A Discovery Audit is a workplace visit, undertaken at the request of the employer, by an experienced occupational health clinician for the purposes of exploring the occupational health and safety issues in the workplace and providing the employer with clear guidance as to how the hazards can be managed effectively to meet the relevant health and safety legislation.
Depending upon the size of the workforce, the size of the premises/site, the nature of the hazards present (which will vary from sector to sector) and/or the potential workplace challenges at the time of the visit the clinician may need to be on site for 2 – 4 hours.
Larger employers may wish the clinician to visit several sites, especially where the hazards, risks or processes are notably different, to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the workplace hazards and risks.
It is recommended that your human resources (HR) and health and safety (H&S) staff, where they exist, are available to meet with the clinician during the visit. The clinician will usually discuss the current business needs, any potential health and safety issues, any existing health surveillance programmes which may be in place, any current trends in short and long-term sickness absence, and/or any issues with compliance, workplace accidents and/or RIDDOR (link) events.
They will also provide you with the opportunity to discuss the wide range of occupational health services which we can offer our customers onsite, at our clinics and remotely.
Following this discussion, you are advised to guide the clinician around the workplace ensuring that, where necessary, they have access to or can discuss the hazards and risks present with the most relevant or experienced members of staff within any hazardous areas. During the visit the clinician will provide guidance on the following issues (where applicable):
Manual handling
Noise
Vibration (Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome – HAVS)
COSHH
Skin irritants
Respiratory irritants
Other hazards
o Asbestos – licensed/non-licensed work
o Biological hazards and sharps injuries
o Extremes of temperature
o Electromagnetic fields (EMF)
o Lasers
o Non-ionising radiation /ionising radiation
Welfare arrangements
It is important to note that it is not the responsibility of the occupational health clinician or occupational health provider to undertake or write the workplace risk assessment and method statements (RAMS) and that the Discovery Audit does not replace the need for managing the risks safely using your RAMS.
Furthermore, where necessary, the clinician may advise that the services of an Occupational Hygienist are used to obtain additional data upon which to base any decisions regarding health and safety in the workplace.
Following the Discovery Audit a report will be produced detailing the hazards identified and necessary actions to be taken, this will be sent to you by email, this is generally available within 5 working days
Once you have had an initial Discovery Audit, a review is advised every 3 – 5 years depending upon whether there have been any significant changes in the number or extent of hazards on site, any changes in operating processes or at the request of the employer.
For details of pricing please contact us here or call us on 01792 321010!
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