Audits unannounced

Perform periodic unannounced audits of operator performance by submitting blind samples of known composition. Comparison of observed vs. expected results may reveal bias due to differences in methodology or flaws in technique. The results of the tests should not be made the basis of punishment or reward. 

After the audit, a letter to the auditee should confirm that an audit has taken place and to thank the site staff for their availability and assistance during the audit. The letter should not include deficiencies or observations made during the audit however, follow-up procedures can be outlined. For unannounced audits, only the audit confirmation letter is mandatory. 

NAMAS accreditation is similar to the ISO 9000 certification process, in that it requires a thorough assessment by independently appointed industry experts. Six months following accreditation, a full follow-up visit is made by UKAS, and aimual audits are made thereafter. Four years after accreditation a full re-accreditation assessment is made, although UKAS can make unannounced visits at any time. Laboratories found to be unsatisfactory on inspection will lose NAMAS accreditation until such time as that laboratory again meets the required standard. 

Before the audit starts, the host company will probably spend some time preparing for their visitors (unless the audit is unannounced). This period of time can be used to make corrections to items that obviously require attention. 

Many people think that only unannounced inspections and audits will truly turn up safety managanent failures. I ve done lots and lots of SMS reviews and in my experience, it is very difficult to hide SMS problems. A good or bad SMS is so overt and part of daily operations (for better or worse) that it is actually pretty easy to determine an SMS well-being. 

The periodicity of auditing and inspections varies from industry to industry and should be based on the industry maturity, technology complexity, and high-hazard environment. Some people feel that audits must be unannounced to ensure full honesty and transparency. However, experience has borne out that it is very difficult to... 

The approach to conducting audits may vary. Generally, employees should be notified when their work practices wiU be observed. Audit teams should discuss with employees the nature of their jobs and any hazards they are likely to encounter. To obtain a more realistic sample of work behaviors, however, the audit team may occasionally make unannounced audits and enter work areas by different routes. Before announcing that an audit wiU be conducted, note that the audit may simply determine an approach for a future audit. 

Announced and Unannounced Safety Audits 180 Reporting and Posting Audit Results 181 Audit Follow-Up 181 Conclusion 181... 

It is possible to expect detection of real operational conditions during unannounced examinations. The audit s success is negatively influenced by the fact that a director does not have enough time for the auditor. 

Existing occupational safety audit procedures unannounced checks of occupational safety measures put in place to find out whether they are functioning... 

Quality audit program. (Under this program, the Quality Manager or Supervisor periodically makes unannounced checks on inspected units, accuracy of gauges and test equipment, etc., to verify the accuracy as well as adequacy of quality assurance systems)... 

Should the facility be notified of the audit Showing up at a warehouse for an unannounced safety audit could pose a problem. There may be conditions present that make it difficult to complete an audit at that time. Many safety professionals prefer to let the management at the facility know that an audit will be conducted on a certain date. The grading of elements such as housekeeping, overall appearance, and audit preparation can be more rigid if the audit is preannounced. 

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