Criticised for an Audit i did - by my own company
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- TWDB
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Criticised for an Audit i did - by my own company
Morning all,
Advise and support required - I undertook an audit on one of our high profile sites and sent in the report which has seen considerable bite back and criticism - touched some nerves obviously.
I admit I got one audit point wrong from the sample I took but now seem to be being hung out to dry for writing report that was not touchy feely enough and too concise in style?
feel rubbish and was confronted by the project manager in the office today in front of everyone saying that they disagreed and it was wrong discussion got heated and now overheard the Director on the phone to the MD discussing the points.
we all make mistakes right? but its how its dealt with is ? 1/2 point in a report of 20 points and recommendations - I try and set the bar high and recommend stuff that can improve us. perhaps I rushed this audit? or tried to cover to much.
feeling completely rubbish, but want to improve what I'm doing.
any words of wisdom?
T
Advise and support required - I undertook an audit on one of our high profile sites and sent in the report which has seen considerable bite back and criticism - touched some nerves obviously.
I admit I got one audit point wrong from the sample I took but now seem to be being hung out to dry for writing report that was not touchy feely enough and too concise in style?
feel rubbish and was confronted by the project manager in the office today in front of everyone saying that they disagreed and it was wrong discussion got heated and now overheard the Director on the phone to the MD discussing the points.
we all make mistakes right? but its how its dealt with is ? 1/2 point in a report of 20 points and recommendations - I try and set the bar high and recommend stuff that can improve us. perhaps I rushed this audit? or tried to cover to much.
feeling completely rubbish, but want to improve what I'm doing.
any words of wisdom?
T
Update: taken a new job hopefully confidence and positivity will return with new challenge - scary though leaving current place after 16 years (6 years H&S !)
(previous signature: was motivated once ..................... searching to get it back ! )
(previous signature: was motivated once ..................... searching to get it back ! )
- Juan Carlos
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Re: Criticised for an Audit i did - by my own company
Morning,
An important aspect in any audit (internal or external) is to have a defined scope and you have something to audit against. It should not be just from what you think. This helps in ensuring that the audit is seen as neutral and with no personal emotions involved. Also, a critical point is to ensure that there are no surprises by the time the audit report comes out. You can ensure that this is covered by having a closing down meeting and discussing findings and future actions with the auditee. Factual points should be discussed and the gaps between the evidence and the scope.
I'm not saying that you did not do the above but just some points to consider. Don't feel deflated, just look on the bright side and take some learning from it if you feel that you could have done better in any aspect. Also stick to your guns on the points you feel strong about.
All the best
An important aspect in any audit (internal or external) is to have a defined scope and you have something to audit against. It should not be just from what you think. This helps in ensuring that the audit is seen as neutral and with no personal emotions involved. Also, a critical point is to ensure that there are no surprises by the time the audit report comes out. You can ensure that this is covered by having a closing down meeting and discussing findings and future actions with the auditee. Factual points should be discussed and the gaps between the evidence and the scope.
I'm not saying that you did not do the above but just some points to consider. Don't feel deflated, just look on the bright side and take some learning from it if you feel that you could have done better in any aspect. Also stick to your guns on the points you feel strong about.
All the best
- Coldrop
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Re: Criticised for an Audit i did - by my own company
Don’t take it personal
No one likes being criticised, especially by someone visiting their site.
Until you build up a good rapport with the site teams and can feel confident in saying anything without reprisal,
whether good or bad, just make sure you work to the existing criteria on paper for the factual findings of the audit.
If adding your personal opinion or if you want to
Discuss/coach/ promote non audit related improvements, then a casual chat over a coffee at the end of the audit usually helps and softens the “officialness”
No one likes being criticised, especially by someone visiting their site.
Until you build up a good rapport with the site teams and can feel confident in saying anything without reprisal,
whether good or bad, just make sure you work to the existing criteria on paper for the factual findings of the audit.
If adding your personal opinion or if you want to
Discuss/coach/ promote non audit related improvements, then a casual chat over a coffee at the end of the audit usually helps and softens the “officialness”
Intellectuals solve problems but Geniuses prevent them!
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Re: Criticised for an Audit i did - by my own company
As above really, sounds like you were given a free and roving remit on what to 'audit' against. If it was an audit then presumably the site had a set of standards, conditions, or just a basic description of what and how they were expected to do things - hence your auditing them against what they are expected to be doing. If they don't know what you'll be checking, how can they prepare, evidence and respond to it.
You could take positive action in response to the initial feedback . You could initiate a conversation/ letter/report/email to the boss to say you had an open remit hence the report that you submitted. However, perhaps if the client (auditee) has some standards they are being asked to work to, then you would review your initial report and set it against any standards senior management may want to set. That does lead to the likely scenario of YOU rather than management being asked to set the audit criteria both for the client to comply with and for you to audit against.
If you had no audit criteria then it could well have been called an inspection instead!
You could take positive action in response to the initial feedback . You could initiate a conversation/ letter/report/email to the boss to say you had an open remit hence the report that you submitted. However, perhaps if the client (auditee) has some standards they are being asked to work to, then you would review your initial report and set it against any standards senior management may want to set. That does lead to the likely scenario of YOU rather than management being asked to set the audit criteria both for the client to comply with and for you to audit against.
If you had no audit criteria then it could well have been called an inspection instead!
- Jack Kane
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Re: Criticised for an Audit i did - by my own company
TWDB, I'm not too clear if you audited against set standards or processes. Did you have an open remit for the audit as others have picked up on?
Your findings as a safety pro are your findings. You give them as diligently as you can, with honesty and integrity. Mistakes can happen and we all make them. The best we can do is accept the feedback, learn and move on.
Stick to your guns and allow yourself to be challenged for any findings. We all want the same thing after all.
Your findings as a safety pro are your findings. You give them as diligently as you can, with honesty and integrity. Mistakes can happen and we all make them. The best we can do is accept the feedback, learn and move on.
If they don't like the findings and react negatively like this, I'd be questioning their commitment to H&S and their management style. Not touchy feely enough and too concise? Jeez, sounds like a dream to me! Straight to the point and not war n peace would be bliss.
Stick to your guns and allow yourself to be challenged for any findings. We all want the same thing after all.
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- TWDB
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Re: Criticised for an Audit i did - by my own company
Thanks All,
Great advice as always and much appreciated.
Audit was Open remit not set standards apart from our own procedures and management system - I've developed this style as auditing frequency is inconsistent etc. I guess that this approach/set up is coming back to bite me
feeling completely deflated and down in the dumps reaction has ruined my week and evenings and now weekend (not in a great place at the mo mentally and with work so just added to this)
going through a tough time and gutted and hard on myself especially at the mo - I guess can't get it all right at the mo.
As some say above - need a structure to work within, but work/ employer set-up don't seem to care about this and I'm just not experienced / motivated enough to get this done.
Low on confidence so sorry for the rant.
rant off.
cheers
T
Great advice as always and much appreciated.
Audit was Open remit not set standards apart from our own procedures and management system - I've developed this style as auditing frequency is inconsistent etc. I guess that this approach/set up is coming back to bite me
feeling completely deflated and down in the dumps reaction has ruined my week and evenings and now weekend (not in a great place at the mo mentally and with work so just added to this)
going through a tough time and gutted and hard on myself especially at the mo - I guess can't get it all right at the mo.
As some say above - need a structure to work within, but work/ employer set-up don't seem to care about this and I'm just not experienced / motivated enough to get this done.
Low on confidence so sorry for the rant.
rant off.
cheers
T
Update: taken a new job hopefully confidence and positivity will return with new challenge - scary though leaving current place after 16 years (6 years H&S !)
(previous signature: was motivated once ..................... searching to get it back ! )
(previous signature: was motivated once ..................... searching to get it back ! )
- ddlh
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Re: Criticised for an Audit i did - by my own company
TWDB
Audit was Open remit not set standards apart from our own procedures and management system - I've developed this style as auditing frequency is inconsistent etc. I guess that this approach/set up is coming back to bite me
As long as you were measuring against an agreed standard then stand your groundIf you were measuring against HSE guidance or Regulation - quote it and stand by it
feeling completely deflated and down in the dumps reaction has ruined my week and evenings and now weekend (not in a great place at the mo mentally and with work so just added to this)
Welcome to the real world of Health and safety - we all have bad days at the office but we get stronger because of them. Also shows you care
As some say above - need a structure to work within, but work/ employer set-up don't seem to care about this and I'm just not experienced / motivated enough to get this done.
You really need something to measure against - I have an 18001 audit checklist that I used to use - set against best practice and and nobody could argue against it - happy to share if you want it
Low on confidence so sorry for the rant.
Do not be sorry for anything you have done - I learned long ago to be sorry for things I have NOT done - or things I should have done at the time but didnt. You do NOT want to be there - trust me!.
Chill and reflect. If the management team are happy to challenge and criticise in public then they are not very professional and do not deserve you.
Learn from the issue however and use that to strengthen your auditing skills.
Sounds to me like you are doing a decent job my friend
Dave
Audit was Open remit not set standards apart from our own procedures and management system - I've developed this style as auditing frequency is inconsistent etc. I guess that this approach/set up is coming back to bite me
As long as you were measuring against an agreed standard then stand your groundIf you were measuring against HSE guidance or Regulation - quote it and stand by it
feeling completely deflated and down in the dumps reaction has ruined my week and evenings and now weekend (not in a great place at the mo mentally and with work so just added to this)
Welcome to the real world of Health and safety - we all have bad days at the office but we get stronger because of them. Also shows you care
As some say above - need a structure to work within, but work/ employer set-up don't seem to care about this and I'm just not experienced / motivated enough to get this done.
You really need something to measure against - I have an 18001 audit checklist that I used to use - set against best practice and and nobody could argue against it - happy to share if you want it
Low on confidence so sorry for the rant.
Do not be sorry for anything you have done - I learned long ago to be sorry for things I have NOT done - or things I should have done at the time but didnt. You do NOT want to be there - trust me!.
Chill and reflect. If the management team are happy to challenge and criticise in public then they are not very professional and do not deserve you.
Learn from the issue however and use that to strengthen your auditing skills.
Sounds to me like you are doing a decent job my friend
Dave
If you think safety is a pain, try a leg fracture.
- TWDB
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Re: Criticised for an Audit i did - by my own company
I appreciate the help Dave,
seeing that checklist would be great - anything to help me review and restart my auditing confidence.
learning on the job I guess I'm gonna have a lot of set backs ;( - there's not a lot of support where I work.
Cheers
T
seeing that checklist would be great - anything to help me review and restart my auditing confidence.
learning on the job I guess I'm gonna have a lot of set backs ;( - there's not a lot of support where I work.
Cheers
T
Update: taken a new job hopefully confidence and positivity will return with new challenge - scary though leaving current place after 16 years (6 years H&S !)
(previous signature: was motivated once ..................... searching to get it back ! )
(previous signature: was motivated once ..................... searching to get it back ! )
- TWDB
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Re: Criticised for an Audit i did - by my own company
Hi All,
its happened again, have been criticized for a list of points I'd raised to assist site/team that was due an external audit in the coming weeks.
a manager forwarded on my notes to another colleague, without telling me and for not real reason apart from *** see below, and that colleague directly criticized the "list" to my face saying it would frighten the guys on the site to get a an audit of this detail? but I explained it was not an audit and just a support checklist to help them on site. I had given them as support/ checklist.
I'm still learning and developing my style, and I appreciate I can go it to much detail - but best intentions and driving a high standard ( I guess I just need to be careful its not "my standard" and not achievable).
really up set me - for some reason
****** also I seem to have been shunned out of discussions in improving the way we do audits - which again has frustrated me. this Colleague who received the notes / list joined the company with some SHEQ experience in a previous role and has many an opinion.
I really can't win, one day I get please come down and support and do an inspection/ audit , as the clients/ principle contractors H&S auditor is poor and not finding much, and the next I get stop finding so much stuff we can improve its too much detail etc.
it might just be me being sensitive/ or feeling threatened but I want to improve and be the best I can whilst helping keep my colleagues safe and support them to improve.
any tips or an offer of an mentor would be great.
Thanks
T
its happened again, have been criticized for a list of points I'd raised to assist site/team that was due an external audit in the coming weeks.
a manager forwarded on my notes to another colleague, without telling me and for not real reason apart from *** see below, and that colleague directly criticized the "list" to my face saying it would frighten the guys on the site to get a an audit of this detail? but I explained it was not an audit and just a support checklist to help them on site. I had given them as support/ checklist.
I'm still learning and developing my style, and I appreciate I can go it to much detail - but best intentions and driving a high standard ( I guess I just need to be careful its not "my standard" and not achievable).
really up set me - for some reason
****** also I seem to have been shunned out of discussions in improving the way we do audits - which again has frustrated me. this Colleague who received the notes / list joined the company with some SHEQ experience in a previous role and has many an opinion.
I really can't win, one day I get please come down and support and do an inspection/ audit , as the clients/ principle contractors H&S auditor is poor and not finding much, and the next I get stop finding so much stuff we can improve its too much detail etc.
it might just be me being sensitive/ or feeling threatened but I want to improve and be the best I can whilst helping keep my colleagues safe and support them to improve.
any tips or an offer of an mentor would be great.
Thanks
T
Update: taken a new job hopefully confidence and positivity will return with new challenge - scary though leaving current place after 16 years (6 years H&S !)
(previous signature: was motivated once ..................... searching to get it back ! )
(previous signature: was motivated once ..................... searching to get it back ! )
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Re: Criticised for an Audit i did - by my own company
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Re: Criticised for an Audit i did - by my own company
Sounds like my life buddy. You spot whats wrong and those in charge freak out. I think
1. They feel it makes them look bad because, clearly, they are not doing their jobs properly and they might have to justify why not.
2. They feel their work load is going to increase to put it right.
3. There will be budget implications that they will have to justify.
I've just had the same with my directors who completely and utterly lied to my face to try and justify my findings. Sadly all you can do is try and find a way to persuade them. Maybe if you are hitting them with too much at once you can target smaller areas, get that resolved, then move on to the next area.
1. They feel it makes them look bad because, clearly, they are not doing their jobs properly and they might have to justify why not.
2. They feel their work load is going to increase to put it right.
3. There will be budget implications that they will have to justify.
I've just had the same with my directors who completely and utterly lied to my face to try and justify my findings. Sadly all you can do is try and find a way to persuade them. Maybe if you are hitting them with too much at once you can target smaller areas, get that resolved, then move on to the next area.