How to audit your workplace safety culture

Creating a safe workplace isn’t just about having policies and procedures in place, it’s about building a culture where safety is prioritised at every level of your organisation. But how do you know if your safety culture is effective? Conducting a thorough safety culture audit can provide the insights you need to identify gaps, improve behaviours, and reduce risks.

Here’s a practical guide on how to conduct a health and safety audit at your workplace.

What is a safety culture audit?

A safety culture audit is a systematic evaluation of your organisation’s attitudes, behaviours, and practices around workplace safety. Unlike a traditional compliance audit, which focuses on whether procedures are being followed, a safety culture audit examines how safety is perceived, communicated, and valued across your workforce.

The goal is to identify strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities to create a proactive, safety-focused environment.

Why auditing safety culture matters

Investing time in auditing your safety culture brings multiple benefits:

1. Reduces workplace incidents – Identifying risky behaviours and unsafe practices early can help prevent accidents and injuries.
2. Improves employee engagement – When employees feel their safety is genuinely valued, they’re more likely to follow procedures and speak up about concerns.
3. Strengthens compliance – Understanding your culture helps ensure that safety policies are embedded and not just “tick-box” exercises.
4. Enhances reputation – A strong safety culture reflects positively on your organisation, improving trust with clients, partners, and regulators.

Steps to audit your workplace safety culture

Define your objectives

Before starting, clarify why you’re conducting the audit. Are you trying to reduce accidents and incidents, improve compliance, or enhance employee engagement? Clear objectives will guide the audit process and ensure actionable results. Read more details about how health and safety reduces workplace accidents.

Gather data

Collect both quantitative and qualitative information to get a complete picture of your safety culture. Methods can include:

• Employee surveys: Ask staff about their perceptions of safety, training effectiveness, and management support.
• Interviews and focus groups: Gain deeper insights from frontline employees and managers about day-to-day safety practices.
• Observation: Watch how work is performed and note any unsafe behaviours or shortcuts.
• Incident and near-miss reports: Analyse historical data to identify patterns and recurring issues.

Assess leadership commitment

Leadership plays a critical role in shaping safety culture. Evaluate whether managers and supervisors:

• Set a visible example by following safety procedures
• Communicate the importance of safety consistently
• Encourage reporting of hazards without fear of repercussions

Strong leadership commitment is often the single most influential factor in a positive safety culture.

Evaluate policies and procedures

Review your current safety policies and procedures to see if they are:

• Clearly documented and accessible to employees
• Aligned with regulatory requirements
• Practically applicable to daily work activities

A safety culture audit isn’t just about whether procedures exist, it’s about whether employees follow them.

Measure employee engagement

Employees are the frontline of safety. Determine if they:

• Feel confident in their safety knowledge
• Know how to report hazards or near misses
• Believe management genuinely cares about their safety

Low engagement often indicates a disconnect between written policies and actual workplace practices.

Identify gaps and opportunities

Once data is collected, analyse it to identify gaps between policy and practice, areas of high risk, and opportunities for improvement. Common findings include:

• Inconsistent adherence to procedures
• Lack of reporting or follow-up on incidents
• Insufficient training or understanding of risks

Common pitfalls in safety culture audits

Even well-intentioned audits can fail if common pitfalls aren’t avoided. These include:

• Relying solely on paperwork: Focusing only on policies without observing behaviours can miss real safety issues.
• Ignoring employee feedback: Frontline staff often have the clearest view of risks—if their input is overlooked, audits are incomplete.
• One-off approach: Treating audits as a one-time task instead of an ongoing process prevents continuous improvement.
• Lack of follow-up: Identifying issues without implementing corrective actions negates the purpose of the audit.

Avoiding these pitfalls ensures your audit produces actionable insights that genuinely improve workplace safety.

Develop an action plan

An audit is only valuable if it leads to action. Develop a structured plan to address gaps, assign responsibilities, and set timelines for improvement. Include both short-term fixes (e.g., refresher health and safety training) and long-term strategies (e.g., embedding safety into performance reviews).

Monitor progress and repeat

Safety culture isn’t static. Regular audits, combined with ongoing monitoring and employee feedback, help ensure continuous improvement and adaptation to changing risks.

How SafeWorkforce can help

At SafeWorkforce, we support businesses in creating safer, more compliant workplaces through comprehensive safety culture assessments. Our team can help you:

• Conduct surveys, interviews, and observations
• Analyse workplace behaviours and safety performance
• Identify gaps and implement practical improvements
• Embed a proactive safety culture across your organisation

With our support, auditing your safety culture becomes a structured, manageable process that drives real change rather than a tick-box exercise.

Building a safer workplace starts with understanding your culture

Auditing your workplace safety culture is a crucial step towards creating a safer, more engaged, and compliant workforce. By identifying gaps, encouraging employee involvement, and aligning leadership and policies, businesses can reduce incidents, enhance productivity, and foster a positive safety culture that lasts.