Objectives Plan an OHS audit Develop an OHS

Objectives • • Plan an OHS audit Develop an OHS audit plan Develop an OHS audit tool Gather relevant information, data and OHS records

Objectives • Undertake OHS audit activities • Report on the outcomes of the OHS audit • Evaluate OHS activity against industry specific standards • Benchmark OHS activity

Audit • Check of the OHS system to see whether or not it meets legal and corporate standards • Requires proper training and considerable experience • External or internal audits

Planning • Audits form part of a program (1, 2, 3… yr) • Auditors need authority to be effective

Questions for planning 1. Scope – What exactly are you auditing? 2. Objectives – Why are you auditing? 3. Standards – What are you using to measure? 4. Requirements – What do you need to complete the audit? 5. Strategy – What do you need to do?

Develop an OHS audit plan • Prepare a draft plan for management, OHS committee • Detail benefits and plan with local manager – timing, confidentiality, prior consultation on findings…

Develop an OHS audit tool • Plenty of models – International Safety Rating System – National Safety Council of Australia’s Five Star rating system – Safety. MAP (Victoria) – Tri Safe (Queensland) – SABS self-assessment tool (South Australia)

Gather information, data and OHS records Use a wide range of sources such as: • • Interviewing Alternate sampling methodologies Discussion groups Surveys Observation Alternative information and data Modified audit checklists

Preparation of report • Findings should be as strong as the evidence and the logic backing them • Sensitive to the needs for security, confidentiality, impartiality and equity • End of day debrief with local manager – no surprises • Exit meeting with local stakeholders

Audit finding categorisation and scoring • Finding is usually in terms such as ‘Critical’, ‘Major’ or ‘Minor’ • Numerical score is tallied; site is assigned a ‘Level’, e. g. scale of 1– 10. • Recommendations made • Team may check audit in a follow-up

Evaluating compliance against industry specific standards • Industry specific standards may be used, e. g. construction, mining • Often more relevant than generic OHS standards

Benchmarking • Allows you to assess the activities and service performance of your enterprise against those who have attained best practice • Qualitative benchmarking more useful than quantitative • Best to benchmark against specific processes • Time-consuming, difficult but, rewarding

Benchmarking process