Guidance for Assessment 3: Critical Review of OHS Audit Programs
This assessment piece is directly linked to Learning Outcome 5:
Apply basic knowledge of OHSE audit programs through critical review of their efficacy in managing risk
This assessment requires you to critically evaluate OHS audit programs and identify the key elements for the improvement of OHS performance through management risk.
Reference Text : JANICAK, M. 2015. Safety Metrics: Tools and Techniques for Measuring Safety Performance, (3rd ed.). Bernan Press, Maryland. (there are many others you may choose)
You may use the auditing program in your own workplace as an example or approach the topic from a theoretical perspective. Either way, you may find the following elements helpful in setting out your essay:
1. Overview of the role of OHS audit programs in OHS performance enhancement.Auditing is basically a systematic way of monitoring what is, against some desired benchmark; whether the benchmark is prescribed or voluntarily assigned for some other purpose. Consider how such a systematic monitoring of occupational health and safety in the workplace can drive performance improvement.
2. Role of Australian OHS legislation in shaping OHS audit requirements, citing examples to explain the link. Consider what the principal WHS Act, Regulation and Codes of Practice specify about managing OHS in order to comply with the legislation.
3. Identification and compare of the key authoritative technical specifications for OHS audits. (More concerned with identification and how they might be used, identify the key elements in what a risk management system looks like, name them and where they fit into the whole risk management monitoring and auditing process).There are a couple of Australian and International Standards Organisation (ISO) Standards which specifically deal with the audit elements of safety management systems. These will be readily accessible in the ACU library under the OHS subject collection.
4. Evaluation, with reference to literature, of the key elements necessary for audit program success.Whatever the subject of the audit, the adroit execution of some key elements of an audit are indicators of a successful outcome. A literature search, as well as the reference text I have included, will help you identify some of the key elements to a successful audit. Discuss how these are important to the outcome and how they may fail.
5. Identification and role of key internal and external stakeholders in the monitoring and review of OHS to improve performance.We have now seen how consultation in the workplace is an essential part of the OHS legislation and a leading indicator of superior OHS outcomes. How can this consultation help in targeting the audit program? Consider how audit and certification to a benchmark can be important to external stakeholders; think of supply chains, pre-qualification for tendering, product labelling etc.
6. Conclusion, in which you demonstrate your ability to synthesis the key points into a concise summary. A brief summary of your key findings identifying the strengths and weaknesses in monitoring OHS through an audit program.
