Environmental, health, and safety (EHS) audits are an effective compliance assurance tool for many organizations. They are designed to verify whether sites, facilities, and operations are meeting the expectations of applicable regulatory requirements, corporate policies and standards, and good risk management practices. As such, EHS audits are an important part of corporate governance. The audit
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EHS audit program managers often ask, “How do I know if my program is working?” This article explores the possible metrics that could be used to determine success or failure. As with most things in life, the answer is not obvious and can be quite complex. Let’s take a look at six common metrics that are often touted as valid measuring sticks

The year 2010 has reminded us once again that management of EHS responsibilities can have a substantial impact on people, the environment, and a company’s bottom line. In this article, Lawrence Cahill asks whether the EHS audit profession has lost its way and needs to develop a new approach.

As part of a proposed settlement agreement, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) ordered BP to “audit a statistically significant number of pressure vessels, piping and instrument controls during the company’s PSM compliance audits” at one of its refineries. This article explores the implications of conducting a statistically significant audit sample and reviews the requirements for audit sampling contained in several auditing standards.