The IHEEM Southern Branch’s 2007 technical programme concluded with a presentation, at Fort Southwick, on auditing health and safety in hospital estates, by Alan Hambidge of Empathy Environmental Consultants.
While independent audits are both a legal requirement and good management practice, Alan Hambidge argued health and safety priorities are often decided on the basis of the latest high profile incident, rather than less visible, but greater hazards such as asbestosis that potentially affect a larger number of NHS employees over a longer time.
To aid decision-making, he set out a pragmatic approach to auditing covering ways to improve the effectiveness of health and safety measures and to maximise the benefits available from limited resources.
With increasing healthcare expectations, ever tighter budgets and a Health and Safety at Work Act which requires the accused to prove their innocence, the speaker made a strong case for “independent, but not excessive” auditing.
