Systems & Documentation · 6 checks

Emergency Preparedness
safety audit checklist

First aid, accident book, emergency contacts, procedures.

Every check below says what good looks like, when it passes, the regulation or HSE guidance it rests on and the defects that usually fail it. Critical checks are marked: a fail on one of those stops the activity.

  1. 1.
    First aider on site and identified
    What to look forTrained first aider per HSE first aid needs assessment, typically First Aid at Work (FAW) 3-day for higher-risk construction sites. Photo + name + cover area on noticeboard. In-date certificate (3 years). Hi-vis or armband to identify. Backup first aider for shift cover or if primary on annual leave.
    Acceptable whenHealth and Safety (First-Aid) Regs 1981. INDG214, First aid at work. Higher-risk construction = FAW (3-day, refresh every 3yrs). Lower-risk = EFAW (1-day). Needs assessment to determine numbers.
    StandardHealth and Safety (First-Aid) Regs 1981. ACOP L74. INDG214. Recognised provider (Qualsafe, Highfield, etc.).
    Common defectsNo first aider on site, only "appointed person"Certificate expiredFirst aider not on shift, single person cover with no backupEFAW only on high-risk site (FAW required)Names on board not current
  2. 2.
    First aid kit stocked and accessible
    What to look forBS 8599-1:2019 first aid kit, small/medium/large sized to workforce/risk. Eye wash if chemical/dust risk. Burn dressings. AED (defibrillator) in welfare unit (best practice). Kit checked monthly, log kept. No expired items. Located in welfare and at remote work areas.
    Acceptable whenHealth and Safety (First-Aid) Regs 1981. BS 8599-1:2019, workplace first aid kits. Contents per workforce size. Monthly contents check. INDG214.
    StandardHealth and Safety (First-Aid) Regs 1981. BS 8599-1:2019. INDG214.
    Common defectsKit raided for general use (plasters for blisters)Items expired (saline, dressings)Wrong size kit for workforceNo eye wash for dust/chemical environmentSingle kit on large site, too far from remote worksKit in locked office, no access out of hours
  3. 3.
    Emergency contact numbers displayed
    What to look forSite emergency board with: 999 (police/fire/ambulance), site address + What3Words for 999, named first aider(s) + phone, site manager, emergency rendezvous, nearest A&E + minor injuries unit, NHS 111, COSHH/spill response. Clearly displayed at welfare AND gate.
    Acceptable whenCDM 2015 Reg 13(4), induction includes site rules and emergency procedure. RIDDOR 2013 + Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regs 1981. What3Words now widely accepted by emergency services for off-road locations.
    StandardCDM 2015 Reg 13. RIDDOR 2013. Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regs 1981.
    Common defectsEmergency numbers list 5 years oldNo What3Words / GPS, ambulance can't find remote siteNumbers in office but not at gate / welfareNo spill / environment emergency contactA&E posted but moved hospital location not updated
  4. 4.
    Accident book available
    What to look forBI 510 accident book or equivalent (data-protection compliant, perforated pages, removable for confidentiality). Located at welfare. Used for all accidents and near-misses. Investigation evidence retained. RIDDOR-reportable incidents reported within statutory timeframe.
    Acceptable whenSocial Security (Claims and Payments) Regs 1979 reg 25, accident book. RIDDOR 2013, major injury within 10 days, fatal/specified within hours. Data Protection Act 2018, pages removable.
    StandardRIDDOR 2013. Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regs 1979. Data Protection Act 2018. INDG453, Reporting accidents and incidents.
    Common defectsAccident book not GDPR-compliant (single page, others can read)Near-misses not recordedInvestigations not doneRIDDOR-reportable injury not reportedBook "lost", under-reporting culture
  5. 5.
    Emergency procedure briefed to all operatives
    What to look forProcedure briefed at induction and reinforced in toolbox talks. Covers: alarm signal (continuous tone, voice, klaxon), assembly point, roll call, who calls 999, rescue from height/excavation/confined space, casualty extraction, evacuation route. Annual drill (or per project size) recorded.
    Acceptable whenCDM 2015 Reg 13(4). RR(FS)O 2005. Confined Spaces Regs 1997 (specific rescue plan). Drills recorded; procedure updated when site phases change.
    StandardCDM 2015 Reg 13. RR(FS)O 2005. HSG168. Confined Spaces Regs 1997.
    Common defectsNo drill ever performedOperatives don't know assembly pointNo designated 999 callerProcedure outdated, refers to old gate locationNew starters not briefed before going to work face
  6. 6.
    Nearest A&E details posted
    What to look forA&E or nearest Major Trauma Centre name, full address, postcode, phone, journey time. Map and route shown. Minor Injuries Unit (MIU) for non-emergency. NHS 111 for advice. Different facilities for daytime vs out-of-hours. Designated transport (vehicle/driver) for non-999 transfers.
    Acceptable whenHealth and Safety (First-Aid) Regs 1981. HSE first aid needs assessment, capability to get casualty to medical care. HSG65, managing for health and safety.
    StandardHealth and Safety (First-Aid) Regs 1981. INDG214. NHS service directory.
    Common defectsA&E listed has closed / movedTrauma centre details not posted (relying on local A&E for major trauma)No designated transport for non-999 transferMIU posted but only daytime hours not notedPostcode wrong, emergency services delayed

Questions people ask

How often should a emergency preparedness audit be done?

Weekly is the common rhythm for a live site, plus whenever the work, the plant or the people change and after any incident or near miss. What matters is that it is scored, recorded, dated and the actions are closed out, not the exact frequency. Guidance, not legal advice.

What is the difference between a safety audit and an inspection?

An inspection looks at the site. An audit checks the system as well: is the paperwork there, do the people know it, is what was promised actually happening. On a small site the words blur, and that is fine. The checks below cover both.

What happens with a failed item?

A corrective action with an owner and a date, and a photo of the fail so nobody argues later. Where a check is marked critical, a fail stops that activity until it is put right.

Who should carry out the audit?

A competent person, and where possible not the person whose work is being looked at. The site manager auditing the site manager's housekeeping is better than nothing, but a visiting supervisor or the SHEQ lead sees what the regular eye has stopped noticing.

Is a site safety audit a legal requirement?

The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 require arrangements for monitoring your health and safety measures (regulation 5), and CDM 2015 requires every contractor to plan, manage and monitor the work under their control (regulation 15). A recorded, scored audit is how you show that is happening. Guidance, not legal advice.

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