Occupational Health & Safety Audits
Every employer in South Africa has a legal duty under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 85 of 1993 to provide a workplace that is safe and without risk to health, as far as is reasonably practicable. A health and safety audit is the most reliable way to find out whether you are meeting that duty before an incident, or a Department of Employment and Labour inspector, finds the gaps for you.
Hazchemwize conducts independent health and safety audits that measure your workplace against the OHS Act and its regulations. You get a clear picture of where you comply, where you don’t, and exactly what to fix.
What Our Health and Safety Audit Covers
Each audit is tailored to your site and operations. A typical audit assesses:
- Legal compliance: whether your workplace meets the requirements of the OHS Act and the regulations that apply to your operations
- Hazard identification and risk assessment: physical, chemical, electrical, ergonomic and fire hazards that could harm employees, contractors or visitors
- Existing safety controls: whether your current controls work in practice, not just on paper
- Health and safety documentation: policies, procedures, appointments, registers and records
- Emergency preparedness: evacuation plans, fire equipment, first aid provision and emergency procedures
- Safety signage: whether the correct mandatory, warning, fire and information signs are in place
- Health and safety structures: health and safety representatives and committees where your headcount requires them
How the Audit Works
- Site inspection: our auditor walks your premises and observes how work is actually done.
- Document review: we check your OHS paperwork against legal requirements.
- Audit report: you receive a written report that ranks findings by risk and gives practical recommendations.
- Close-out and certification: once the findings are addressed, Hazchemwize can issue a Health and Safety Compliance Certificate confirming your site met the audit standard.
Why Regular Health and Safety Audits Matter
Under the OHS Act, accountability for workplace safety rests with the employer and, ultimately, the CEO. A health and safety audit gives you documented evidence that you are managing risk. It also shows where your safety programme is improving and where it is slipping. Use it as a baseline before you build a safety management system, as a check-up between inspections, or as preparation for client audits and ISO certification.
Hazchemwize Health and Safety Compliance Certificate
After a successful audit, Hazchemwize issues a Health and Safety Compliance Certificate. The certificate confirms that your workplace met the requirements assessed during our audit at the time of inspection. Many clients use it to show customers, principal contractors and insurers that they take compliance seriously.
Additional Health and Safety Services
Audit findings often lead to follow-up work. Hazchemwize can help with:
- Conducting risk assessments
- Drafting OHS policies and procedures
- Creating evacuation plans
- Implementing OHS audit outcomes
- Health and safety training for your staff and representatives
- Safety signage and fire extinguishers to close out audit findings
If your site stores dangerous goods, see our warehouse compliance audits.
Health and Safety Audit FAQs
Is a health and safety audit a legal requirement?
The OHS Act requires employers to identify hazards and take steps to eliminate or reduce risk. A formal audit is the most practical way to show you are doing this, and many clients and principal contractors require one before work starts.
Who should get a health and safety audit?
Any business with employees, from offices and retail stores to factories, warehouses and construction sites. Higher-risk operations benefit from more frequent audits.
What do I receive after the audit?
A written audit report with prioritised findings and recommendations. Once you have addressed the findings, Hazchemwize can issue a Health and Safety Compliance Certificate.
Can you help us fix what the audit finds?
Yes. We draft policies and procedures, create evacuation plans, supply signage and safety equipment, train your staff and help implement the audit outcomes.
Book a Health and Safety Audit
For more information about OHS Safety Audits, please call us at 0861 429 243 or email info@hazchemwize.co.za.
Alternatively, complete the enquiry form below.
