PROCESS SAFETY AUDITING TECHNIQUES
“Enhancing Safety Assurance through Systematic Auditing and Risk-Based Review Methods”
[mawa_download_flyer course_id=%_ID%]
Course Schedule
| Date | Venue | Online |
|---|---|---|
| 17 – 21 Mar 2025 | Online
(Live Virtual) |
USD 1500 per delegate |
Course Introduction
Process safety audits are a critical line of defense in identifying weaknesses, verifying controls, and improving performance in high-hazard industries. A robust auditing program ensures that systems designed to prevent major accidents are functioning as intended and that gaps are closed before they result in incidents.
This five-day online course equips safety professionals, auditors, and technical managers with internationally accepted auditing methods to assess process safety management systems effectively. Participants will gain skills in audit planning, execution, evaluation, and reporting—all aligned with standards such as OSHA PSM, CCPS, and the Energy Institute.
Course Objectives
By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
- Plan, prepare, and conduct risk-based process safety audits.
- Use recognized frameworks (e.g., CCPS, EI, OSHA) to assess PSM performance.
- Evaluate control effectiveness across 20+ key process safety elements.
- Develop evidence-based audit findings and actionable recommendations.
- Lead closing meetings, issue audit reports, and support follow-up verification.
- Drive continuous improvement through audit trend analysis.
Key Benefits of Attending
- Learn audit best practices to uncover hidden PSM risks.
- Build confidence in planning, executing, and reporting on audits.
- Enhance safety compliance, oversight, and system improvement.
- Reduce the likelihood of major incidents through audit-based assurance.
- Benchmark your audit process against global standards and peer practices.
Intended Audience
This program is designed for:
- PSM professionals and HSE managers
- Operational auditors and internal assurance teams
- Risk, compliance, and safety officers
- Site managers and engineering leaders
- Corporate and third-party safety auditors
Individual Benefits
Key competencies that will be developed include:
- Audit planning and checklist design
- Interviewing and document review techniques
- Nonconformance reporting and risk classification
- Root cause identification and audit follow-up
- Safety governance and performance verification
Organization Benefits
Upon completing the training course, participants will demonstrate:
- Stronger assurance over process safety control systems
- Improved audit effectiveness and efficiency
- Enhanced cross-functional accountability in safety governance
- Data-driven risk insights for board and executive decision-making
- Reduction in audit fatigue and increase in actionable findings
Instructional Methdology
The course follows a blended learning approach combining theory with practice:
- Virtual Instructor-Led Lectures – Real-world audit examples
- Templates and Tools – Audit plans, checklists, scorecards
- Interactive Exercises – Risk rating, findings development, team interviews
- Case Study Reviews – Lessons from industry audits
- Q&A Discussions – Application challenges and practical experience sharing
- Post-Course Access – Audit toolkit and improvement guides
Course Outline
Detailed 5-Day Course Outline
Delivery Format: Online (Live) | Platform: Zoom, WebEx or Microsoft Teams
Day 1: Process Safety Auditing Overview
Module 1: Foundations of Process Safety Auditing
- Role of audits in the process safety lifecycle
- Proactive vs. reactive assurance
- Regulatory and best practice frameworks
Module 2: Audit Types and Planning Approaches
- Compliance, conformance, and risk-based audits
- Creating audit charters, scope, and schedules
- Stakeholder mapping and roles
Module 3: Case Review – Lessons from Audit Misses
- Analysis of missed findings in major incidents
- Identifying early warning signs
Day 2: Building an Effective Audit System
Module 4: Designing Audit Protocols and Checklists
- Tailoring audit tools to EI, CCPS, and OSHA PSM elements
- Interview and observation strategies
- Aligning with performance indicators
Module 5: Auditor Competence and Ethics
- Interviewing behaviors and confidentiality
- Auditor calibration and team assignments
- Managing bias and difficult audits
Module 6: Workshop – Audit Plan Development
- Group activity: build a scope and checklist for a mock PSM audit
Day 3: Audit Execution Techniques
Module 7: Conducting the Field Audit
- Site walkthroughs and critical safety systems observation
- Real-time verification of documentation and behavior
- Collecting credible and defensible evidence
Module 8: Root Cause and Risk-Based Findings
- Writing findings based on cause, consequence, and control
- Risk ranking and severity scoring
- Action recommendation formulation
Module 9: Exercise – Writing and Risk-Rating Findings
- Hands-on development of clear, actionable audit statements
Day 4: Reporting and Communication
Module 10: Preparing Audit Reports and Recommendations
- Structuring executive reports and detailed findings
- Data visualization, dashboards, and timelines
- Linking findings to PSM KPIs and system elements
Module 11: Stakeholder Communication and Closeout
- Conducting closing meetings with clarity and objectivity
- Managing feedback, pushback, and learning
- Assigning accountability and ownership of actions
Module 12: Group Simulation – Conduct an Audit Interview
- Interview a simulated auditee and identify reportable issues
Day 5: Continuous Improvement and Governance
Module 13: Post-Audit Follow-Up and Verification
- Action tracking and closeout protocols
- Verification techniques and change review
- Linking audits to management reviews
Module 14: Governance, Trends, and Lessons Learned
- Using audit data for risk trend analysis
- Board-level safety assurance
- Reporting cycles and strategy adjustments
Module 15: Final Audit Simulation and Certification Review
- Complete a mock PSM audit segment
- Present findings, lessons learned, and finalize reflections
Certification
Participants who complete the program will receive a Certificate of Completion in Process Safety Auditing Techniques, recognizing their professional ability to plan, execute, and lead process safety audits aligned with global standards and risk-based best practices.