Safety Audits in Healthcare Environments

Healthcare environments present unique safety challenges that require ongoing awareness and proactive involvement from every employee. This course explores the purpose and process of workplace safety audits in healthcare facilities, equipping employees with the knowledge to actively contribute to a safer environment for themselves, their coworkers, and their patients.

Course Highlights

• What a safety audit is, why it matters, and the four major types of safety audits conducted in healthcare facilities
• How a workplace analysis is performed, including physical inspections of the environment, tools, equipment, ergonomics, and facility policies and procedures
• The role employees play during a safety audit, including self-inspecting work areas, reporting hazards, and participating in auditor interviews
• OSHA’s Hierarchy of Controls and how each level — from hazard elimination to personal protective equipment — works to protect workers and patients
• How to conduct a personal safety audit to evaluate your own awareness of facility procedures, emergency locations, and safety protocols
• The importance of knowing where safety resources are located, including exits, fire escapes, eyewash stations, safety showers, first aid kits, and fire extinguishers
• What to do when an accident or emergency occurs, including providing assistance, filing incident reports, and reporting near misses

By the end of the course, you will have learned:

• The definition and purpose of a safety audit and how it helps protect employees and patients while maintaining OSHA compliance
• How a workplace analysis identifies physical, procedural, ergonomic, and hazardous material risks within a healthcare facility
• How to inspect your own work area for clutter, damaged equipment, tripping hazards, and improper PPE use
• The five levels of OSHA’s Hierarchy of Controls and how each type of control functions within a healthcare setting
• How to assess your personal knowledge of facility safety procedures, emergency protocols, and standard operating procedures
• The proper steps to take following a workplace accident or near miss, including reporting, documentation, and supporting an accident investigation