Auditing
- National Safety Services Inc.
A health and safety audit is a systematic review of an organization’s health and safety policies, procedures, practices, and systems. It is not an inspection. An audit verifies if the workplace complies with relevant health and safety laws, regulations, and best practices, and identifies areas where improvements can be made to prevent incidents, injuries, and illnesses. There are many different types of audits and different standards to audit against. One thing that audits should not be, is the “blame-game”.
ISO – International Organization of Standardization
The fundamental reason of auditing is Continuous Improvement of an organization. The Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle is an important cycle of Continuous Improvement used in Health and Safety Programs.
A variety of items will be audited in a standard Health and Safety audit. In most audits, these six major elements will be assessed:
Many provinces and territories strive to meet the Certificate of Recognition (COR) and Small Employer Certificate of Recognition (SECOR) standard. This important standard has a specific auditing tool, based on the province. Some of the topics that may be assessed include, but are not limited to:
Information is validated through various techniques to aid the auditor in finding and establishing evidence to support data. Some techniques to support findings include:
Interview | Interviewing all levels of employees with a set of provided questions. |
Documentation | Reviewing documentation, such as an HSE Manual, Safe Work Practices and completed documents |
Observation | Visiting the worksite, shop and office facilities to observe work being completed. |
Conducting a health and safety audit on an organization provides numerous benefits, both in terms of ensuring compliance and enhancing overall organizational performance. Some key benefits include:
• Verifies if the organization meets national and local health and safety laws and regulations.
• Helps avoid legal penalties, fines, and potential lawsuits resulting from non-compliance.
• Identifies potential hazards and risks in the workplace.
• Helps implement measures to mitigate these risks, reducing the likelihood and consequence of incidents and injuries.
• Creates a safer working environment, reducing the occurrence of workplace injuries and illnesses.
• Promotes a culture of safety, leading to higher employee morale and job satisfaction.
• Reduces costs associated with workplace accidents, including medical expenses, compensation claims, and downtime.
• Lowers insurance premiums due to a better safety record.
• Demonstrates a commitment to employee welfare, enhancing the organization's reputation among stakeholders, including employees, customers, and the community.
• Attracts and retains talent by showing that the organization values its employees' health and safety.
• Identifies inefficiencies and areas for improvement in safety procedures, leading to better resource utilization.
• Minimizes disruptions caused by accidents or unsafe practices, ensuring smoother operations.
• Provides a benchmark for current safety performance, helping to set goals for improvement.
• Encourages ongoing evaluation and enhancement of safety practices and policies.
• Prepares the organization for inspections by regulatory bodies.
• Ensures that documentation and procedures are in place and up to date, reducing the stress and disruption of unannounced inspections.
• Engages employees in the audit process, fostering a sense of ownership and responsibility towards workplace safety.
• Encourages reporting of hazards and participation in safety programs.
• Provides detailed insights and data on the effectiveness of current safety measures.
• Informs decision-making and prioritization of safety initiatives based on evidence and audit findings.
In summary, health and safety audits are a proactive approach to managing workplace risks, ensuring compliance, and fostering a culture of safety. These audits not only protect employees but also contribute to the overall success and sustainability of the organization.
Our team of experts can conduct gap analyses or audits to many different standards, including ISO, COR and SECOR. We can help develop programs, documentation and training that meet the requirements, support the growth and continuous improvement of your organization. Reach out to a team member to see how we can help.
Our checkout process is only configured to capture information about one participant at a time. Each enrollment will need to be purchased individually using the checkout process. For larger enrollment requirements, please reach out to National Safety at support@nationalsafety.ca for support and bulk rate information.
Bulk purchases require the same mandatory information as individual purchases. In order to assist you in preparing for a bulk purchase, we have provided a downloadable “User Information Intake File” for you to begin compiling the required information.
If you have any questions, please reach out to us and our support team will get back to you within 24 hours.
