Pass the PECB ISO 45001 ISO-45001-Lead-Auditor Questions and answers with CertsForce

Clause 8.1.2 of ISO 45001 pertains to Eliminating Hazards and Reducing OH and S Risks. Organizations must implement appropriate controls to manage workplace hazards effectively.

Issue Identified: The kitchen environment at the audited site presents multiple hazards, including:

Oil spillage creating a slip hazard.

Open drums of waste material posing a chemical or hygiene hazard.

Unsecured knives and cleavers increasing the risk of cuts.

Boiling water left unattended, posing a risk of burns.

Lack of visible fire extinguishers or fire blankets, increasing fire risk.

Analysis of Options:

A. Failure to reduce risks associated with working in the kitchen. This option accurately captures the broader failure to implement effective measures to eliminate or reduce hazards across multiple areas in the kitchen.

B. Measures to prevent slippage in the kitchen from waste cooking oil were not taken. This is specific to one hazard (oil spillage) and does not address other significant risks observed, such as fire safety or sharp tools.

C. Staff are at risk of serious injury while working in the kitchen. While true, this is more of a general observation and does not address the root cause of the hazards or the failure of controls.

D. Training of the kitchen staff was not effective enough to prevent poor safety awareness in the kitchen area. Although training deficiencies may contribute to the issue, this option does not reflect the overarching systemic failure to manage hazards effectively.

Best Description of the Nonconformance: Failure to reduce risks associated with working in the kitchen (Option A) is the most comprehensive finding, reflecting the organization’s lack of adequate controls to mitigate hazards.

ISO References:

Clause 8.1.2: Organizations must establish controls to eliminate or minimize OH and S risks systematically.

Clause 7.2: Ensuring competency through training is important but must be coupled with hazard control measures.

This statement is True .

ISO 45001:2018 requires the organization to determine, access, and comply with its legal requirements and other requirements related to occupational health and safety. It also requires the organization to evaluate compliance with those legal and other requirements as part of performance evaluation. This is clearly addressed in Clause 6.1.3 Determination of legal requirements and other requirements and Clause 9.1.2 Evaluation of compliance . Therefore, when an audit team conducts a certification renewal assessment, it is part of the audit responsibility to verify that the organization has established, implemented, and maintained processes to meet and evaluate compliance with applicable legal OH and S requirements.

In a renewal audit, the audit team is not limited to checking documents only. It must assess whether the management system continues to be effective and whether the organization fulfills the requirements of ISO 45001, including compliance obligations relevant to worker health and safety. Since legal compliance is a core expected outcome of the OH and S management system, checking this area is an essential audit activity before certification is renewed.

So the correct answer is:

A. True

Analysis of Options:

A. Results of management review: Correct. Clause 9.3 requires retention of management review results as documented information.

B. Risks and opportunities: Incorrect. Risks and opportunities must be considered and managed, but retaining this as documented information is not mandatory.

C. Results of compliance evaluation: Correct. Clause 9.1.2 requires retention of compliance evaluation results.

D. Workers ' current level of competency: Incorrect. Competency must be ensured, but retaining specific competency records is not explicitly required.

E. Assigned responsibilities and authorities: Incorrect. These must be defined and communicated but are not required to be retained as documented information.

F. The relevant requirements of workers: Incorrect. Relevant worker requirements must be considered but not retained as documented information.

G. Effectiveness of corrective actions: Correct. Clause 10.2 requires retention of evidence of corrective actions taken.

H. OH and S Policy: Correct. Clause 5.2 requires the OH and S policy to be maintained as documented information.

ISO References:

Clause 5.2: OH and S policy.

Clause 9.1.2: Compliance evaluation.

Clause 9.3: Management review.

Clause 10.2: Corrective actions.

In a first-party audit (internal audit), the organization conducts the audit to determine whether its management system conforms to planned arrangements, to the organization’s own requirements, and to the requirements of ISO 45001, and whether it is effectively implemented and maintained. ISO 45001 Clause 9.2 requires internal audits to provide information on conformity and effectiveness.

E. Verify compliance with regulatory requirements is a valid audit objective because ISO 45001 requires the organization to determine its legal and other requirements and to evaluate compliance with them. Internal audits commonly include verification that these legal OH and S obligations are being met as part of checking the effectiveness and conformity of the OH and S management system. This aligns with Clause 6.1.3 and Clause 9.1.2 of ISO 45001.

B. Complete the audit on time is also an audit objective in practical first-party auditing because audit objectives are established for the audit and supported by planning, resources, timing, and reporting arrangements. While it is not a system conformance criterion, it is a valid objective for the audit assignment itself, ensuring the audit is performed as planned and efficiently managed. This fits normal lead auditor practice in planning and conducting internal audits.

Why the other options are not correct:

A. Apply international standards is too broad and is not itself an audit objective. Standards are the criteria or reference, not the objective.

C. Confirm the scope of the management system is accurate is not usually stated as a first-party audit objective; scope is established by the organization under Clause 4.3, though it may be reviewed during audits.

D. Prepare the audit report for the certification body does not apply to a first-party audit, because internal audits are not performed for a certification body.

F. Update the management policy is a management responsibility, not an audit objective. Audits may identify inputs for policy review, but updating the policy is not the purpose of the audit itself.

Therefore, the two correct options are:

B, E

Clause 9.3 of ISO 45001:2018 outlines the requirements for management reviews. These reviews must evaluate the performance of the OHSMS and identify opportunities for improvement. Outputs of management reviews typically include decisions and actions that align with strategic and operational priorities.

Analysis of Options:

A. Decisions related to continual improvement opportunities: This is a valid output, as continual improvement is a key objective of management reviews under Clause 10.3.

B. Allocation of a bigger budget for the OHS department: Resource allocation is a common output of management reviews to address identified needs.

C. Improvements in the OHSMS: Improvements reflect the organization’s commitment to enhancing safety performance.

D. Minutes of previous management reviews: While minutes provide context, they are not an output of the current management review.

E. Opportunities to integrate the OHS management system with other business processes: Integration opportunities are valid outputs, as they enhance the system ' s effectiveness.

F. Plan to prioritize health and safety issues as a business strategy: Strategic alignment of health and safety with business objectives is an expected output.

G. Procurement of new safety harnesses for workers: This is an operational action, not a direct output of the management review process.

H. Report showing the trend of an increase in safety incidents: This is an input to the management review, not an output.

I. Updates to the risk register: Risk register updates reflect changes in identified hazards and risks, making this a valid output.

J. Worker feedback of positive and negative comments: Worker feedback is an input to the management review, not an output.

ISO References:

Clause 9.3: Management review inputs and outputs.

Clause 10.3: Continual improvement actions.

Audit objectives for the audit team focus on ensuring the audit process is executed effectively, efficiently, and without causing undue disruption to the organization being audited. ISO 19011:2018 provides guidance on setting audit objectives.

Analysis of Options:

A. To reduce instances of injury and ill health: Incorrect. This is an objective of the OH and S management system, not of the audit itself.

B. To minimise risk resulting from the audit process: Correct. ISO 19011 emphasizes managing risks to the auditee and the audit process during audits (Clause 5.4).

C. To improve overall health and safety performance: Incorrect. Improving health and safety performance is an outcome of the OH and S management system, not the audit team ' s objective.

D. To complete the audit on time: Correct. Ensuring timely completion of the audit aligns with effective audit management.

E. To implement any necessary corrective action: Incorrect. Implementing corrective actions is the auditee’s responsibility, not the audit team’s.

ISO 45001 emphasizes worker participation and engagement at all levels of the organization to support continuous improvement (Clause 5.4 and Clause 10.3). Continuous improvement requires input from everyone, including workers who identify hazards, report incidents, and contribute to safety enhancements.

Analysis of Options:

A. Everyone, at all levels of the company: Correct. Clause 5.4 explicitly includes all levels of the organization in consultation and participation, fostering continuous improvement.

B. Top management and senior officers only: Incorrect. While top management plays a crucial role in leadership, ISO 45001 extends the responsibility for participation to all levels.

C. Top management, senior officers, and designated safety representatives only: Incorrect. Limiting participation to designated representatives excludes a significant portion of the workforce from the improvement process.

D. Top management only: Incorrect. While top management must lead and commit to continuous improvement, their involvement alone is insufficient under ISO 45001.

ISO References:

Clause 5.4: Worker consultation and participation.

Clause 10.3: Continual improvement.

Explanation

Documented information on the organization’s legal requirements → Clause 6.1.3: Clause 6.1.3 requires the organization to identify, document, and maintain compliance obligations, including legal and other requirements relevant to OH and S.

Assessment of OH and S risks → Clause 6.1.2.2: Clause 6.1.2.2 mandates the organization to assess OH and S risks associated with its operations, taking into account hazards, controls, and work activities.

Internal and external issue determination → Clause 4.1: Clause 4.1 requires organizations to determine internal and external issues that affect the OH and S management system and its intended outcomes.

Agreements with the organization’s external providers → Clause 8.1.4.2: Clause 8.1.4.2 pertains to controlling external providers and ensuring their processes align with OH and S requirements, including documented agreements.

References

Clause 4.1: Understanding the organization and its context.

Clause 6.1.2.2: Assessment of risks and opportunities related to OH and S.

Clause 6.1.3: Compliance obligations.

Clause 8.1.4.2: Control of external providers.