WHS consulting, Leadership training Sydney and a workplace health and safety consultant are commonly requested when businesses want to ‘do an audit’—but the purpose matters. An audit can either become a stressful inspection that creates fear and paperwork, or it can become a practical review that strengthens controls and builds capability.
Why audits sometimes fail
Audits fail when they focus only on documents, when findings are too vague, or when corrective actions aren’t resourced. Another reason is poor communication: teams feel judged, so they hide problems rather than discuss them. That undermines the entire point of an audit, which is to reveal gaps before they cause harm.
Some audits also fail because they create a long list of minor non-conformances while missing the major risks. If the audit doesn’t focus attention on what could seriously harm people, it won’t improve safety outcomes.
Define the goal: compliance, assurance, or improvement
Before you start, define what you want from the audit. Compliance audits check legal and system requirements. Assurance audits verify that critical controls are working in the field. Improvement audits identify opportunities to make the system simpler and more effective.
Many organisations benefit most from assurance: checking whether the controls that prevent serious harm are actually in place and used. This is especially useful in high-risk work such as plant operation, traffic management, working at heights, and isolation.
Sample the work, not just the paperwork
A high-value audit includes field observations. Watch how tasks are done, ask workers how they manage risk, and compare that with what procedures say. If the procedure is unrealistic, the solution is not ‘enforcement’; it is redesign.
Field sampling also helps you verify whether training has translated into competency and whether supervision is consistent. A great question to ask is: ‘Show me how you do it’ rather than ‘Tell me what the policy says.’
Prioritise critical controls
Critical controls are the controls that prevent catastrophic outcomes. They deserve extra attention because the consequence of failure is severe. An audit that tests critical controls looks at whether they exist, whether they are suitable for the task, and whether they are reliably used under pressure.
For example, if isolation is a critical control, the audit should check locks, tags, verification steps, and whether people understand who can authorise work. If traffic separation is critical, the audit should check barriers, signage, visibility, and whether the plan matches the real workflow.
Turn findings into clear, owned actions
Good findings are specific and actionable. Identify what control is missing or weak, what needs to change, and how you will verify effectiveness. Assign owners and due dates. Avoid ‘umbrella’ findings that read well in a report but don’t translate into practical change.
Verification should be built in from the start. Closing actions in a spreadsheet is not enough; someone should confirm in the field that the improvement exists and is working as intended.
Leadership and culture: how audits are received
Leaders can make audits either constructive or threatening. When leaders frame an audit as learning, encourage honesty, and follow through on improvements, teams engage. When leaders use audits to blame or punish, teams become defensive and the data becomes unreliable.
Leadership training supports leaders to communicate purpose, handle feedback, and prioritise actions in a way that builds trust. When people trust the process, they share the real problems—and that’s where improvement begins.
When to use external support
External support can add value when internal teams lack time, objectivity, or specialist expertise. A workplace health and safety consultant can audit critical controls, benchmark your system, and provide practical recommendations that fit your operations. The best external audits build internal capability by explaining the ‘why’ and helping teams implement changes.
A practical next step
Identify your critical risks and run a short assurance audit focused on those controls. Verify in the field, set clear actions, and check that improvements stick. Done well, audits become a reliable way to keep your WHS system strong and your teams confident.
