Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment in ISO 45001 – Practical Approach

Introduction

Internal audits conducted under ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 often reveal recurring findings.

These findings are rarely isolated — they typically indicate underlying system weaknesses.

Understanding what these findings really mean helps organizations move from:

👉 “Fixing findings”
to
👉 “Improving the system”

Top 5 Internal Audit Findings

Risk and Aspect Assessments Not Reflecting Reality

Common issues:

• Too generic
• Not updated
• Not linked to operations

👉 What it means: The organization does not fully understand its risks.

Compliance Obligations Not Actively Managed

• Legal registers outdated
• No evaluation of compliance

👉 What it means: Compliance is treated as documentation, not as a process.

Training and Competency Gaps

• Training completed but not evaluated
• No verification of competency

👉 What it means: The organization assumes competence without evidence.

Emergency Preparedness Weaknesses

• Drills not performed
• No evaluation or improvement

👉 What it means: The organization is not prepared for real events.

Document Control Issues

• Outdated procedures
• Uncontrolled documents

👉 What it means: The system is not consistently implemented.

Why These Findings Repeat

• Lack of ownership
• Weak follow-up
• Systems not integrated into daily work
• Focus on compliance rather than effectiveness

What Auditors Are Really Seeing

• Disconnect between documentation and practice
• Lack of system control
• Limited management engagement

Practical Approach to Improvement

Step 1: Focus on Root Causes

Avoid quick fixes — identify system weaknesses.

Step 2: Assign Clear Ownership

Each area should have responsible individuals.

Step 3: Integrate Into Operations

Ensure processes are part of daily work.

Step 4: Strengthen Follow-Up

Track corrective actions and verify effectiveness.

Step 5: Use Audits Strategically

Use audit results as input for:

• Management review
• Risk assessment
• Improvement planning

Advanced Considerations

• Findings decrease over time
• Root causes become more systemic
• Audits focus on performance, not just compliance

Key Insight

Repeated audit findings are not audit problems — they are system problems.

Conclusion

Internal audits are one of the most valuable tools in ISO systems.

Organizations that use them effectively improve performance, reduce risk, and build stronger systems.