TYPES OF SAFETY AUDITS

TYPES OF SAFETY AUDITS

There are three primary types of safety audits that organisations can use to ensure a safe and healthy workplace for employees and visitors. Each type focuses on a different aspect of occupational health and safety, and together they support legal compliance, effective safety programmes, and a strong safety culture.

The three main types are:

• Compliance Audits
• Program Audits
• Management System Audits

These audits collectively help organisations identify hazards, verify compliance, assess the effectiveness of safety initiatives, and continuously improve overall safety performance.

1. Compliance Audits

Focus: Confirming compliance with applicable legislation, regulations, standards, and internal rules.
What is checked: Legal requirements, record-keeping, permits, training records, and whether workplace practices meet statutory and regulatory obligations.

2. Program Audits

Focus: Evaluating the design, implementation, and effectiveness of specific safety programmes.
What is checked: Targeted programmes such as lockout/tagout (LOTO), confined space entry, personal protective equipment (PPE), hazard communication, and other defined safety initiatives.

3. Management System Audits

Focus: Assessing the effectiveness and integration of the overall safety management system.
What is checked: Management commitment, safety policies and procedures, safety culture, and system performance, often measured against recognized standards such as ISO 45001. These audits integrate elements of both compliance and programme audits to ensure the system works effectively in practice.