One of the easiest ways which compliance can be ensured is through a health and safety audit.
Such audits are an expert assessment of an organisation’s health and safety policies, systems, procedures and operations. Health and safety audits may not be legally required, but for best practice, they come highly recommended.
Best practice dictates that health and safety compliance audits are the best way to ensure compliance regardless of the size, type, industry or nature of business of the organisation. Audits must be more than a tick-box exercise, as they have the potential to be more than merely a defensive measure.
Health and safety compliance audits have a variety of benefits to both the organisation and its employees. They allow employers to protect employees, themselves and customers from harm.
When such audits are conducted correctly, they can safeguard the existence of the organisation and help in future ventures. This is attributed to the consequences that serious health and safety incidents can have, potentially resulting in prosecution, severe reputational damages and substantial financial penalties.
There are two distinct ways in which audits can be conducted, either internally or externally. 
Internal audits versus external audits
Internal audits involve at least one team member who possesses the required training and qualifications to conduct an effective audit. Most audits typically have several role players who represent different segments and departments of the organisation.
An in-house or internal audit has the advantage of more control over the process. This allows the audit to take place in phases without causing substantial disruption to operations. It also offers organisations a low-cost alternative.
However, internal audits are often used as a classic false economy to provide the impression that health and safety is a priority, when the opposite is true.
These internal audits, when done correctly, can serve as a useful and valuable management tool. It also enhances employees’ understanding of business performance and highlights potential issues.
Even though internal audits have their own benefits, external audits remain the golden standard. It involves the organisation appointing an external auditor through a health and safety audit consultancy to conduct an audit.
The external auditor is then tasked with conducting the audit and providing feedback on their findings. External auditors also often offer recommendations for consideration on how the organisation can improve on areas that need attention.
Why should you make use of a health and safety audit consultancy?
Audits and consultancy services offer a prominent level of professionalism and are widely recognised as one of the most effective ways through which safety, health and environmental management systems reflect the requirements of relevant legislation.
By making use of such services, organisations can be assured that standards are met and that the organisation is well on its way to making use of best practice techniques that are implemented effectively.
Benefits of health and safety audit consultancy
Health and safety audit consultancy involves an external auditor who conducts the audit. Such a process involves the following benefits:
- Compliance – as it is the most crucial reason for conducting an audit.
- Business and system improvements – by having an in-depth audit conducted, it allows for an objective and impartial analysis of the internal systems and control of the organisation. It also allows for auditing experts to suggest effective improvements.
- Credibility – by having an external audit conducted, it provides an independent verification that all information, documents and other aspects are both a true and fair representation of the current situation of the organisation.
How can SafetyWallet assist your organisation?
SafetyWallet offers a subscription programme that is unique. It also offers the use of professionals and experts to guide organisations through the latest changes in standards and all other legislation.
SafetyWallet offers its subscribers a dedicated, experienced and highly competent team of consultants that work with numerous organisations in all industries in and across South Africa. The SafetyWallet audit team will help the subscriber navigate SHE risk management principles that form part of daily business operations.
In addition, the SafetyWallet team helps an organisation identify strengths while pinpointing any weaknesses that exist in the subscriber’s health and safety programme. The team also helps highlight any opportunities that exist to improve risk management in safety, health and environmental aspects of the organisation, further improving and ensuring full compliance.
The SafetyWallet auditor will review the aspects of the subscriber’s health and safety programme, measure it against the Occupational Health and Safety Act’s requirements and other applicable legislation and SafetyWallet protocols.
The implementation of such arrangements will be assessed and the premises will be inspected, with various operational activities sampled. Interviews with key personnel will be conducted and their roles and duties in occupational health and safety will be discussed confidentially.
Once the audit is completed, the SafetyWallet auditor will present the subscriber and their team the findings and provide recommendations for consideration. 
