Health and Safety Audits in Care Settings: CQC Requirements and Best Practices

Health and Safety in Care: Beyond the Basics

Health and safety auditing in care settings goes beyond standard workplace requirements. CQC assesses how your safety systems protect both the people you support and your staff. Getting this right is fundamental to the Safe key question.

Fire Safety

Regular fire risk assessments, documented fire drills, personal emergency evacuation plans (PEEPs) for each resident, and maintained fire safety equipment are essential. Audit that all elements are current and that staff know their roles in an evacuation.

Infection Prevention and Control

Post-pandemic, IPC standards remain elevated. Audit your cleaning schedules, PPE availability, hand hygiene practices, and outbreak management procedures. Evidence of regular IPC audits is expected by CQC.

Manual Handling

Assess that all staff have current manual handling training, that individual moving and handling risk assessments are in place, and that equipment is serviced and appropriate. Poor manual handling practices put both staff and residents at risk.

COSHH and Hazardous Substances

Audit your COSHH assessments, storage of cleaning chemicals, and staff awareness of hazardous substances. Ensure data sheets are accessible and that risk assessments are reviewed annually.

Environmental Safety

Regular premises audits should cover water safety (legionella), electrical testing, gas safety, window restrictors, and general maintenance. Document all checks and follow-up actions.

Digital Audit Tools

MyCareAudit provides dedicated health and safety audit templates covering all these areas and more. Our AI gap detection identifies risks that manual checks might miss.