Safety Audit

What Does Safety Audit Mean?

A safety audit involves evaluating the safety practices within a workplace to assess their effectiveness and compliance with community or state safety standards. Conducting a safety audit may also be a required step in obtaining insurance for a property.

Insuranceopedia Explains Safety Audit

In a workplace, measures are implemented to eliminate the risk of harm to workers. These measures are regularly inspected by those within the workplace through safety inspections. Independent evaluators may also be brought in to conduct a more comprehensive evaluation, known as a safety audit. Audits often look at the same workplace hazards that lead to claims under workers compensation insurance, like slip risks, unguarded machinery, or chemical exposure.

When a business owner or management seeks insurance for a commercial property, the insurance company may require a safety audit. This is most common with commercial property insurance on older buildings or sites with a history of claims. The results of the audit can influence the coverage and pricing of the policy and, in some cases, may lead to the denial of insurance for the property.