Conducting a Review

There are three main ways of conducting a review: hire external consultants, cross review using staff from another part of the company or do the job using internal experts. What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of each possibility?

	Advantages	Disadvantages
External Consultants
Staff from another part of the Company
Internal experts

Here, of course, we assume that you intend to carry out the review yourself.
	Next a protocol or checklist will be invaluable in making sure that nothing is overlooked. You could write or formulate your own protocol since you know your own industry and can include only the main environmental headings appropriate to your industry. To help you a proposed protocol is set out below. You do not have to rely on it, but you may nonetheless find it stimulates your own thoughts.
If you can, choose a team to conduct the review as this can make use of a range of expertise and places less reliance on the experience and knowledge of one person. Decide who leads the team and how you will communicate with each other.
Before the site visit. The process then involves obtaining as much information (required by your protocol) as possible in advance of a site visit. Things like energy bills can usually be made available by post/fax/email. Site visit. Start the site visit with an opening meeting to make introductions and explain the scope, purpose and conduct of the review. During the site visit collect evidence, observe actions and operations, storage conditions, talk to operatives etc and conclude each day with a close out meeting to give feedback to the relevant personnel. During the site visit you should pay particular attention to your dress and footware since you may be outside in bad weather and may encounter poor ground conditions. If the company gives a safety briefing than obviously respect their rules. If safety equipment is provided then use it.
	Notes should be taken carefully, including details of dates and times and names of people. Reporting should be done as soon as possible and should present all data clearly with all pages dated and initialled. A possible report structure is provided in the following pages.