IHSA - Auditing

IHSA consultants offer health and safety auditing services. Sometimes it takes a second set of eyes to identify a problem in the system–one with a fresh perspective and an unbiased view. That is the essence of an external audit.

The results of your audit help you identify any previously unseen flaws. If no problems are discovered, the audit provides third-party documentation that your health and safety management system is functioning well.

IHSA offers several audit options to meet your needs. For more info, download the Auditing section of our Health & Safety Catalogue or review the auditing services listed below. To take advantage of these auditing services, please contact your IHSA consultant.

Internal Responsibility System Audit

The Internal Responsibility System (IRS) is one of the key components of IHSA's ZeroQuest® program. It is also deeply entrenched in the Occupational Health and Safety Act for the province and has been since its inception more than 25 years ago. While many firms understand the IRS's place within an organization, they have not previously had the opportunity to assess its effectiveness.

IHSA offers an IRS survey. It can assist with defining roles and responsibilities, promoting personal involvement, and building and supporting a shared belief in the IRS. This survey uses questions specific to the various levels of responsibility within an organization including workers, supervisors, joint health and safety committee members, and management. The results and associated information will be kept confidential.

The survey has been divided into three sections aptly titled Internal, Responsibility, and System. The subsequent report will include information specific to each respective indicator.

The IRS survey can be performed more than once at an organization. In fact, it could be an effective tool in determining improvement if it were to be conducted, for example, as part of a regular, two-year cycle.

Pre-MTO Facility Audit

Using a Pre-MTO Facility Audit format, a qualified IHSA auditor will diagnose transportation compliance elements for remedial action. Depending on the size of your firm and the complexity of its work activities, the audit often takes three to four days. After the initial phase is complete, the auditor will compose written recommendations on how to improve your firm's existing program.

Then, the auditor will schedule an in-person meeting with your firm's representatives to review the results. You will work together to develop an action plan. Subsequent mentoring and support is provided as required.

NOTE: The time required to conduct the survey depends on firm size and complexity.

Safety Climate Survey

This survey assists organizations in measuring and leveraging workers' perceptions of safety to ultimately reduce injury rates. This survey will assist you in understanding the link between safety climate and safety-related behaviour.

Organizations that are looking to make further improvements in their safety performance using an organizational approach will find the results very useful. Organizations that would like to understand what their employees perceive with regard to safety will find this tool valuable.

NOTE: The time required to conduct the survey depends on firm size and complexity.

Safety Evaluation

A qualified IHSA Field Consultant performs a confidential review of the member firm's current health and safety program, including a physical safety evaluation of the workplace. The consultant uses a predetermined criterion document which is specific to the jurisdictional laws pertaining to the firm (i.e, federal or provincial).

Depending on the size of the firm's location and the complexity of the firm's work activities, the walk-through portion of the safety evaluation and interviewing staff will often take the better part of a day.

After the initial phase, the IHSA Field Consultant will compose written recommendations on how to improve the firm's existing program. An in-person detailed meeting is then scheduled with the firm's representatives to review the results and written recommendations. An action plan is developed in conjunction with the firm, and subsequent mentoring and support is provided as required.

ZeroQuest®

Today's business leaders understand the need for an integrated health and safety program. They know that prevention, planning, and risk management reduces costs and builds competitive advantage. In addition, the commitment to zero injuries demonstrates strong moral leadership–the kind of leadership that builds motivated and productive workforces.

To harness this power, IHSA has created ZeroQuest®. This navigation tool helps you find your health and safety bearing and plot progression points along the way.

Since every firm is unique, ZeroQuest® is designed to ensure that any company's health and safety system has the necessary components to succeed.

Components of ZeroQuest®

ZeroQuest® is comprised of four levels:

Each level builds upon the previous one. The goal of ZeroQuest® is to guide participants through the process of building a sustainable health and safety system.

By becoming involved in the process – through such initiatives as sharing best practices and joining working groups – individual firms working their waythrough the program will find themselves becoming contributing members of an interdependent community of companies with similar needs and qualities. You will all work together to achieve zero injuries.

The Commitment Level is the first step in the process. It requires firms to reflect upon and share how they are committed to a sustainable health and safety system.

Although the primary focus at this level is on how well a firm has planned its health and safety system, the commitment you make is to the entire program.

At the Effort Level, a firm works toward integrating its health and safety system with productivity and profitability. This is done by establishing measurable strategic objectives and setting goals to attain them.

The Outcomes Level requires firms to assess the efforts made to maintain and sustain their health and safety systems, while checking and identifying areas for improvement, and correcting them.

At the Sustainability Level, a firm must be constantly engaged in planning, implementing, checking, and correcting its health and safety system.

To learn more, visit the ZeroQuest® web page or contact Dawn Vanags at 1-800-781-2726.