Rigorous waste Duty of Care Audits ensure you are complying with regulations. Plus the results offer a useful depiction of your waste profile against a checklist to take advantage of cost savings. Find out more about our quick and easy Duty of Care Audits, accessible remotely via our app.

 

What is a Duty of Care Audit?

A waste Duty of Care Audit refers to the assessment and verification of an organisation’s compliance with legal waste management obligations. The Duty of Care is a legal requirement in the Environmental Protection Act 1990, putting responsibility on you as a waste producer to ensure waste is properly handled, stored, transported and disposed of.

A Duty of Care Audit includes the review of your waste management practices, implementation of policies, training of staff, how waste is segregated and how well you adhere to regulations. The aim is to confirm you’re managing waste responsibly, in accordance with the law.

Anenta’s remote app can take the stress out of this process, with a quick and straightforward audit, without the need for third-party on-site visits.

 

The importance of Duty of Care Audits

As a waste producer, according to the Environmental Protection Act 1990, you have a Duty of Care for all parties involved in the management of your waste. It applies to all industries and businesses in the UK, and refers to the  proper management, transportation, storage and treatment or disposal of waste.

Healthcare providers are bound by regulations outlined in HTM 07 01 for healthcare waste management. As a waste producer, specific duties, including the Pre-Acceptance Audit and Duty of Care Audit, should be followed. These audits act as a health check with your waste contractor and your processes, confirming they are aligned with the law.

Clear instructions for staff and contractors on waste handling and disposal are essential for compliance. The Defra Approved Code of Practice (March 2016) offers official guidance on fulfilling the duty of care obligations.

A Duty of Care Audit through our remote app allows you to comply with these guidelines with ease, avoiding fines or legal actions from improper waste management.

 

 

Benefits of our Duty of Care Audits

  • Cost savings: gain insight into your waste profile, and with this more accurate picture, we can help negotiate cost-effective contracts for you. Giving you potential annual savings in the thousands. 
  • Regulatory compliance: our expertise means you’ll always be ahead of evolving regulations and impending changes that make waste audits not just desirable, but essential for compliance. 
  • Issue resolution: our Duty of Care Audits identify and address issues promptly, establishing a robust waste management process through audit feedback.
  • HTM 07 01 compliance: assure compliance with waste producer duties and HTM 07 01 guidelines through successful Duty of Care Audits.
  • Operational efficiency: find discrepancies and non-compliances early to minimise disruptions and allow you to enhance your waste management procedures efficiently. 
  • Avoid penalties: our Duty of Care Audit includes compositional analysis of waste so you have a real-world picture and can control costs associated with expensive or unnecessary services, helping to prevent penalties by finding a more appropriate contract for your business. 

 

How does the Duty of Care Audit work?

The Duty of Care Audit works by recording the following information:

  • Training records: identification of waste training linked to duty of care. This record is maintained for compliance purposes.
  • Waste management policies: the app checks if the correct waste management policies are in place. Full details, including the retention of hazardous consignment notes for three years, are recorded for assessment.
  • Regulatory knowledge: the app assesses the user’s knowledge of HTM 07 01 and EPR 5.07, with a focus on compliance with environmental permits issued by the Environment Agency.
  • Staff and facility details: the app logs details of clinical staff and clinically active rooms. It records particulars of internal waste containers, their location, content, labels and segregation.
  • Visual documentation: images of clinical and non-clinical waste containers, room by room, are captured. These can be uploaded via mobile devices for multiple site assessments. 
  • Site communication: Colleagues will get email links to specific sections of the waste Duty of Care Audit.
  • External bulk waste storage: to prevent cross-contamination, there is a similar process for both clinical and non-clinical external bulk waste storage.

 

Why choose Anenta?

  • Trust in our client-focused approach to offer reliable guidance in your Duty of Care Audits.
  • Our remote app simplifies the audit and Duty of Care process so you can save time and money by eliminating on-site visits.
  • Look to us for expertise to ensure waste management audits run smoothly, no matter your size or number of locations.
  • Gain a real view of your waste profile to ensure cost-efficient contracts, saving you thousands annually.

 

Explore our Duty of Care Audit services to overcome waste challenges and achieve cost efficiencies through our remote app and support services. Contact us today on 03301 222143 or complete our contact form for more information.

 

FAQs

 

What does the audit app record?

The app records training records for duty of care compliance, and checks waste management policies, including the retention of hazardous consignment notes. It assesses regulatory knowledge, logs staff and facility details and captures visual documentation of waste containers for multiple site assessments.

 

What new waste regulations do I need to be aware of?

With Environment Permit Regulations under review, more stringent rules could be on the horizon soon. If introduced, the Environment Agency will be able to monitor performance in greater detail. That includes the ability to track waste from source, all the way through to disposal. If this is put into place, waste audits will not only be desirable, they will be essential.

 

What geographic areas do you serve in the UK?

We operate nationwide to deliver Duty of Care Audits via our remote app. Whether you represent a public sector organisation or a private business of any size or location, we can help. We manage waste for the NHS, ICBs, care homes, GPs, pharmacies and businesses covering more than 8,000 locations. Get in contact to discover how we can assist in your waste management and Duty of Care Audit needs.