What must an auditor do?
An auditor should review the plan and systems you have in place. They should pay particular attention to:
- The presence and adequacy of the safety plans components as described above.
- The competency and qualification levels of staff to carry out the activities including any industry or regulatory standards.
- That the safety plan contains procedures to regularly review the plan.
- That the safety plan contains procedures to regularly check that the plan is being applied and who is responsible for this.
- The history and safety record of the applicant.
For complex or large scale activities the auditor may need to contract the services of an expert in that particular field i.e. with a ski field or heliski operation an auditor may require technical assistance from an avalanche expert to ensure that hazards have been correctly identified.
Once the auditor is satisfied that the safety plan is complete then they will provide you with a letter or certificate stating this. You should then forward a copy of this to the Department as soon as the audit is satisfactorily completed.