WHS Audits

Desktop Compliance Screening

Desktop compliance screening is a great start to checking your WHS compliance – carried out remotely via desktop, this tool:

• screens for due diligence.
• ensures workplaces understand current WHS needs and legislative compliance requirements.
• generates an automated WHS compliance report for a WHS fine-tune.

WHS Gap Analysis

WHS Gap analysis and reviews of WHS systems ensure gaps in WHS compliance aren’t overlooked, reducing risks to employees and the likelihood of prosecution and fines. Through on-site reviews, our consultants are able to assess the specific WHS needs of a business and provide a report on the support required.

WHS Management System Audit

A workplace health and safety management system is a set of policies, procedures and plans that systematically manages health and safety at work with the aim of minimising the risk of injury and illness from workplace operations.

Our WHS consultants audit a workplace’s WHS Management System to make sure it:

• complies with WHS legislation and regulations.
• effectively protects people from harm.
• is evolving and continually improving using feedback.
• integrates with other management systems.
• provides more informed decision making.
• strengthens corporate culture and demonstrates due diligence.

Common WHS Audit FAQs

Why conduct a safety audit?

• A safety audit rapidly identifies and targets any gaps in your WHS compliance.
• A safety audit supports employers to achieve legislative compliance.
• Safety audits provide peace of mind and demonstrate due diligence.
• Delivers a solid framework to care for employee safety.
• Safety audits achieve cost savings through reduction of workplace injuries and insurance premiums.
• Safety audits minimise the risks associated with non-compliance (workplace injury, civil/criminal legal action and penalties).
• Safety audits deliver efficiencies through streamlined and simplified solutions.
• A safety audit provides access to experts, allowing employers to focus on their own business needs.
• During a safety audit, a Work Health and Safety expert helps to navigate the complexities of a constantly changing legal framework and varying organisational structures.
• A safety audit strengthens an organisation’s relationship with its workers compensation insurance advisor or broker partner.

What is meant by a safety audit?

A safety audit delivers peace of mind by ensuring organisations are complying with the latest legislation, doing their best for their employee’s health and safety while providing a line of defence in the case of workplace injury or illness. A safety audit makes sure you have identified all workplace safety risks and hazards and have the systems in place to safeguard against these.

The audit checks that you have an appropriate safety management system in place to prevent workplace injury and illness and that WHS policies and procedures are being followed.

The safety audit screens for due diligence and identifies any weaknesses in your WHS system that may lead to injury, illness or non-compliance fines.

In summary, a safety audit:

• is a WHS screening for due diligence. By carrying out a safety audit, employers develop an understanding of current needs and compliance in relation to these needs.
• provides a WHS compliance report to relay any actions required to meet safety regulations.

How do you conduct a safety audit?

An audit may be carried out as a one-off appointment to update compliance, or as part of a regular WHS program. The audit might focus on a particular safety concern, such as traffic management or manual handling, it may focus on a particular part of an organisation, for example, office workers or drivers or it may look into the entire WHS policies and procedures of a small business – or of a large organisation.

Safety audits can be carried out via a desktop screening appointment with a WHS consultant or via an on-site review. A WHS consultant brings their knowledge of the latest WHS legislation and industry specific requirements to the audit to check all aspects of the workplace and the way that work is carried out against a safety framework.

The nature of the audit will depend upon the industry, the type of work carried out, the size of the organisation and the WHS Safety Management System in place.

For example, some workplaces may have a paper-based Safety Management System, while others may use WHS Compliance Management Software to run regular compliance checks. Whatever system your workplace uses, our WHS consultants are able to work with you during a safety audit and deliver solutions to improve on, or validate the effectiveness of, your WHS compliance.

In summary, a good safety audit will:

• identify the risks and the levels of those risks within the workplace.
• uncover strengths and weaknesses in your safety procedures.
• check that your WHS system complies with legislation.
• check your WHS policies and procedures meet best practice and legal obligations.
• provide guidance to improve on our safety procedures.
• make sure you have adequate resources to manage your WHS obligations.

What is checked during a WHS safety audit?

Again, the checklist for the audit will vary between organisations. In general, a WHS Safety Audit will cover such areas as:

• Work Health and Safety planning and responsibilities.
• implementation of all Work Health and Safety procedures and activities.
• hazard identification, assessment and control.
• safety training and competence of internal WHS officers/managers.
• continual checks and balances in place for WHS policies and procedures / due diligence.
• an audit of the OHS system and its overall performance, including a review of any accidents or illnesses that have occurred and how to prevent them happening again.

For what sectors do you conduct WHS Audits?

We’re experienced in identifying key WHS concerns, gaps and compliance requirements and providing best practice strategies to deliver beneficial outcomes. We’re able to advise on, and deliver, tailored solutions to meet the specific WHS needs of a range of sectors from construction, hospitality and the motor trade industry to aged care, agriculture, education and small to medium businesses.

Altius group offers a full range of workplace health and safety services. Contact us for more information about how we can help your organisation.