Title: Risk-based EHS audit finding assessment tool

Authors: Christy L. Cole, Alvaro I. Martinez

Addresses: Celanese International Corporation, P.O. Box 819005, Dallas, Texas 75381-9005, USA. ' Department of Environmental Engineering, Texas A&M University – Kingsville, MSC 213, 700 University Blvd. Kingsville, Texas 78363-8202, USA

Abstract: An Environmental, Health and Safety (EHS) audit finding assessment methodology based on relative risk was developed to assist with setting priority on audit findings closure. Risk is calculated by first determining a score for each of three variables, severity, possibility and frequency, which are then integrated to obtain a single overall risk score for each audit finding. The tool creates tiers of findings broken into high, medium and low risk, which can then be used to set appropriate closure timing and actions from a priority standpoint. This tool establishes a formal means of risk ranking EHS audit findings for prioritisation.

Keywords: EHS audits; environmental audit; health and safety audit; relative risk; priority; risk ranking; prioritisation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEWM.2009.026352

International Journal of Environment and Waste Management, 2009 Vol.3 No.3/4, pp.366 - 381

Published online: 07 Jun 2009 *

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