Can AI Be Used To Complete Tōtika? | Hasmate health and safety

18 Dec Can AI Be Used To Complete Tōtika?

Posted at 09:55h in Articles by Rachel Bell

Before we get into the content of this article, let’s revisit the definition of what an audit is.

Auditing is defined as the on-site verification activity, such as inspection or examination, of a process quality (ISO 9001), health and safety system (ISO 45001), or any other compliance requirement, to ensure that the given systems and supporting evidence meet the requirements of the standard or criteria.

Assessments Versus Auditing

Is an assessment the same thing as auditing, or different?

Assessments are the action or an instance of making a judgment about something.

To achieve a quantifiable outcome or pass mark, evidence is required to be produced to attest to the validity of the processes or systems being assessed or reviewed.

Do they achieve the same result?

My take on this question is YES. As an example, in the case of Tōtika, both auditing or assessments of the submitted health and safety plans require the provision of substantive evidence to meet the standards or criteria to achieve a pass mark.

Can Artificial Intelligence (AI) Be Used to Complete Tōtika or Other Contractor Pre-Qualification?

Yes, I am aware of a business that used AI to achieve a 75% pass on the first assessment.

For many construction and civil contractors whose staff have spent countless hours preparing, researching, and developing their applications, this might sound impossible, but it did happen and raises several interesting questions.

The questionable point of this pass rate was that the company in question was a startup tech manufacturing business with very basic health and safety systems in place.

The business had contacted me to assist with advice to help them to meet the health and safety standards of their key client to have a Tōtika H&S certification in place to supply the products.

It was during the discussion that the company’s Health and Safety Manager suggested that AI might be able to help.

A question was typed into ChatGPT, and bingo, the answer was in front of them in a matter of seconds.

I was informed later that they continued to use AI to complete their health and safety system in accordance with the Tōtika standards and had achieved their 75% pass.

With the help of AI, can this audit process now becoming a tick box exercise for the certificate on the wall and the gateway to getting client’s approval and contracts?

A couple of weeks later, I mentioned this to a health and safety colleague in Auckland, who is very involved with assisting his clients through the Tōtika assessment process.

As we discussed this issue, he typed in a Tōtika question, and in seconds, the answer appeared. In his words, “how interesting, this is a game changer!”

Having worked in the health and safety industry since 1993 and been involved in developing ISO 9001, ACC WSMP, ISO 45001 health and safety plans, personnel, auditing, training, and other management systems, this was a real revelation and raises several interesting questions.

The point of difference of the contractor pre-qualification and the Tōtika audit process is that the supporting evidence is supplied to the qualified health and safety assessor online – genuine, made-up, fudged or not – and they have to make their decision on this basis.

Onsite Audits Versus Document Supply Audits

As mentioned above, any ISO 9001, WSMP, WorkSafe NZ, HACCP, financial and other compliance audit, requires the display and supply of physical and substantive documented evidence onsite to the auditor, to prove due diligence to the selected standard or criteria.

Any qualified and experienced health and safety auditor will tell you – onsite audits are not just about the systems and paperwork, it’s also about observation and speaking to the employees. It’s during this onsite walk-about and communication, that one starts to sort the chaff from the straw. You identify what’s working, you see posted documents, to determine if there really is an understanding and commitment by the management and an understanding of the health and safety systems in practice by the employees.

This then brings into question the credibility of the online supply of health and safety verification information?

With the advent of AI as another means to develop health and safety systems, does this now brings into question the credibility of the contractor prequalification and Tōtika audit process?

Disclaimer – we do not endorse or encourage the use of AI when undertaking pre-qualification.