Common Audit/Safety Errors
Are you getting ready for an audit at your business? While an audit is an important tool for preventing workplace accidents and injuries, audits can be stressful for business owners, especially if you’re in a high-risk industry such as manufacturing, construction, or transportation. If an audit finds that your business has safety issues or regulatory violations, it can lead to fines and liability issues, as well as a lapse in the Workers’ Compensation coverage you need to protect your business and your employees.
To protect your employees and prevent audit issues, you can take steps to ensure safety around your business. In particularly, pay attention to these four areas that often cause issues during audits.
Walking and surface areas
Be sure all walking areas are free of hazards like debris, tools, and boxes. Have a safety plan for if something spills on a walking area, like putting up a warning sign or having the spill promptly cleaned up. If your industry uses equipment like ladders or scaffolding, you should also make sure these areas are clean, safe, and free of common hazards.
Fire prevention
Along with taking steps to prevent fires at your workplace, you should also have a clear fire evacuation plan. Make sure all employees, including any temporary employees, are aware of proper fire safety protocols, and have clearly marked emergency exits.
Personal protective equipment (PPE)
Many industries require some kind of protective equipment. For example, workers in the construction industry might need hard hats in certain areas, while workers in healthcare might be required to wear masks and gloves. If your industry has regulations about PPE, make sure all your employees are aware and taking the right steps to protect themselves from workplace hazards.
Tools
Similarly, be sure your employees know the right safety procedures when using tools or equipment like powered tools, forklifts, or fast-moving machinery. In some cases, you might offer periodic safety training on how to operate dangerous equipment, especially if you have new employees or industry safety regulations have changed.
By paying attention to common issues and areas like these, you can take the right steps to protect your employees, spot risks before they cause injuries, and ensure you’re ready to ace your audits.
If you need extra assistance with audit preparation, you can also consider a partnership with us at Work Comp Business Insurance Solutions! We offer a variety of products to help business owners improve safety practices, including a Full PEO product that offers Workers’ Compensation, risk management, and loss control. Through services like these, we’ll help you navigate the complex process of improving safety at your business, and will help you at every step of the way.
At Work Comp Business Insurance Solutions, we help business owners find the best Workers’ Compensation and payroll solutions.To learn more about our services and how we can help your business, visit us online at https://www.wcbis.com.
