Safety First

FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

The findings and recommendations must address four primary questions:
· What are the hazards associated with this organization's operations?
· What factors can result in hazards becoming occupational Safety and Health risks?
· What actions can be taken to control these risks?
· How can the organization manage these risks in the long-term?

One method of organizing the report is to present information as a series of topics. For each topic, describe the facts, for example, description of the element, the field verification and testing, and the criteria used. The findings usually take the form of brief comments about each element.

The recommendations should normally be in the form of system improvements and specific corrections. An example of a system improvement might be the introduction of a selection and maintenance policy for personal protective equipment. A specific correction example could be the use of air-supplied respiratory protection when applying epoxy paint containing isocyanides in a spray booth.

Recommendations must propose control measures that are practical, feasible and effective. The use of "overkill" or over specification will reduce the credibility of the report and management acceptance.

The draft report should be discussed with the appropriate levels of management before the final version is produced. This serves three purposes:
· It allows the auditor to test the accuracy of the findings and the reasonableness of the recommendations;
· The auditor can begin to "sell" the recommendations and the benefits of rectifying deficiencies; and
· Management's comments can be included in the report at the discretion of the auditor.

The use of photographs may also improve understanding and acceptance of the report.