The objective of HSE Audits is fact finding for improvement and not fault finding.
The Story of a Construction Worker
Kamal Sharma has been working on construction sites since 25 years and seen a sea change in the industry. Ask him what this change is exactly, and he says, “Safety of workers is prioritized now by builders and things have gone from heavily manual to mechanized.” A migrant from Bihar, he has spent most of his adult life away from home, worked across the country and now in Maharashtra. His family depends on what he earns and his life is precious to them, though it is always in a precarious situation at the construction site. However, Safety and Health attitudes have evolved in the country, and developers have learnt to value their workers who create these landmarks. Apart from the human element, even the health of the natural eco-system that a building alters when it intrudes into it is a major concern.
Awareness is of no use unless there is implementation on ground. There have always been laws, rules and standards in place but have remained on paper all this while. The credit for changes in the construction world especially worker safety and health, and environment protection goes to the culture of conducting Third Party Audits. Called Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) Audits, these have been crucial in making workers like Kamal Sharma feel safe at the site.
Safety from the Word Go
Kamal Sharma is getting ready for another day at the construction site. He dons his fluorescent safety jacket, boots and helmets without which he cannot enter the site. He has been taught to check his gear for wear and tear and use of harnesses while working at heights is a must. Toolbox talks have been scheduled by his project manager today, where the team will be given a short talk about safety precautions and different aspects of a particular tool or process. This happens regularly and now following strict safety measures has become second nature to the workers. Kamal is experienced but he has seen many new workers who are also migrants in a new place, and are in dire need of handholding. While this was not done earlier, now he sees that they are being educated about safety protocols.
Construction companies also provide specialized training for specific construction site hazards identification, encourage open communication between the managers and workers and are also told to report near misses and incidents. Kamal’s company has its HSE policies routinely checked by a Third Party Auditing firm fostering a culture of safety and care on the site.
HSE Audits – Why Are They A Must Have
CQRA HSE Audit experts say from their profound experience that leading by example is the most effective way of demonstrating the commitment towards safety to all levels of the workforce. Just having a safety net around the building is a reactive method, erecting barricades so that no worker falls off is the proactive approach that managers must imbibe. Thus the onus of enforcing safety practices is on the management of the company. HSE Audits are the best way to ensure that your site is safe in every way for every level of your workforce and the environment as well. Lets see what are the other ways in which you will gain if you get HSE Audits done by Third Party Agencies like CQRA, not just by in-house teams.
Apart from the obvious benefits like increased employee productivity and safe work culture, Third Party Audits help companies keep abreast of new labor or environment laws and norms like nets around the site to control air pollution. Audits help avoid project delays and steer clear of possible fines and fees that could arise due to legal or medical issues of staff and also control insurance premium amounts that could be high due to poor safety records.
CQRA HSE Audits – Fact Finding For Improvement
A construction company where CQRA was invited to do an HSE audit was pretty sure they did not really need one as they had hired a renowned contractor. However, CQRA Auditors upon inspection listed about 150 findings which only goes to show that developers must not blindly trust their contractors and go for non-partisan audits.
Most importantly, the objective of Audits is fact finding for improvement and not fault finding as most managers feel. Upon acting on CQRA’s Audit report, the company’s later audits brought up fewer findings, resulting in major improvements on site. Managers might question the need for HSE Audits, thinking all is fine at their site as this company thought. But you get continued improvement, prevention of accidents and an evolution of safety performance. What’s more, the company’s reputation keeps getting better due to their demonstrated commitment to safety among their clients, stakeholders and the public at large.
At CQRA, we deeply value our expertise in HSE and other Third-Party Audits. Our clients often express confidence when they learn that CQRA has conducted the audit, putting their investors and buyers at ease. Your company’s reputation keeps getting better due to demonstrated commitment to safety among your clients, stakeholders and the public with an HSE Audit.
