Effective internal audits can be seen as a solid foundation and growth engine for your organisation. Thus, if performed properly, an OHSAS 18001 Internal Audit can present many benefits to your organisation. However, a qualified internal auditor, as well as total commitment from the organisation, is non-negotiable. The organisation should strive towards improving operational excellence through the identification of areas of improvement and present or future non-conformances.

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• The identification of requirements from the OHSAS 18001 standard applicable to the department being audited is important. Compliance of all of them should be verified;
• Next, you should ask for a SOP;
• The SOP will either be in editable or non-editable form. Note that it should be the pdf form; if paper based, it should be stamped as a controlled copy;
• The input and output of the SOP should be clearly identified;
• A description of the process in SOP should be present. This description should cover in depth what a department does for that process;
• As mentioned in the reference document part of the SOP, reference documents should be available and subsequently followed;
• A check for other documents used (those that does not form part of SOP) should be done;
• A quality objective list should be verified. You should ensure that all quality objectives are measurable and time bound;
• The awareness of the HOD, process owner, and other employees regarding the quality policy and quality objectives should be checked.
• A plan should be intact for the achievement of quality objectives;
• Tracking of quality objectives/health and safety objectives should take place. Achievement data should be available to compare against each objective;
• While busy auditing, notes should be taken;
• The findings should be summarised. Also enquire about NCs if any;
• The mentioned findings should be shared with the auditee. Approval of the NC from the auditee is very important. The NC report, together with objective evidence, should then be prepared and again be laid before the auditee; and
• Follow-up meetings with the auditee should be held in order to ensure actions are taken within a predetermined time frame.