Safety audits are established to evaluate the health and safety of a work setting. Industries like manufacturing, construction, gas and oil, and more require extensive safety policies and procedures to protect employees and the location itself. Audits evaluate the operations of a workplace, identifying hazards and compliance with safety standards and regulations and promoting continuous improvement. 

Traditionally, safety audits are conducted by a management team or outsourced to a third-party company. Typically, auditors do a physical walk through of a workplace to evaluate the safety conditions and the ways that employees do or do not comply with company safety procedures. When auditing requires a physical walk through, workers may better adhere to compliance policies when they know they are being observed and evaluated, which does not provide an accurate depiction of daily operations.

Remote video audits can be conducted through existing security cameras and other infrastructure to maintain the day-to-day operations of a workplace while evaluating the safety compliance. 

What is Remote Video Auditing?

Remote video auditing does not disrupt day-to-day operations, or the way employees would normally behave. Conducted through existing security cameras and surveillance infrastructure, auditors can remotely review and report on workplace compliance with safety procedures. 

VirtuGuard™ will develop a Video Audit Plan/Script with your company to observe your processes, work environment, condition of equipment, and compliance with external laws and internal regulations.  

The VirtuGuard™ Video Auditing Specialists Team will evaluate recorded video clips and livestreams from the workplace. They will observe whether company policies and procedures are being followed based on days, weeks, or months of monitoring. The team will then create reports, describing instances where safety procedures were not followed and employees that were involved. Video footage of specific events will be included in the reports.  

Reports will give company management insight into where workplace safety is not being followed and how to make improvements in order to reduce workplace safety risks. 

Video Audit for OSHA Compliance and Safety Measures 

Video audit plans can be developed using OSHA safety standards for specific industries and environments. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) sets safety standards for a variety of industries and the processes that are within them. Created to ensure safe and healthy working conditions for workers across public and most private sectors, OSHA enforces civil penalties and criminal fines should an employer willfully or repeatedly violate the requirements of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970.   

A Verifiable Third-Party Video Audit conducted to evaluate and report on your company’s compliance with OSHA not only protects your workers from injury or illness, but also your company from exorbitant fines or a hit to your reputation that can follow the failure to adhere to the regulations. The VirtuGuard™ Video Auditing Specialists Team investigates and reports on hazards known to your industry and specific safety concerns brought forth by your company. A safety video audit may investigate the following:  

• Emergency procedures 
• Access points are not blocked or hindered 
• Proper storage and disposal of hazardous materials 
• Proper use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) 
• Proper use of equipment and machinery 
• Other hazards in the workplace 

After observing and reviewing the work site, VirtuGuard™ Video Auditing Specialists will present a detailed report to your team. This can prepare your company for official OSHA audits and improve the working conditions and overall safety of the working environment. 

Workplace Injury Prevention and Investigation

Safety compliance violations and workplace injury insurance payouts and lawsuits can create monetary loss for companies and damage their reputations. Safety video audits can help ensure workplace compliance with both company-wide and national standards.  

During video audits and VirtuGuard™ remote video monitoring, Video Auditing Specialists can look for environmental safety hazards, like spills, wet floors, and improper storage and handling of hazardous materials. They can then report these findings to onsite management to resolve before someone is injured. 

In the event that an injury does occur in the workplace, VirtuGuard™ can investigate the event. Reviewing video footage of the incident, Video Auditing Specialists can determine the cause of an injury or accident. Investigations into workplace injuries can determine whether an injury claim is fraudulent or legitimate, or if an injury has been exaggerated.  

Improve Employee Performance and Morale

Remote video auditing allows companies to address employees’ concerning behavior but also reward exceptional work. While safety audit reports can provide employers with greater insights into the efficiency of their workplace operations, they can also provide employees with consistent feedback. 

If an audit detects a pattern of specific employees failing to adhere to safety standards, management can assign additional training to address and correct the behavior. Enhanced training practices can improve the overall operations of a workplace, even if it appears to be functioning well enough. Recorded video clips, of both employees adhering to or failing to comply with safety practices, can be used in the training materials for both new and existing employees. If the issues persist, management may choose to move certain employees to other positions or let them go entirely. 

It is also important for employee retention and workplace morale to recognize and reward employees who meet and exceed workplace safety standards. Employee retention is an important aspect of a workplace. When employees feel valued and are recognized for exceptional work, they are more likely to remain with the company and maintain their work ethic. Audits can also give employees chances to be promoted within the workplace, as behavior that might have previously gone unnoticed is brought to light. 

Try VirtuGuard™ Safety Video Audits

Remote video safety audits can improve workplace safety and operations. Less interruptive than traditional audits, video audits can be conducted remotely through existing surveillance equipment. VirtuGuard™ fully customizes a safety checklist for each company and worksite. An added benefit of safety audits is the opportunity to prevent workplace injury and investigate injuries to reduce injury compensation fraud.  

To learn more about VirtuGuard™, visit our website or complete the contact form below to be contacted by a BOS Security expert.