Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Audit Criteria for SafetyWallet

Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Audit may not be compulsory by law, but organisations are, however, legally obliged to ensure that they comply with the requirements as stipulated in the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

The best way in which organisations can ensure health and safety compliance is therefor by conducting a health and safety audit. Although internal audits are a useful management tool, the best way for an organisation to check the effectiveness and compliance of their OHS programme is to appoint an external auditor.

SafetyWallet, offers employers, who subscribe to SafetyWallet, with a health and safety audit to manage health and safety compliance on in daily business operations, with the support of the SafetyWallet team and the SafetyWallet partners.

The audit team is highly qualified, experienced, and professional and will identify strengths as well as weaknesses and highlight opportunities for the organisation to improve their everyday safety, health, and environmental risk management.

It is imperative for auditors to be qualified and certified as such, making it necessary to overview and explore the auditor criteria with regards to Occupational Health and Safety, specifically where SafetyWallet auditors are concerned. SafetyWallet is proud to say that they are registered as a corporate member and that SafetyWallet audits and support team is registered in their personal capacity as members with the South African Institute of Occupational Health and Safety (Saiosh) 

South African Institute of Occupational Health and Safety (Saiosh) – Overview

On 11 February 2010, a group of enthusiastic Health and Safety Professionals of South Africa established the South African Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (Saiosh), this was on the historic day when South Africa celebrated the 20th anniversary of the release of Nelson Mandela from prison. In 2013 Saiosh was recognised by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) as a professional body to register Occupational Health and Safety Professionals in South Africa in terms of the NQF Act, Act 67 of 2008. Saiosh is today the largest Occupational Health and Safety professional body in Africa and the leading source of information and networking opportunities within the Occupational Health and Safety profession in South Africa.

Health and Safety Auditor Overview

The certification criteria associated with Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems, or OHS systems, auditors were developed by SafetyWallet and its partner OHS Online. The purpose of the criteria is to certify auditors who conduct independent internal and/or external audits.

By obtaining this certification it proves that the SafetyWallet health and safety auditors has the required skills to perform Occupational Health and Safety Management System audits effectively.

Objectives of the health and safety auditors training programme

The training programme has been specifically developed by our partner MAKROSAFE and accredited by QCTO to meet the following objectives:

• To substantially increase the level of professional recognition associated with OHS auditors.
• To add more value to OHS audits by ensuring the competence of auditors.
• To provide international recognition of OHS auditors who are certified in South Africa.
• To assist organisations in selecting auditors who are appropriately qualified, and
• To provide credible as well as accountable OHS auditor certification programs.

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OHSAS programme – Overview

OHSAS programme contains the specific requirements for an OHS system. This enables an organisation to both control its OHS risks and to improve the performance thereof. However, it does not state specific OHS performance criteria and neither does it provide detailed specifications on the design of an OHS management system.

Therefore, an OHSAS programme is applicable for organisations who wish to:

• Establish an OHS management system for the elimination or minimization of risks to employees and other interested parties who may be exposed to OHS risks in the workplace.
• Implement as well as maintain and continuously improve the OHS management system.
• Assure itself that it is compliant with the stated OHS policies.
• Demonstrate its compliance to others.
• Pursue certification and/or registration of the OHS management system by means of an external organisation, and
• Make a self-determination as well as declaration of compliance with the OHSAS standard.

These stated OHSAS requirements can form part of any OHS management system. These factors will determine the extent of the application as well as the OHS policies of the organisations along with the nature of activities, risks, and complexity of operations.

Specific Criteria for OHS Auditors for SafetyWallet

To become a certified SafetyWallet OHS Auditors, the individual must apply to the following factors:

• They must possess the desired personal behaviour in that they are ethical, open-minded, diplomatic, observant, perceptive, versatile, tenacious, decisive, self-reliant, acting with fortitude, open to improvement, culturally sensitive, collaborative, professional, possess moral courage, and organized.
• Tertiary education which can either be N3 or equivalent to NQF 4 as well as tertiary education such as a degree, artisan status or diploma or, in the absence of such, have matric, N3 or equivalent to NQF4 along with 4 years of work experience in a relevant field.
• The relevant work experience accompanied with a tertiary degree, or in the absence of such, a specified amount of years’ work experience of which 5 years must be in an OHS based role.
• At least 2 years relevant OHS Online management system work experience.
• The relevant knowledge and skills associated with auditing, management systems, organizational context, legal as well as contractual requirements, risk management principles and methods.
• Auditor training, management system training, OHS specific training/knowledge and skills.

Why should you make use of a SafetyWallet health and safety auditor?

SafetyWallet provides its subscribed with a highly qualified, professional auditor and full support team and a full-service spectrum of health and safety partners, to help you navigate the health and safety compliance on your daily operations.

The SafetyWallet auditor focuses on finding any deviations in the health and safety programme or health and safety compliance programme to determine the employers’ level of compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

The SafetyWallet health and safety auditor will work to identify any strengths, pinpoint weaknesses, and highlight any opportunities to improve daily health and safety programme.

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