Know the difference to reap benefits from both types of Safety Audits at site
Safety audits are essential tools in identifying hazards, ensuring compliance, and maintaining a strong safety culture on construction sites. Whether conducted internally or through third-party agencies, these audits serve different but complementary purposes. Understanding their differences helps organizations harness the strengths of both.
A Delhi based construction company had their internal safety audits being carried out regularly by their in-house team. This team pointed out only a few non conformities. However, when CQRA was hired a third party agency for an third party or external safety audit, the team was exposed to observations that they had been oblivious to. While the company’s internal safety audit ensured a continuous check on site conditions, the expertise and experience of CQRA’s external safety audit ensured that the team got a comprehensive review on a host of pointers like safety documentation, engineering, administrative aspects and emergency preparedness.
We see that while internal safety audits are important for a regular check on basic safety implementation and risk mitigation, third party safety audits have their own salient role to play to ensure unbiased and thorough checks.
Internal Safety Audits for Inculcating a Safety Culture
As the name suggests, these audits are conducted by internal teams of construction companies. There are no stringent qualification criteria for internal safety auditors, neither are there any clauses or legal requirements to be fulfilled. Thus any knowledgeable and senior construction staff member can be entrusted with the task of an internal safety auditor. Also, an advantage is that internal safety audits can be carried out frequently, on a weekly or monthly basis, since the auditor is available in-house. As these are carried out for self assessment and earmark areas for improvement, internal safety audits are beneficial for inculcating a safety culture at the site.
Drawbacks of internal audits are that since the auditors are not qualified personnel in safety, there are chances of overlooking certain safety aspects, since the internal team performs the audit as per their list of compliances. Conflict of interest can be an issue and opinions of the internal auditors can be personal and therefore biased. Also, the outcome of an internal safety audit is an internal report with actionable insights.
Third Party Safety Audits for Unbiased, Expert Reviews
Third party safety audits are conducted by third party professional agencies whose auditors are required to have standard qualifications and requisite experience by the accreditation bodies. For example CQRA is an ISO 17020 accredited agency by The National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies (NABCB) which is a constituent board of the Quality Council of India. Hence there are stringent criteria for auditors to be followed. External auditors are carried out as per IS codes, relevant Acts, rules and regulations, ensuring thorough inspections without any conflict of interest. Construction companies thus receive unbiased observations in an external safety audit. Such inspections go a long way in boosting investor and buyer confidence in the project.
These audits have to be a well planned and scheduled activity and therefore are infrequent, taking place quarterly, biannually or yearly. Third party audits are contract based. External audits are not just for safety reviews but also for obtaining mandatory certifications during construction like Fire Safety certification. These can be carried out only by accredited external agencies. The report of a third party safety audit is a formal report and has legal weightage in the documentation of the project.
To Conclude
Both types of audits have their own benefits. While internal safety audits improves readiness and are cost effective, with the company people take ownership of their work, third party audits are unbiased reviews that enhance credibility for investors. Both are strong systems but third party audits have a very systematic approach that is difficult to achieve in internal audits.
Contact CQRA for a comprehensive third party safety audit for your project.