OHSAS 18001 - The Audit Procedure
Overview
ISOQAR's auditors are selected to meet the requirements
of your particular sector. Your company's activity, location of premises, size
and complexity are all taken into account.
Gain OHSAS 18001 certification by completing our Free Quote form.
On receipt of your application form, we will contact
you to agree dates for the following:
Document Review
The document review aims to establish that your
Health and Safety documentation meets the requirements of the specification.
We compile a detailed report and a planned audit schedule. The findings are
discussed with you and provided for your information and action if necessary.
The Audit
A detailed, on-site audit of your implemented,
documented system against the company's working practices and OHSAS 18001.
Findings of the audit are documented. If there
are any areas of concern to the auditors, the following may be raised:
Major non-compliancies - which must be
rectified before certification can be recommended by the Lead Auditor.
Minor non-compliancies - which do not
affect the recommendation for approval but must be addressed prior to the
issue of your certificate.
At the close of the audit, the Lead Auditor will
leave his recommendation with you.
Surveillance
ISOQAR's certification is valid for a three-year
period and monitored by a Registered Auditor at regular intervals. All visits
to your company are by appointment, thereby ensuring availability of relevant
personnel.
At the end of three years your organisation will
need to be re-audited. Fees for this will be kept to a minimum and discussed
with you in advance.
Please note: All audits are performed on the basis
of limited sampling. If discrepancies are not discovered, there is no guarantee
that they do not exist.
Extension to Scope of Certificate
Amendments or extensions to the initial certified
scope are possible, for example, to include additional offices or new areas
of business. Audits for this 'extension' can often be carried out causing minimum
disruption to your organisation. A common practice is to allocate some extra
time during a routine surveillance visit.
Logos
Following certification your company can display
the ISOQAR Health and Safety shield of approval.
Rules for Appeal
In the event of an audit which results in a recommendation
not to approve registration to the specification (or at a later stage if notified
that a certificate is to be withdrawn), a written appeal may be sent to the
Chief Executive of ISOQAR. All appeals will be heard by an Appeals Panel selected
from the Governing Board. Your company has a right to object to any member forming
part of the chosen panel. The Governing Board will then select a different panel.
If the appeal is upheld, the findings of the Auditor will be overruled. If the
Auditor is found to be correct, your company will be required to pay for a partial
or full re-audit and the cost of the appeal.
Such appeals are exceptionally rare.
