The correct answers are E, F.
ISO 45001 Clause 8.1.4.2 Contractors requires the organization to coordinate its procurement processes with its contractors, in order to identify hazards and to assess and control the OH and S risks arising from the contractors’ activities and operations that impact the organization, the organization’s activities and operations that impact the contractors’ workers, and the contractors’ activities and operations that impact other interested parties in the workplace. It also requires the organization to ensure that contractors and their workers meet the organization’s OH and S management system requirements.
In this case, the objective evidence already found during the audit supports the nonconformity:
the hazards list did not include contractor-related hazards;
the Purchase Manager relied on trust rather than controlled OH and S coordination;
the OH and S team said chemical safety had never been a problem, which is not evidence of hazard identification, risk assessment, or control.
The email shown at the closing meeting only states that contractors carry out a site risk assessment. That does not automatically demonstrate that Shelf-Fit itself has met Clause 8.1.4.2 requirements for coordinated procurement control, hazard identification, and control of contractor OH and S risks within its own management system. Therefore, the nonconformity should not simply be withdrawn on the spot.
E. Advise management that the information provided will be reviewed at the audit follow-up stage is acceptable because the auditee can submit corrective-action evidence after the audit. The certification decision and close-out process can consider additional evidence later, but that does not erase the nonconformity already supported by audit evidence gathered during the audit.
F. Note the OHS Manager ' s comments but indicate that there is evidence of a nonconformity that needs to be addressed is also acceptable because this is exactly what the audit team leader should do at the closing meeting: acknowledge the auditee’s response, but maintain the finding where objective evidence supports it.
Why the other options are not acceptable:
A is not appropriate at the closing meeting. The audit team should base findings on evidence gathered within the audit scope and timing, not start a new off-line investigation with contractors at that point.
B is weak audit management. The audit team leader should control the discussion and decision, not hand it over informally.
C is incorrect because the information is not irrelevant; it is relevant, but not sufficient to invalidate the nonconformity.
D is not acceptable because the email does not remove the original evidence of failure in Shelf-Fit’s contractor control process.
