Department:

Date:

Health and Safety Self Audit Questionnaire

Ref

Standard

Verify

`1

Policy

1.1

Is there a written statement of health and safety

policy?

Hardcopy

1.2

Is it signed and dated by the Head of Department?

Signature, date

1.3

Does it contain a commitment to health and safety

by the Head of Department?

In statement

Has it been communicated to all staff in the

Department?

Method of distribution to staff

1.4

Comments

Y/N

Discussions with Head of Department

Staff aware of the existence of the policy

Current version in circulation

1.5

Has it been reviewed in the previous 12 months

and are there records of the review?

RK Sept 2011

Re-isssue in previous 12 months or Minutes or

note of review

Page 1 of 11

Department:

Date:

Health and Safety Self Audit Questionnaire

Ref

Standard

Verify

Organisation

2.1

Is the Head of Department identified as the person

with overall responsibility for health and safety?

In statement

Is there a health and safety plan for the

Department indicating the main issues which are
being addressed?

Copy of plan

Is the performance of the department against the

plan monitored by the Head of Department?

Head of Department aware of existence of plan

Is health and safety recognised to be a line

management responsibility?

Statement in policy

Is the line management structure in the

Department clear?

Organisation chart

2.2

2.3

2.4

2.5

Comments

Y/N

Awareness by Head of Department of

responsibility

What, who and when

Method of monitoring

Awareness among managers/supervisors of what

line management responsibility for health and
safety means

Resolution of any ambiguities in reporting lines

Awareness among staff of organisational structure
and their place in it

2.6

Are particular tasks assigned to named

individuals?

Details in policy (e.g. fire, first aid, computer

workstations, electrical inspection)
Named individuals aware of their responsibilities

2.7

Are staff told what to do if they have any health

and safety concerns?

RK Sept 2011

Details in policy
Awareness by staff

Page 2 of 11

Department:

Date:

Health and Safety Self Audit Questionnaire

Ref

Standard

Verify

Department Health & Safety Co-ordinator

3.1

Has a Department Health & Safety Co-ordinator

(HSC) been appointed?

Name

Does the Department Health & Safety Co-ordinator

have a remit which gives him/her an advisory role?

Details in policy

3.2

Comments

Y/N

Agreement with University Safety Office records

Verbal understanding between HOD/HSC

Written remit agreed between HOD/HSC

3.3

Have responsibilities, other than the advisory role,

been formally delegated to the Department Health
& Safety Co-ordinator?

Stated in policy
Verbal understanding between HOD/HSC
Written remit agreed between HOD/HSC
e.g.
Maintain health and safety documentation
Co-ordinate inspections and lead the inspection
team
Record accidents
Disseminate health and safety information to
staff and students
Maintain health and safety training records
Co-ordinate first aid arrangements
Co-ordinate fire arrangements

3.4

Has the Department Health & Safety Co-ordinator

received sufficient training to enable him/her to be
competent to carry out the role?

RK Sept 2011

Discuss HOD
Discuss HSC

Page 3 of 11

Department:

Date:

Health and Safety Self Audit Questionnaire

Ref

Standard

Department Safety Committee

4.1

Is there a Department Safety Committee?

Verify

Comments

Y/N

Details in policy
Minutes of meeting held in previous term (+ this
term)

4.2

OR
Is health and safety discussed at other meetings of
the Department?

Minutes of meeting held in previous term (+ this

term)

Is the committee chaired by the Head of

Department or another senior member of the
Department?

Details in policy

Does the committee have broad representation

from all parts of the Department?

Details in policy

4.5

Does the committee have a clear remit?

Details in policy or other document

4.6

Does the committee act in an advisory role to the

Head of Department?

Statement in policy or other document

4.7

Does the committee fulfil its remit?

Minutes and discussion with committee members

4.3

4.4

Minutes showing convener present

Minutes

Check for review of

health and safety arrangements (inspections,
accidents, risk assessment, training,
communication of information),
forum for discussion,
meeting at least once per term,
publish minutes

RK Sept 2011

Page 4 of 11

Department:

Date:

Health and Safety Self Audit Questionnaire

Ref

Standard

Verify

Risk Assessment

5.1

Have all hazards creating significant risks been

identified?

Reference hazard checklists

5.2

Have standards been developed and documented

for control of risks?

Who/what/when

5.3

Have legal requirements and published guidance

been considered?

Up to date copies of relevant documents in

departments or awareness of their existence and
contents

5.4

Are the departments standards for risk control

available to those in the workplace, are they
understood and are they followed?

Copies in the workplace

Comments

Y/N

Range of methods for documentation and

understanding of the application of the different
methods

Awareness among staff and students

Evidence that they are being followed

5.5

Where risk assessments indicate the need for

authorised persons, training or supervision, is it
being effectively implemented?

Evidence from workplace

Training Records
Awareness by managers and supervisors

RK Sept 2011

Page 5 of 11

Department:

Date:

Health and Safety Self Audit Questionnaire

Ref

Standard

Verify

Plant and Equipment

6.1

Have the plant and equipment which will need

regular inspection and maintenance been
identified?

Check:
Electrical equipment
Height access equipment
Machinery
Fume cupboards
Microbiological safety cabinets
Local exhaust ventilation
Lifting equipment and lifting tackle
Pressure vessels
Personal protective equipment
Vehicles

6.2

Have statutory requirements and industry guidance

been considered?

Awareness of requirements and guidance

6.3

Has the scope of necessary inspection and

maintenance been determined?

Written specifications

Has responsibility for insuring that inspection and

maintenance is carried out been clearly assigned?

Details in policy

Is there a system for ensuring that inspection and

maintenance is carried out at appropriate times by
a competent person?

Records which show that

inspection has been carried out and
highlight equipment not inspected
(amount of detail dependent on risk)

6.4

6.5

RK Sept 2011

Comments

Y/N

Awareness of requirements

Awareness by person concerned

Page 6 of 11

Department:

Date:

Health and Safety Self Audit Questionnaire

Ref

Standard

Training

7.1

Has it been determined who needs to be trained?

Verify

Comments

Y/N

Details in policy
Induction training
Task specific training

7.2

Has the content of training been determined?

Checklist or syllabus for training

7.3

Has it been determined when training is required?

Details in policy or other document

7.4

Has it been determined who is responsible for

ensuring training is provided?

Details in policy

7.5

Is there a system to ensure that training is

provided?

Records which show that

training has been carried out and
highlight people not trained
(amount of detail dependent on risk)

7.6

Is there control of who may carry out activities

where training is a prerequisite?

Lists of authorised persons

RK Sept 2011

Awareness by designated people

Awareness of who is authorised

Page 7 of 11

Department:

Date:

Health and Safety Self Audit Questionnaire

Ref

Standard

Verify

Monitoring - Inspections

8.1

Are inspections carried out at least three times per

year?

Inspection reports

8.2

Does the Head of Department commission the

inspections and are members of the department
aware of this?

Head of Department aware of responsibility

Comments

Y/N

Evidence of communication to the department

Members of the department aware of the Head of
Departments role

8.3

Do senior members of staff participate in

inspections?

Inspection reports - list of inspectors

8.4

Does the inspection team use checklists based on

the Departments documented health and safety
arrangements?

Departments inspection checklists

8.5

Does the inspection team report back to the Head

of Department with its findings?

Written report covering

positive and negative findings
recommendations for remedial action,
timescales and priorities
suggests for who should carry out remedial
action

8.6

Where deficiencies are identified, are follow up

inspections arranged to ensure remedial action has
been effective?

Reports from follow up inspections

Have deficiencies identified in the University Safety

Advisers inspection been addressed?

Evidence that deficiencies have been rectified

8.7

RK Sept 2011

Evidence that deficiencies have been rectified

Page 8 of 11

Department:

Date:

Health and Safety Self Audit Questionnaire

Ref

Standard

Verify

Accidents and near misses

9.1

Does the Department have procedures for the

reporting of accidents?

Details in policy

9.2

Are accident reports completed by the immediate

supervisor of the injured person or by the person in
charge of the area where the accident occurred?

Copies of accident reports

9.3

Are copies of accident reports sent to the

Department HSC and the University Safety Office?

Department HSC files

Are accidents investigated by line managers?

Procedures for investigation by line manager

9.4

Comments

Y/N

University Safety Office files

Investigation reports from line managers

9.5

Where the causes of accidents have been

identified, are corrective actions taken?

RK Sept 2011

Evidence of effective follow up to accidents

Page 9 of 11

Department:

Date:

Health and Safety Self Audit Questionnaire

Ref

Standard

10

Emergencies

10.1

Are there arrangements to respond to a fire in each

of the premises occupied by the Department?

Verify

Comments

Y/N

Written arrangements
Communications to staff
Awareness by staff

10.2

Are there arrangements to respond to a chemical

spillage if applicable?

Written arrangements
Communications to staff
Awareness by staff
Equipment necessary to contain and clear up a
spillage (chemical and/or biological)

10.3

Are there adequate first aid facilities for staff?

Adequate number of trained first aiders (with in

date certificates)
First aid equipment
Notices or other methods of communicating first
aid arrangements

RK Sept 2011

Page 10 of 11

Department:

Date:

Health and Safety Self Audit Questionnaire

Ref

Standard

Verify

11

Review

11.1

Does the Department formally review its health and

safety arrangements at least every 12 months?

Written record of review

11.2

Is the review carried out by the Department safety

committee or by a group set up by the Head of
Department?

Written record of review

Does the review group formally obtain a range of

inputs to its review?

Consideration given to
organisational changes
new activities
communications from staff and students
inspection reports
accident reports
new legislation and new published guidance
communications from University Safety Adviser
and other sources

11.3

RK Sept 2011

Comments

Y/N

Written report to Head of Department with

recommendations

Page 11 of 11