Posted By Stuart Nagle
Kevin.
The following should be on display, either for mandatory purposes or to comply with other requirements:
The H&S law poster (or leaflets issued to each employee which should prefersable be signed for upon receipt). Mandatory requirement.
The certificate of employers liability insurance. Mandatory requirement.
The company H&S policy displayed (no legal requirement to display but considered best practice, to disseminate information on the policy to all employees and others likely to be effected!
Fire and emergency procedures and fire plan must be displayed (preferably in all rooms which are normally occupied).
First aid appointed person must be displayed (but preferably, unless you have very few personnel, there should be first aiders in preference to appointed persons)
Notices consening: PUWER, Flammable substances, Electric shock treatment, Noise at work, CHIP, COSSH, Manual handling. These should be displayed in areas where the activities take place routinely, for example, a workshop undertaking electrical works, or otherwise could be in communal area used by all employees... Whilst display of these in the most part is not mandatory (with limited exceptions for some I think...Elecricity?) It is considered best practice.
Of course if you are being audited, it rather depends on who is auditing you? If a Client or Customers premises are involved and your there as, for example, a facilities management contractor, the Client or Customer may require these to be displayed, in which case you would need to comply. Ditto for an employer, if this is specified as part of the H&S policy and procedures ect.
The audit should be based on (1) H&S compliance requirements and, (2) the policy and procedures of the company or employer carrying out or for whom the audit is being carried out, and should really explain if the items asked for are mandatory requirements (e.g. requirements for compliance or to meet the policy and procedures in force), or are (3) best practice that should be observed.
Non-complaince as with (1) above will need, obviously, to be actioned. (2) will need to be actioned for comliance with the policy and procedures of the Client, Customer, Employer etc, however (3) if included in an audit report, should be included as recommendations if there are no comliance issues as with (1) and (2) above.
I would suggest you speak to the auditor or Client, Customer or Employer rep who has organised the audit if in doubt and ask what status the audit items (which should preferably be numbered or referenced) have in respect of compliance requirements.
Apart fropm the obvious this will assist you with actioning the items required, and if necessary, on other issues, taking the matter forward to obtain approval, consent, finance to purchase to meet requirements ect...
Hope this helps...