Internal Audit Checklist – ISO 14001

Internal audit checklist ISO 14001 is an integral component of the certification process for your business, as it ensures that its Environmental Management System (EMS) is being implemented correctly while also highlighting areas that could benefit from enhancement.

Review of operating procedures, work instructions, contracts, policies and other documents is conducted as well as evaluation of communication processes.

1. Risk Assessment

An internal audit checklist is an indispensable way of verifying that an organization’s Environmental Management System (EMS) is functioning as expected and meeting ISO standards. Furthermore, it helps organizations identify areas for improvement as well as ensure ISO standards compliance.

An internal audit of an Environmental Management System (EMS) begins by assessing potential environmental risks and whether these are adequately addressed by its implementation. At this stage, auditors will study documentation such as an environmental aspect register to ascertain whether risk controls are working effectively.

Next, an auditor will analyze the processes of an EMS. This includes audit questions focused on verifying that all steps of the PDCA cycle are being completed correctly as well as documents like records of training and certification as well as methods used to verify job skills – this aspect being particularly vital in terms of process execution and efficiency.

2. Environmental Management

ISO 14001’s environmental management element includes a checklist to test whether processes designed to manage environmental conditions in an organization are being carried out as planned and ensure their effectiveness to avoid detrimental environmental impacts.

Does the organization have a formal method for identifying and classifying environmental aspects within its control, as well as those it can influence? Does this procedure take a life cycle approach?

Are the environmental objectives at relevant functions and levels in line with the environmental policy? Can they be measured (if practical) and adjusted when necessary?

Are organizations capable of meeting environmental management system requirements by documenting evidence such as records and reports generated during environmental management processes? Can evidence of compliance be easily proven with legible documents that can easily be retrieved and protected against damage? Furthermore, procedures relating to maintenance and disposal of documents as well as receiving complaints from interested parties exist within an organization?

3. Occupational Health and Safety

Occupational health and safety (OHS) is a multidisciplinary field concerned with safeguarding worker health and welfare while improving working conditions. Practitioners include engineers, physicians, hygienists and nurses.

Companies operating in Britain must comply with legal regulations regarding occupational health and safety standards in order to create an environment free from hazards for their staff, while simultaneously increasing morale within their organisation. Occupational Health and Safety Standards can assist this goal while simultaneously building morale across your company.

Occupation health and safety are inextricably intertwined, making a quality management system even more essential than before. An internal audit checklist can be an efficient and effective way to conduct self-audits that comply with ISO 14001:2015 requirements. A checklist will allow you to collect objective evidence in an easily reviewed format that your team can easily review as well as prepare for external audit by your certification body; plus identify areas for improvement to make positive changes within your management systems.

4. Training

Internal auditors also pay close attention to training. They examine whether records are being kept of employee training sessions and verification processes are in place for verifying it. They will also check to see whether staff adheres to company training programs by taking advantage of them as regularly as possible.

Keep this audit process in mind when approaching it: the auditor should not judge legal compliance but instead conduct an audit that looks at whether your company can adhere to its own planned environmental aspects when conducting processes, while also testing if PDCA and ISO 14001 management processes are being adhered to properly by those involved.

Internal auditors serve an essential function within any business and should do their job efficiently. A thorough audit will prove more invaluable for any enterprise. Attendees of our online EMS Internal Auditor Training Course will receive our complimentary audit checklist as a bonus to assist them on their way.