Exemplar Global OHSMS Lead Auditor key terms

A structured set of interrelated processes and resources an organization uses to establish OH&S policy and objectives and to achieve those objectives, covering hazard identification, risk control, legal compliance and continual improvement.

Top management's documented commitment to provide safe and healthy working conditions, fulfil legal and other requirements, and eliminate hazards and reduce OH&S risks, providing the framework for setting OH&S objectives.

Measurable, monitored targets the organization sets at relevant functions and levels to achieve its OH&S policy, consistent with the policy, legal requirements, and the results of risk and opportunity assessment.

A source or situation with a potential to cause injury and ill health to persons, such as a moving machine part, a chemical, work at height, or an organizational condition like excessive workload.

The combination of the likelihood of a hazardous event or exposure occurring and the severity of injury and ill health that the event or exposure can cause.

A circumstance or set of circumstances that can lead to improvement of OH&S performance, such as a new technology, process change or training initiative that reduces risk.

The ongoing process of recognizing and documenting hazards and their sources, including those arising from work organization, social factors, leadership and the design of processes and equipment.

The process of evaluating OH&S risks arising from identified hazards, taking into account the adequacy of existing controls, and deciding whether the risk is acceptable.

The ordered preference for risk treatment: eliminate the hazard, substitute, use engineering controls, use administrative controls including training, then provide personal protective equipment as a last resort.

The requirement that workers at all levels be consulted and enabled to participate in OH&S decisions, including hazard identification, incident investigation, and development of policy and controls.

The person or group at the highest level of the organization that directs and controls it, accountable for the effectiveness of the OH&S management system and for providing leadership and resources.

Top management's periodic evaluation of the OH&S management system's suitability, adequacy and effectiveness, based on defined inputs, resulting in decisions on improvement, resources and changes to the system.

A recurring activity to enhance OH&S performance, including improving the management system itself, by acting on monitoring results, audit findings, incidents and management review outputs.

A person or organization that can affect, be affected by, or perceive itself to be affected by the organization's OH&S activities, such as workers, contractors, regulators, neighbours, unions or customers.

Laws, regulations, collective agreements, and voluntary commitments such as standards or corporate codes that the organization must or chooses to comply with, and which form part of the audit criteria.

The organization's planned process for evaluating and documenting whether it meets its legal and other OH&S requirements, with results considered in management review.

A systematic, independent and documented process for obtaining objective evidence and evaluating it objectively against audit criteria to determine the extent of conformity.

The set of policies, procedures, requirements, standards or legal obligations against which audit evidence is compared, agreed with the client and communicated to the auditee.

The extent and boundaries of an audit, including physical locations, organizational units, activities, processes and time period covered, agreed with the client and stated in the audit plan.

Verifiable data, records, statements of fact or observations about a process, activity or condition that can be checked and substantiated, forming the basis for audit findings.

Records, statements of fact or other information relevant to the audit criteria and verifiable, gathered through interviews, document review and observation during the audit.

Selecting a representative portion of a population of records, activities or people for examination, based on defined criteria, so conclusions can be drawn about the whole population.

The result of evaluating collected audit evidence against audit criteria, which may indicate conformity or nonconformity and provides the basis for the audit report.

A failure to meet a requirement of the audit criteria, supported by objective evidence, described by stating the requirement, the evidence and the resulting risk or consequence.

A nonconformity that significantly affects the capability of the management system to achieve intended results, or a serious failure of a required process, often warranting immediate action or suspension of certification.

A nonconformity that does not by itself indicate a systemic failure of the management system and does not significantly affect its capability to achieve intended results.

Action taken to eliminate the cause of a nonconformity or incident and prevent recurrence, distinct from containment or correction, which only addresses the immediate effect.

A structured investigation method used to determine the underlying systemic cause of a nonconformity or incident, so that corrective action addresses causes rather than symptoms.

An occurrence arising out of or in the course of work that could or does result in injury and ill health, including near misses and work-related ill health cases.

The set of one or more audits planned for a specific time frame, directed at a specific purpose, with arrangements for scheduling, resourcing, competence and monitoring of audits.

A description of the activities and arrangements for an individual audit, covering objectives, criteria, scope, schedule, team roles, sampling approach and reporting arrangements.

Pre-audit examination of the auditee's documented information, such as the OH&S policy, risk assessments, procedures and records, to prepare for on-site activities and identify areas to verify.

Information the organization is required to maintain and retain, including OH&S policy, objectives, risk and opportunity records, legal requirements and evidence of competence and communication.

A meeting at the start of an audit to confirm the audit plan, criteria, scope, communication arrangements and confidentiality, and to clarify any questions from the auditee.

A meeting at the end of an audit where the audit team presents findings, nonconformities and conclusions, explains sampling limitations, and agrees on reporting and follow-up arrangements.

The documented output of an audit containing the audit objectives, scope, criteria, findings, conclusions, and where applicable the audit team's recommendations and a statement on sampling.

The demonstrated personal attributes plus ability to apply OH&S and audit knowledge and skills, gained through education, training, work experience and audit experience, to achieve audit objectives.

The auditor assigned to manage an audit, responsible for planning, allocating work, representing the team to the auditee, guiding team members and delivering the audit report.

A person who provides specific knowledge or expertise to the audit team on a subject such as a hazardous process or legal requirement, but who does not act as an auditor.

The condition in which auditors are free from bias and conflict of interest and are not auditing their own work or activities for which they have responsibility.

The auditor's quality of evaluating evidence and reaching conclusions fairly, without allowing personal interests, prior opinions or pressure from the auditee or client to distort judgement.

The auditor's duty to protect information obtained during the audit, using it only for audit purposes and not disclosing it without authorization unless legally required.

An audit activity conducted to verify that corrective actions for previously reported nonconformities have been implemented and are effective, often before certification or recertification decisions.