Three-yearly audit

Know your audit due date

Under the Health and Safety at Work (Adventure Activities) Regulations 2016, registered operators must be re-audited every three years. Check the expiry date on your WorkSafe certificate of registration — do not wait until it lapses. Finding a registered safety auditor with availability can take several months, especially ahead of the summer season.

• Adventure Activity Regulations — what changed in 2024
• The safety audit process

Review your last audit report

Pull out your previous audit report and work through every non-conformance and recommendation. Have you addressed them all with documented evidence? WorkSafe expects to see continuous improvement between audits — unresolved findings from your last report will be the first thing your auditor checks.

• Good practice overview

Confirm your Activity Safety Guidelines are current

ASGs are periodically updated by NZOIA and other bodies. Confirm you are using the current version for every activity you operate. Outdated ASGs are a common audit finding — check the activity pages on this site for the latest versions.

• Activity Safety Guidelines — browse by activity

Engage your safety auditor

Only WorkSafe-registered safety auditors can conduct adventure activity audits. This is a different role from a Technical Advisor — confirm the person or company you engage holds current WorkSafe registration. Contact them early: available slots fill quickly. Agree on the scope, timing, and what documentation to send in advance.

• The safety audit process
• WorkSafe adventure activities guidance

Conduct your internal pre-audit review

Walk through your entire operation as if you were the auditor. Check staff qualifications are current and on file, equipment maintenance and inspection records are complete and signed, SOPs reflect what you actually do (not what you intended to do three years ago), and incident and near-miss logs are up to date.

• Annual safety review template
• Daily checklist template
• Staff qualifications and training guide

Prepare your document pack

Collate everything your auditor will need: staff qualification certificates and currency records, equipment inspection and maintenance logs, incident and near-miss register, training records, proof of current public liability insurance, current ASGs for each activity, and your full SMS including risk assessments and SOPs. Have it organised and ready to send.

• SOP & risk assessment example
• Risk assessment template
• Staff templates & examples

What the auditor will assess

A typical audit covers: documentation review (SMS, SOPs, risk assessments, qualification records), equipment inspection, a site visit or operational observation, and an interview with you and key staff. The auditor is checking whether your operation conforms to the relevant ASGs and good practice standards — and whether your SMS reflects your actual practice.

• Good practice overview

Non-conformances vs. recommendations

Non-conformances are failures to meet a required standard — they must be resolved. Minor non-conformances are typically corrected within an agreed timeframe and verified by your auditor. Major non-conformances may suspend your ability to operate until resolved. Recommendations are advisory improvements. Ask your auditor to clearly explain the severity and required response for every finding.

Address non-conformances with documented evidence

For each non-conformance, implement the corrective action and document what you did and when. Evidence might include updated SOPs, new training records, equipment replacement receipts, or amended risk assessments. Your auditor may require a follow-up desktop review or site visit to verify resolution before issuing a clear report.

• Risk management — the complete process
• SOP & risk assessment example

Submit to WorkSafe and renew your registration

Your safety auditor submits the audit report directly to WorkSafe. Once WorkSafe has assessed it, you apply for renewal of your certificate of registration through WorkSafe's online system. Keep copies of your audit report, your corrective action evidence, and your new certificate. Your next audit due date restarts from the date of your new certificate.

• WorkSafe adventure activities guidance
• What is an adventure activity? Am I required to register?

Update your SMS and reset your calendar

Even a clean audit report points to opportunities. Update your SMS to incorporate any recommendations. Then set your calendar: note your next audit due date (three years from your new certificate), and work backwards to schedule your internal pre-audit review, auditor engagement, and document preparation. Don't start from scratch next time.

• Annual safety review template