Why
conduct an audit of your program?
Almost any control program, even when carefully developed
and implemented, can lose its effectiveness over time. Other
priorities and programs compete for your resources which include
people, time, money and materials. Periodically, it is important
to conduct an audit of your Hazard Communication program to
help ensure that key program elements are in place and operating
so that the goal of chemical injury and illness prevention
is realized. Essentially, an audit consists of a review of
your current program operation and compares what you have
to what you should have.
How
to conduct an audit of your program
Use the audit checklist to review your Hazard Communication
Program as it currently operates, not as you think it should
be operating or as it was originally intended to operate.
Review the pertinent records (e.g., written Hazard Communication
Program, chemical lists, training records, etc.) to help you
determine the status of the key program elements on the checklist.
At certain points in the audit, you will need to visit the
work areas where hazardous chemicals are stored, used, or
produced to check on items such as labeling and the availability
of information for employees. After completing the checklist,
determine which program elements need improvement (i.e., where
there are "No" answers) and complete the Hazard Communication
Program Audit Results found at the end of the checklist.
Hazard
Communication Audit Booklet
(PDF)
Please Note: The audit procedures
in this checklist address the Hazard Communication Program
elements for users of hazardous chemicals, not for chemical
manufacturers or distributors. Therefore, elements covering
Hazard Determination, development of SDSs and labeling of
shipping containers are not addressed in this booklet. Chemical
manufacturers and distributors may still find this audit useful
for evaluating the Hazard Communication Program requirements
covering the in-house use of chemicals.
This checklist is informational
only and was compiled from sources believed to be reliable.
The Zurich Services Corporation - Risk Engineering makes no
guarantee of results and assumes no liability in connection
with the information, methods, or safety suggestions contained
herein. Moreover, it cannot be assumed that every acceptable
safety or compliance procedure is contained herein. Individual
circumstances may warrant or require additional procedures.
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