INVESTIGATING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF SAFETY AUDITS IN IDENTIFYING HIDDEN HAZARDS: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

Abstract

Background:

Hidden hazards in workplace environments remain a persistent threat to occupational health and safety, often eluding conventional inspections and reactive safety measures. Safety audits offer a proactive mechanism to identify these latent threats across a range of sectors.

Objectives:

This systematic review aims to assess the effectiveness of safety audits in identifying hidden hazards and to examine how audit design, methodology, and contextual factors influence their outcomes.

Methods:

Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, we conducted a comprehensive search across PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, IEEE Xplore, and Google Scholar. Eligible studies included peer-reviewed empirical research involving structured safety audits and reported outcomes on hidden hazard identification. Fourteen studies were included and analyzed through narrative synthesis.

Results:

Across the 14 studies reviewed, safety audits consistently identified between 23% and 75% more hazards than traditional inspections. Scenario-based, AI-driven, and behavioral audit strategies proved particularly effective. Organizational culture, audit type, and the use of leading safety indicators influenced detection efficacy.

Conclusions:

Safety audits significantly enhance the identification of hidden hazards when implemented with a context-specific, adaptive, and participatory approach. Integration of digital tools, scenario modeling, and inclusive safety culture further amplifies audit effectiveness.