Audits of occupational health and safety for businesses in Germiston

The purpose of an OHS audit is to identify strengths and weaknesses in the OHS programme of the organisation. Attention must be paid specifically to accountability, policies, hazard identification, control of hazards, training and several other factors. This can be done effectively by assessing how well the OHS programme complies with legislation, regulation, guidelines and several other well-established best practices. The OHS audit can also:

• Identify areas for improvement to ensure the safeguarding of workers.
• Ensure legislative compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act, and other relevant legislation.
• Benchmark the OHS practices, and
• Determine rewards or penalties administered by regulatory and certification bodies.

When an audit is conducted, it must be done effectively and therefore, the OHS audit must be done systematically and constructively.

Preparing for the OHS audit

The basic details

Some basic information will be needed before proceeding with the audit. In this step, the audit programme manager’s details will be needed as well as those of the auditee or employer being audited. Notes to indicate previous audits and the findings of these previous audits must also be made and included. The reason for the audit must be stated. Should the audit consist of a team, their details must be captured.

Context of the audit

The following factors must be considered:

• Business goals and objectives.
• External and internal issues relevant to the audit.
• The needs and expectations of interested parties, and
• Information security and confidentiality requirements as per the OHS programme.

Objectives

These indicate why an audit is necessary and must contain individual audit objectives that must be consistent with the context of the employer being audited. During this step, the following must be considered:

• The extent of the OHS programme to be audited.
• Capacity of the OHS programme in assisting the organisation to meet regulatory requirements.
• Effectiveness of the OHS programme to produce intended results.
• Opportunities for improvement in the OHS programme, and
• Sustainability of the OHS programme involving overall strategic context and business objectives of the employer.

Audit scope

This must be consistent with the context, and to define the scope the following factors must be considered:

• Location where the audit will take place.
• Function served by the audit.
• Activities that must be audited.
• Processes to be audited, and
• Timeframe of the audit.

Audit criteria

Audit criteria can include but are not limited to:

• Relevant policies.
• Processes and standard operating procedures (SOPs).
• Performance objectives and key performance indicators (KPIs).
• Statutory and all other relevant requirements.
• Management system requirements such as ISO standards, and
• Internal Codes of Conduct.

Audit monitoring systems

Tools and systems must be in place to ensure that the audit and relevant activities are monitored properly. Relevant activities that must be monitored can include some of the following:

• Audit timelines and whether deadlines on schedules are met.
• Performance of the audit team members.
• Successful implementation of action plans and their effectiveness.
• Feedback from the employer and other key personnel, and
• Documentation of audit activities.

Review documented information

The auditor must receive and review all documentation relating to the OHS programme. This is an approval task with all documentation being either approved, rejected or rejected with notes and comments. It is not possible to continue with the audit until all documents have been approved. This assists in the preparation for individual audit activities, and serves as a high-level overview, allowing the auditor to identify and understand areas of concern and non-compliance. Documented information can refer to any of the following:

• Processes that are either recorded on paper or with software.
• Management system documents and records, and
• Previous audit reports.

Audit plan

An audit plan for the OHS audit must be prepared and can consist of some of the following components:

• Roles and responsibilities of each audit team member.
• Risk-based approaches in audit planning.
• Scheduling and coordination of audit activities.
• Audit scope and complexity.
• Sampling techniques used in collecting evidence.
• Opportunities for improvement.
• Inadequate planning risks, and
• Impact of the audit on the activities of the employer.

Conducting the audit

There are numerous crucial components to be covered in conducting an audit. These include:

• Arrangements made with the employer prior to the audit.
• Conducting a meeting with the employer and relevant parties prior to the audit.
• Providing all relevant information to the audit.
• Collecting evidence.
• Assessing the understanding of the organisation and its context.
• Assessing the needs and expectations of interested parties.
• Assessing the OHS programme scope.
• Collecting evidence on leadership, planning, support, operations, performance evaluation and improvement.

Audit findings

All evidence provided and collected must be reviewed and findings noted on everything.

Audit report

The auditor must issue the audit report within 24 hours of the audit, and must provide a deadline that will allow the employer enough time to take corrective action. The report is the final record of the OHS audit and is a high-level document that clearly outlines a complete and concise record of everything that occurred during the audit.

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