Occupational Health & Safety Audits
An occupational health and safety (OHS) audit is a
process that evaluates an organization’s health and safety practices to ensure that employees are
working in a safe environment. OHS audits can include:
Hazard identification and assessment
- Determines if stated rules are being followed
Management system audits
- Integrates document review, interviews, and workplace observation to assess safety programs
Regulatory compliance audits
- Assesses an organization's adherence to relevant laws, regulations, and standards.
Incident investigation
- Determines if accidents, incidents, and near misses are reported and recorded
Some key procedures for an effective OHS audit include:
Document assessment
- Reviewing safety plans, training reports, incident reports, health and safety policies, and emergency plans
Interviews
- Interviewing key personnel and random employees
Workplace observation
- Walking around the workplace to observe compliance