ISO 45001 Auditor Training: Building Effective Occupational Health and Safety Auditing Skills

Training helps participants learn how to determine which processes should be examined and how audit activities can be organized.

Good preparation also helps auditors ask relevant questions and focus on areas that are important to occupational health and safety performance.

Conducting an ISO 45001 Audit

Once an audit begins, the auditor collects objective evidence. This can involve interviews with employees and managers, reviewing documented information, observing workplace activities, and examining records.

Auditors should compare the evidence with the applicable audit criteria. They should avoid making conclusions based on assumptions or personal opinions.

Communication skills are especially important during interviews. Auditors need to ask clear questions, listen carefully, and encourage employees to explain how processes are actually performed.

Observation is another valuable audit technique. Sometimes the way a task is performed provides important information about whether established controls are being followed.

Identifying Hazards and Risks

Hazard identification and risk assessment are central to ISO 45001. Auditors need to understand how an organization identifies hazards associated with its activities and determines appropriate controls.

During an audit, the auditor may examine whether risk assessments are current and whether identified controls are implemented effectively.

For example, if an organization identifies machinery as a significant hazard, the auditor may review maintenance practices, machine guarding, employee training, operating procedures, and emergency arrangements.

The goal is to determine whether the organization's approach to risk management is systematic and effective.