The WHS Audit provides an overview of Safety Management System compliance, to the established standards and objectives identified and agreed to, prior to the audit. In the event that there are elements of the audit that do not conform to the assessment criteria, the degree of non-compliance would be recorded as follows:
| Result | Performance |
|---|---|
| Conformance | An element is deemed to have met conformance when it can be demonstrated that the requirements of the assessment criteria have been addressed adequately. |
| Minor Non-conformance | Satisfies minimum requirements of the defined assessment criteria only. Basic documentation specified in the management system can be traced but there is a lack of evidence to support constant implementation as specified in the work procedures. A minor non-conformance occurs if requirements have only been partially implemented. |
| Major non-conformance | A major non-conformance is where many of the requirements in a defined element do not met the assessment criteria or are in the early stages of development. Areas of high risk that have not been effectively controlled would also constitute a major non-conformance. |
Maintaining an effective Safety Management System is one of the major responsibilities for CEOs, directors, managers, supervisors and employees. A properly managed safety system is considered globally as the most effective way to improve safety performance for any 
organization and their industry participants.
The benefit derived from auditing safety management through scheduled regularity includes:
- identifying weakness (low frequency- high consequence events) that usually go undetected until a catastrophic incident
- a systematic approach to identifying and controlling workplace risks resulting with improved productivity
- increased safety awareness among personnel will reduced lost-time injuries and workers compensation claims
- efficient operational performance, improved employee participation, satisfaction and morale
- competitive advantage and improved corporate standing in the industry (including accreditation)
- performance reports and results of previous audits are sometimes required to be included for general tendering
- ability to tenders for Government work (only tenders with an accredited Corporate WHS Management System is accepted)
In NSW all federally funded projects and major construction work contracts valued over $1 million and high risk work has to develop a documented management system complying with WHS Act and the latest edition of the NSW Government WHS Management System and Auditing Guidelines
As a WHS Audit Panel member for Infrastructure Development Division, Project Management Office, Road and Maritime Services, New South Wales, Australia
We providing RMS with an audit reports on their nominated Contractors compliance to the WHS Management System, specifying whether the system conforms to the RMS standards
Note: Peter George is a qualified Principal OHS Auditor with Exemplar Global
For more details you can review Peter’s profile on LinkedIn
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