Organizations aiming for ISO-compliant health & safety management systems have to perform internal audits and often use internal audit checklists for ISO 45001. The goal of an internal audit is to gather information about the effectiveness of the system. They are used to find weak links in their systems as well opportunities for improvements. Risk management is usually high on a company’s agenda and internal audits play an important role in protecting a business against risks.

Our recent experience reveals the main non-conformities are:

1. C 5.1. Failure of effective worker involvement and participation
2. C 6.1. Insufficient action to address risk and opportunities
3. C 8.1. Inadequate management of operational control planning
4. C 8.2. Poor testing of emergency preparedness and response
5. C 9.1. Inappropriate methods of monitoring, measurement and performance evaluation

Our ISO 45001 internal audit checklist provides the foundation for the internal auditor to:

• Initiate the audit
• Prepare audit activities
• Conduct audit activities
• Prepare and distribute the audit report
• Complete the audit
• Audit follow up

Internal audits can lead to a variety of benefits for your company if you utilize the results in an effective way. The following are reasons that internal audits are important to any business:

• Identify areas in need of improvement. As an internal audit evaluates the effectiveness of a management system, it is easy for a company to identify areas that need improvement from the results. This makes an internal audit an important tool in which the company can increase their functionality.
• Audit report. The actual internal audit report will provide a summary of the investigation and offer key observations which the company can use to improve.
• Audit benefits. A great benefit of performing an internal audit is that the company can be prepared for the external audit. The external audit is not necessary if the organization wishes to self verify rather than apply for certification/registration. Performing an internal audit first allows you to gain knowledge of what areas need improvement. Should the external auditors come up with the same observations, you can be prepared to express your ideas on how you are addressing any issues.
• Documented information. Internal audit checklists ISO 45001 are important to any business because they evaluate processes and provide the necessary documented information required by the Standard.
• Worker involvement. Part of the process of an audit is gathering input from employees. Thus it can serve as a means of demonstrating worker involvement if used effectively.

See our Internal Audits ISO 9001 14001 45001