Auditing health and safety practices
Find the programs, audit tools and templates for health and safety and local workplace inspections.
Internal health and safety audit program
The Health, Safety and Wellness (HSW) Division within The University of Queensland (UQ) has an internal audit program to evaluate the effectiveness of health and safety systems and processes across UQ. The purpose of this procedure is to provide assurance and confidence on the management and control of this program to UQ’s senior executive.
The intent of the Health and Safety Audit procedure is to support achieving the objectives in the HSW Policy, provide ongoing feedback to UQ’s senior executive regarding the effectiveness of the health and safety systems, and retain the UQ Workers’ Compensation Self Insurance Licence.
To support effective review of health and safety management at UQ:
- In usual circumstances, the HSW Division will ensure at minimum the following types of health and safety audits will be conducted each calendar year:
- OHSMS audit of an organisation area/s
- Risk Factor audit based on the UQ Top Health and Safety Risks Report
- Watch List audit based on the UQ Health and Safety Watch List.
At least one of these audits will be conducted within a UQ Controlled Entity.
- Audit status and outcomes will be reported to the UQ Senior Executive Team via the HSW Division monthly reporting process or at other relevant meetings.
- Action status and resolution status will be reported to the UQ Senior Executive Team via the HSW Division monthly reporting process.
- Local Level 1 audits will be conducted as per the Organisational Unit’s annual HSW Management Plan.
An audit program is proposed by HSW Division to the Vice Chancellor’s Risk and Audit Committee (VCRCC) in quarter 4 each year for approval for the following calendar year.
Consultation and Communication of HSW Audit Program and Timeline
Development of the HSW audit program is compiled, consulted and communicated as follows:
- August: Annual planning cycle commences
- October: Draft Annual Health and Safety Internal Audit Plan consulted and endorsed by the UQ HSW Leadership Team
- October: Draft Annual Health and Safety Internal Audit Plan communicated to the UQ Internal Audit Team.
- November/December: Annual Internal Audit Plan approved at the VCRCC
- December/January: Relevant areas of UQ are notified for internal audit by the Director – HSW Division.
Types of Workplace Health and Safety (WHS) audits
The HSW audit structure at UQ will consist of the following types of audits:
- Level 1 Local activity, task, risk assessment or hazard-based audits conducted by local HSW personnel.
- Level 2 HSW audits of OHSMS and risk factors lead by the HSW Division audit team.
- Level 3 HSW audits of WHS management systems and risk factors conducted by external auditors (e.g. UQ Safe-Insurance WHS Management Systems audit).
Corrective Actions
All non-conformances will result in corrective action planning to resolve the issue/hazard. Relevant UQ management is responsible for confirming the implementation of agreed actions. The HSW Audit team will validate the assertions before closure of the issue/s. High priority corrective actions require evidence to be submitted prior to the action being closed in the HSW Division corrective action register.
- Corrective actions from Level 2 and 3 audits will be tracked by the HSW Division audit team.
- Corrective actions from Level 1 audits will be tracked locally by the relevant Organisational Unit.
Opportunities for Improvement will be agreed and tracked locally by the relevant Organisational Unit. Corrective actions will be raised as an agenda item at the relevant HSW Committee meeting until they are complete.
Useful links
- HSW Auditor Competency Checklist (PDF, 181.5 KB)
- Level 1 Audit Procedure (PDF, 90.7 KB) - for access to the Level 2 Audit Procedure please contact the HSW Division
- UQ Internal Audit
- UQ Enterprise Risk Framework
- National Audit Tool (PDF, 751.7 KB)
Local Workplace Safety Inspections
Annual workplace inspections
All workgroups within UQ are required to assess their workplace at least annually. This assessment should be carried out by the local Work Health and Safety Coordinator (WHSC), with assistance from the local Health and Safety Representative (HSR).
Complete your inspection via SafetyCulture, using the general 'UQ HSW – Annual Workplace Inspection Checklist'.
Other regular inspections
Other regular inspections include:
- Chemical Safety Inspections - at minimum annually for facilities that purchase, store, use or dispose of chemicals.
- UQ HSW - Emergency Warden Checklist (PF635) - to be completed by Emergency (Fire) Wardens every 6 months.
- UQ - CSC- Chemicals of Security concern - at minimum annually for the top 15 high risk chemicals of security concern (CSCc)
Contact for additional information
Contact the HSW Division if you have any questions about internal or external auditing requirements or processes.