How often is the ISO 45001 internal audit done?

The standard asks for planned intervals; in practice at least once a year covering every clause and process, and more often in higher-risk areas or those with more incidents. Certification bodies expect to see a full cycle before the certification audit.

Can an external auditor perform it?

Yes. ISO 45001 requires objectivity and impartiality, not that the auditor be an employee. Hiring external auditors solves the conflict of nobody auditing their own work and brings an eye trained in other plants.

What competence must the internal auditor have?

Knowledge of ISO 45001 and ISO 19011, an understanding of the hazards and risks of the process audited and of the applicable STPS legal requirements. Our auditors hold lead auditor training and industrial safety experience.

How long does an internal audit take?

It depends on headcount, shifts, workplaces and risk level. A mid-sized plant usually needs two to four days on site, plus planning and reporting.

Can it be combined with ISO 9001 and ISO 14001?

Yes. If your system is integrated, a single audit covers all three standards: common clauses are shared and the specifics of quality, environment and safety are audited in depth. It saves audit days and repeated interviews.

ISO 45001 · ISO 19011

ISO 45001 internal audit

We audit your occupational health and safety management system with auditors independent from your operation: audit program and plan, floor walk-throughs, worker interviews and a report with nonconformities and opportunities for improvement your team can actually close.

What is an ISO 45001 internal audit?

It is the independent, documented review that clause 9.2 of ISO 45001 requires at planned intervals, to find out whether the OH&S management system meets the standard, legal requirements and what the organization itself established, and whether it is really applied on the floor. It follows the ISO 19011 guidelines and must be done by someone who does not audit their own work, which is why many companies hire external auditors.

What we review in the internal audit

From the binder to the floor: documentary evidence is checked against what happens on the shift.

Audit program and plan

A risk-based annual program and a plan by process, shift and workplace, agreed with you so operations do not stop.

Clauses 4 to 10 of ISO 45001

Context, top management leadership and worker participation, planning, support, operation, performance evaluation and improvement.

Hazards and controls on the floor

Walk-throughs to verify that hazard identification and OH&S risk assessment match real activities, and that controls are used.

Legal compliance

Sampling of the compliance evaluation against legal requirements: NOM-030, NOM-019, NOM-035, NOM-017 and the STPS standards specific to your process.

Worker interviews

Participation, consultation and awareness are audited by asking the people who do the work, not only the person in charge.

Actionable report

Major and minor nonconformities, observations and opportunities for improvement written in operational language, with objective evidence.

Report

Findings your team can close

A report that only quotes clauses helps no one. Every finding carries the evidence, the unmet requirement and the risk it poses to workers, so the corrective action addresses the cause and not the symptom.

Objective evidence: what was seen, where and when
ISO 45001 requirement or legal requirement not met
Grading: major, minor or opportunity for improvement
Root cause analysis workshop with process owners
Follow-up to closure before the certification audit

Consultant showing compliance percentage by clause after an audit

Process

How the audit unfolds

Five steps, following ISO 19011, with dates agreed from the start.

Planning
Scope, criteria, audit team and audit plan by process and shift; prior document review.
Deliverable: audit plan
Opening meeting
The plan is confirmed with management and process owners, and the grading of findings is explained.
Deliverable: attendance and agenda
On-site execution
Record review, floor walk-throughs, interviews with workers, contractors and the safety commission.
Deliverable: notes and objective evidence
Closing meeting and report
Presentation of findings and delivery of the internal audit report with conclusions on system effectiveness.
Deliverable: audit report
Follow-up
Support with cause analysis, review of corrective actions and verification of effectiveness.
Deliverable: findings closed

Internal, supplier and certification audits

All three audit the OH&S management system using ISO 19011, but someone different performs each and they serve different purposes.

	Internal audit (1st party)	Supplier audit (2nd party)	Certification audit (3rd party)
Who audits	Your team or an external auditor you hire	You or your representative, at the supplier	An accredited certification body
Purpose	Find and fix before anyone else does	Assure the supply chain	Issue or maintain the certificate
Frequency	At least once a year	Based on supplier risk	Certification, annual surveillance, recertification
Outcome	Internal report and corrective actions	Supplier rating and improvement plan	Certificate or nonconformities to close

Is your certification audit coming up?

Book a full ISO 45001 internal audit or a pre-assessment: we tell you which findings the certification body would raise.

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Before and after the audit

If you do not have the system yet, start with ISO 45001 consulting or a gap analysis. If you do, management system maintenance on retainer includes the annual audit program, and supplier audits extend the same criteria to your contractors.

Train your own auditors

With the ISO 45001 internal auditor courses your team learns by shadowing a real audit. We also audit ISO 9001 and ISO 14001, separately or as an integrated audit, and offer ISO 45001 consulting by city.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about the ISO 45001 internal audit

Shall we schedule your ISO 45001 internal audit?

Tell us your scope and dates: we propose the audit plan and three fixed-price options.