![]() ![]() You may need to test equipment, or ask staff to explain a process and compare it to what’s written on the policy to assess competency and potential training shortfalls. Send out a copy of the calendar so an upcoming audit is never a surprise to staff.Īgain, the audit process will look different depending on your organisation and the area being audited. It’s easy for the months to roll past and for internal audits to not happen, so schedule them out for the year ahead. Once you know how often you want to audit each area, put it in your calendar. from quarterly to monthly, or monthly to weekly – depending on the risks. Your safety management system should outline how often you need to audit different areas, but you may wish to change the frequency – i.e. It’s likely that some areas of your business will need auditing more often than others as they carry higher health and safety risks. However, some timings are decided for you, for example HACCP audits must be completed quarterly. You also need to set benchmarks and standards, and make sure everyone agrees on them before the audit takes place.Ĭhoosing how often to audit will depend on the size of your business, the industry you’re in and if your work environment is continuously changing (like a construction site). Whatever the area of focus, you should use a ‘systematic and disciplined approach to their work’ according to The Institute of Internal Auditors Australia. It’s important that an internal audit doesn’t try to do everything at once. Some areas have simple processes, while others are more complex. Most internal health and safety audits can follow a six-step process…įirst things first, you need to make a note of each area of the business that should be audited. Safety function audits include, but are not limited to: This means they look at the detail of a specific activity through a vertical slice of the organisation’s structure, from senior management to the workplace. OHSAS 18001 – Occupational Health and Safety Management System.ISO 45001 – Occupational Health and Safety.AS/NZS 4801 – Occupational Health and Safety Management System.Management system audits are typically assessed against the following standards: This means it looks across the entire company structure and considers the broad, in-depth scope of management policies and procedures that are in place to manage the organisation’s health and safety at the site. There are many types of safety audits, but the two most widely used are:Ī management system audit is “horizontal”. Assess whether your organisation has completed any previous modification compliance audits, when necessary.See if your safety management system is maintaining the performance criteria and the auditing system is effective.Test if your safety management system is achieving its objectives.Document that your safety management system complies with legislation.They’re really helpful for coming up with actionable steps you can take to improve your business’ safety, and can be used to: Why is a Health and Safety Audit Important?Īs well as identifying gaps, health and safety audits are important for challenging the benchmarks you’ve set out in your safety management system. If you don’t have a safety management system, get in touch and we can create one for you. This will highlight any gaps you need to close in your business. Your task is to compare what’s happening in your business with what’s written in your safety management system. Others use the audit to tease out any deficiencies in specific processes or areas of the business.įor the sake of this article, let’s say you’re a small business owner conducting an internal audit on your own company. ![]() Some businesses choose both and conduct an internal audit as a precursor to the external audit. Others prefer to hire someone externally to utilise a fresh set of eyes and perspective. Some businesses prefer to conduct their audits in-house, as they know the areas they want to focus on. WHS auditors can be internal employees or someone external. Who can conduct a health and safety audit? So think of them as a positive learning opportunity to improve the safety of your team. ![]() They’re key for finding out where your safety performance currently sits, and where it needs to be – as per the agreed parameters. Safety audits shouldn’t be a policing process. If the word ‘audit’ conjures up a montage of clipboards, inspections, and interrogations, you’ve either had terrible experiences or you’re expecting the worst. When it comes to analysing a business’ workplace health and safety (WHS) performance, audits are fundamental. Whether you’re doing your first health and safety audit or simplify your existing process, these six steps (and free template) will help you on your way. ![]()
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