Safety Audit
A Safety Audit is a systematic and independent process to assist you to evaluate your workplace health and safety system and test its’ effectiveness against a known standard. Through undertaking auditing on a regular basis, organisations will improve their health and safety management systems. While many organisations undertake their own internal audits, it is beneficial to use a third-party independent auditor like DRA to verify your systems.
Contact UsSafety Auditing can provide many outcomes according to specific client requirements.
Safety management system audits provide confirmation and verification of the effectiveness of a safety management system, identify corrective actions and demonstrate to stakeholders that the system is being implemented and monitored.
Safety Audit Overview
As part of our WHS Safety Services, DRA Safety Consultants perform a range of independent auditing for businesses according to client requirements.
These include:
- Legislative regulatory compliance audit
- Client audit using the clients audit tool;
- ISO or Australian Standard Audit – complying with specific standard requirements
- Safety management system audit (SMS Audit or WHS Audit)
- Walkthrough hazard identification inspection
- Corrective action audit – follow up on corrective safety actions implemented
The Safety Consultant will also provide clients with a comprehensive audit report on completion of the audit and a post-audit briefing to identify opportunities for immediate learnings from the audit. This is completed irrespective of the type of audit that we undertake to ensure that we have not mistaken any information provided. Additionally, the Safety Consultant will provide a range of images or references to support audit findings i.e. we specifically identify and reference the legislative or standard non-compliance.
Our Safety Consultant services also include the provision of and supporting for Safety Management System that espouses the ISO 45001 principles. The Safety Direct set of documents is a good starting point for any business that does not have a system in place or are seeking to expand their procedures and systems.
We've audited businesses across every major industry.
DRA Safety Consultants have completed audits across a broad range of industries throughout Australia.
Agriculture
We help agricultural businesses identify hazards and build safety systems suited to outdoor and machinery-heavy environments.Local Government (Range of tasks)
We work with local government teams across a range of functions to meet their compliance and reporting obligations.Construction
We audit construction sites and businesses to ensure safety systems meet the strict requirements of the industry.Manufacturing
We help manufacturing businesses identify risks on the floor and build management systems that keep workers safe.Buildings
We assess building environments for safety risks and ensure the right procedures are in place for occupants and workers.Office
We help office-based businesses identify risks that are often overlooked and put simple, effective systems in place.Call Centre
We audit call centre environments for physical and psychological safety risks and help businesses meet their duty of care.Retail
We help retail businesses manage the safety of staff and customers across their stores and facilities.Childcare
We support childcare providers in meeting their strict safety obligations and keeping children and staff protected.Schools/Colleges and Universities
We work with education providers to audit safety systems and ensure they meet their obligations to students and staff.IT Developers/Gaming Developers
We help tech businesses put practical safety frameworks in place, including support for psychological health and wellbeing.Warehousing and Logistics
We audit warehousing and logistics operations for manual handling, machinery, and systems risks across the full supply chain.
Consultancy Services provided by Certified Engineers and Safety Consultants
DRA provides a range of WHS services and have qualified safety consultants that can undertake expert level WHS inspections and Risk Assessments for properties and buildings. Our safety consultants will provide you with a clear and actionable property risk assessment report for health, safety, environmental and public liability risk.
Each one of our Safety Consultants have maintained at least Certified OHS Professional certification with the Australian Institute of Health and Safety and Exemplar Global as Lead Auditors across a range of safety topics including Hazardous Chemicals and Safety Management Systems.
We will check the physical conditions of the premises operating as a workplace using a risk management framework and inspection protocols to prioritise and minimise potential risks associated with your managed building and property.
Book a Consultation Now
If you're not sure where your safety gaps are, a quick chat is usually the easiest place to start. You can talk through your site and your risks with one of our consultants, and we'll go from there.
Purpose of a safety audit?
Regular audits are an important element of any effective workplace health and safety program. An effective auditing program completed by a qualified Safety Consultant will verify that your safety systems and safety procedures are working. Audits also identify where there are any opportunities for improvement in your work methods, hazard identification, safety procedures, risk assessments and general business practices.
The different types of audits can be conducted by a Safety Consultant to evaluate:
- Your own safe working standards/practices
- Compliance audit to an Industry Code of Practice
- Compliance with a legislative framework (Procedures Audit)
- Compliance with a known safety systems standard such as AS/NZS ISO 45001
- Compliance with a technical product safety standard.
Regular audits can be conducted internally by your own trained staff or externally by one of our Safety Consultant who are certified auditors. There are advantages and disadvantages of both internal and external audits. Each type of safety audit is designed to address specific health and safety risks and requirements, and organisations may choose to conduct one or multiple types of audits, depending on their specific needs and objectives. In either instance we are available to further assist by providing general consultancy to see recommendations implemented and working as planned.
Why establish regular Safety Audit schedule?
Regular audit programs are normally established according to an organisation’s risk profile and risk appetite with higher risk industries undertaking annual external audits to evaluate compliance status. We also recognise that compliance auditing is a journey rather than a destination, and success of audit programs will often be dependent on the organisation’s maturity level in respect of the safety system and the workplace health and safety program implemented.
Regular auditing can ensure that your safety journey heads in the right direction. There are a range of critical factors in determining the frequency of the regular audit, who will complete the audit and what your expected outcomes of the audit may be.
By undertaking audits on regular basis, you will build a platform to improve your business, the health and well-being of your staff and mitigate risks of litigation and other regulatory compliance issues.
If you are seeking further information on this topic, we provide Internal Auditor training and Safety Audits in general is discussed further in a post on the subject.
Related Article
If you are seeking further information on Audits er have more information in posts and general information, at
The difference between a WHS Site Inspection and Compliance Safety Audit
Not sure which one your business needs? We break down the key differences between a site inspection and a compliance audit.What is a Safety Audit and why have one?
A safety audit helps businesses identify gaps in their systems before they become incidents. Here's why every business should have one.
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Book a Consultation Now
If you're not sure where your safety gaps are, a quick chat is usually the easiest place to start. You can talk through your site and your risks with one of our consultants, and we'll go from there.
Key Safety Personnel
Following are some general questions asked before completing a safety audit.What is safety audit and why is it important?
A safety audit is a systematic examination of an organisation’s health and safety management system to identify strengths and weaknesses. The outcome of this process is to provide recommendations for improvement. This process helps organisations to assess their level of compliance with relevant health and safety regulations and standards.
The audit may also identify any potential hazards or risks that may affect the safety of workers or others. The results of a safety audit should be used to develop and implement effective strategies to reduce risk and improve safety in the workplace.
Who can conduct a safety audit?
A safety audit should be completed by a competent person with skills in understanding the topic of the audit being completed. In some cases, organisations may choose to engage an external safety consultant to provide an independent perspective and to ensure impartiality. This will assist in getting past egos and barriers that stop internal workers completing the audit completely.
However, it is important to note that the ultimate responsibility for conducting a safety audit lies with the organisation itself, which must ensure that the audit is conducted in a comprehensive, accurate, and effective manner.
What are the general areas checked during a safety audit?
Policies and procedures: This includes reviewing the organisation’s written health and safety policies, procedures, and guidelines to ensure they are comprehensive, up-to-date, and aligned with relevant regulations and standards.
Training and education: This includes evaluating the effectiveness of the organisation’s health and safety training programs, as well as assessing the level of awareness and understanding among employees regarding health and safety policies and procedures.
Hazard identification and control: This involves evaluating the organisation’s procedures for identifying, assessing, and controlling hazards in the workplace. This may include reviewing the use of personal protective equipment, fire prevention systems, and emergency response plans.
Monitoring and measurement: This involves evaluating the organisation’s procedures for monitoring and measuring the effectiveness of its health and safety management system, including tracking accidents and injuries, conducting safety inspections, and evaluating the effectiveness of risk mitigation strategies.
These general areas are critical to ensuring that an organisation has effective health and safety management systems in place to protect employees, customers, and the public. By conducting a thorough safety audit, organisations can identify areas for improvement and improve safety in the workplace.
For more information on Preparing for a Safety Audit, a post outlines steps in this process to ensure that the desired outcome of the Safety Audit is achieved.