapid operational change. The reason for commissioning the work should shape the questions being asked.

For a multi-tenant building, we agree which occupier arrangements are in scope and which sit with the landlord or managing agent. For contractors, we may sample how instructions reach supervisors and how subcontractors are checked. Those interfaces often matter more than whether a file contains another generic procedure.

The Benchmark And Its Limits

HSE’s HSG65 guidance uses the Plan, Do, Check, Act approach to managing health and safety. It provides a useful framework for reviewing leadership, delivery, monitoring and improvement. The legal benchmark remains the duties relevant to your business, including the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and applicable regulations.

An audit is a sample of evidence at a point in time. It is not a guarantee of legal compliance, an inspection by the regulator or certification to a management standard. If you need a particular client questionnaire or contractual benchmark addressed, share it before the scope is agreed.

Our Audit Process

First we define the locations, activities, benchmark and reporting audience. A document request might include your policy, risk assessments, training records, inspection reports, contractor controls and incident procedures. We ask for relevant material rather than collecting every historic file, and agree how confidential records will be made available.

Next, a site review compares those records with observations and conversations. We sample how controls are used, what managers check and whether staff know how to raise concerns. A closing meeting separates issues needing prompt attention from longer-term management improvements and highlights evidence that was unavailable during the visit.

A Report That Supports Decisions

The report should describe the scope, the evidence reviewed and the limitations of the sample. Findings need a reasoned priority and a clear action, with enough context for a manager who did not attend the visit. Photographs can help where agreed and appropriate, without capturing confidential business or personal information.

Your management team allocates owners and dates, then records the evidence used to close each action. Where assessment gaps are found, our risk assessment service can address the affected work. If ownership is unclear, policy writing can clarify responsibilities and escalation.

Scope, Cost And Follow-Up

Audit cost depends on the number of sites, the activities sampled, document volume, visit duration and the level of reporting required. A board summary with a detailed action register takes a different amount of work from a focused review of one operational issue. Follow-up visits and action verification should be agreed separately.

To request a proposal, explain why the audit is needed and who will use the findings. Tell us whether your business runs across shifts, shares premises or relies on contractors. If a previous report exists, identify its date and outstanding themes so the next review can test progress rather than repeat the same questions.

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