What’s the difference between the an inspection and an audit?

Safety inspections and audits are critical tools in achieving overall safety compliance. While they’re often used interchangeably, however, they’re actually two different processes designed to address two different aspects of workplace safety management. Not sure about the differences between an inspection versus an audit? Here are a few key points that will help you understand the benefits of each, as well as help you determine when you may need an inspection and/or an audit.

audits and inspections

Safety Inspections

Safety inspections are a formalized process of documenting safety hazards and unsafe practices in your workplace. They come in many different forms depending on what is being tested and the unique hazards faced by your organization. This is typically conducted by a qualified person that is knowledgable of the area(s) being inspected. They can be completed internally by your organization or externally by a third-party organization, such as Arrow Safety or the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

Some examples of OSHA-required safety inspections include, but are not limited to:

Safety Audits

A safety audit is similar in principle, but the focus is slightly different.​ A safety audit examines hazards, but through a degree of removal. It looks at your organization’s processes and procedures related to safety and health.

Some examples of OSHA-required safety audits include, but are not limited to:

Audits generally serve two purposes:
  1. To determine whether your company is compliant with current safety regulations
  2. To identify weaknesses in your safety programs

Note that these goals may be entirely separate. A program may be compliant with safety regulations, but still have critical weaknesses that leave your workers at risk of harm.

An audit uses a structured process to examine whether your company is compliant and to check for weaknesses and other areas for improvement. Keep in mind that an internal audit can also be used to determine whether your program is meeting the goals your organization set, such as reducing the number of work-related injuries and/or illnesses, closing out maintenance work orders within a specific timeframe, and/or increasing the number of job safety analyses (JSAs) completed.

Ensure Compliance

“You know what you know, and you don’t know what you don’t know.” Ensure your entire program and site is OSHA-compliant and receive a formal audit report demonstrating compliance with applicable regulatory and industry standards.

Identify Best Practices

Identify best practices through our safety audit process that have the greatest impact on your safety program and understand how to use those aspects to improve other areas within your organization.

Identify Improvements

Identify opportunities for improvement through our comprehensive safety audit process and understand ways to easily correct and improve those areas of your safety program.

Corrective Actions

Recommended corrective actions and solutions will be made and discussed with your team. Solutions and corrective actions will be agreed upon, assigned, and tracked through closure and reports provided.

Performance Reports

Our safety audit data is entered into a database to provide current safety performance reports used to identify trends over time, best practices, and opportunities for improvement.

Team of Safety Professionals

Our team of experienced, knowledgeable safety professionals become your team, while we are there and even while we are not. Contact us by phone, email, or even text message any time to get professional insight from any of our safety professionals.

Arrow Safety can conduct a detailed audit of your organization’s safety management system (SMS), giving you a comprehensive plan of action to keep your employees safe and your business headed in the right direction. Contact us to schedule an audit and/or inspection at your facility!