How Has Safety Audit System Changed?
The BC Forest Safety Council has changed the way safety audits are submitted. I have highlighted some of the changes to the submission that I have found.
The new version:
- Has categories of audit submissions on one form
- Removed the scoring summary
- No longer requires you to disclose where you keep your files.
- Does not require you to explain how the supervisor is qualified
- Does not require you to submit basic Safety Rules
- Safety Orientations are submitted for new workers only.
- Has less policy required in your submission.
What I like About New Safety Audit Process
The BC Forest Safety Council is listening to Industry and working to streamline the safety audits.
The older audits were organized by elements with letters, A,B,C etc. The old audit has basically been pulled apart and rebuilt in a different format using elements with numbers, 1,2,3, etc. A 10% reduction in submission documents.
What I Don’t Like About New Safety Audit Process
The BC Safety council has indicated in its explanation of the new safety audit version that the supervisors and owners of forest companies should be conducting safety site inspections themselves, including hazard assessments and any other site related inspections.
According to BCFSC, third party inspections are not sufficient to be submitted with the safety audit.
Many older logging and silviculture contractors prefer to hire safety contractors to visit their sites and complete the paperwork. The information collected by a third party is still communicated to the owners and workers and kept on file.
Conclusions
Hiring a contractor like Finning to come on a work site site and fix a piece of equipment to keep a business running is essentially like hiring a safety consultant to come onsite to keep the paperwork organized so Safe Certification can be maintained allowing the business to continue.
The BCFSC is working to make it easier for companies to gather information and submit their own audits. I do think that safety consultants provide a valuable service in helping keep companies on track by providing safety advice and site visits which helps owners and supervisors run their business safely and efficiently.