# 02 Audit Checklist Master Index

> Fire Service Safety Management System, version 0.3.3 (2026-10-25). The Human Factor. Document FSSMS-AUD-02.
>
> Canonical: https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/audit-checklist-master-index
>
> Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 with the Adopting Agency Grant (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/)
>
> General information only, not legal, medical or other professional advice. Verify every requirement against the current official text of the law, standards and manufacturer instructions that apply to you. Obtain your own legal review and consult your joint health and safety committee before adopting anything. You adopt, adapt, implement and rely on this material entirely at your own risk and on your own responsibility. Full terms: Terms of Use, thehumanfactor.ca.

## 1. What this index is

The audit is organized into 20 categories. The spine is the management-system order of ISO 45001 (leadership, participation, planning, support, operation, evaluation, improvement) (ISO 45001:2018, cl. 4 to 10); the technical content inside the spine comes from NFPA 1550 [(NFPA 1550, 2024)](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/audit-checklist-master-index#ref-nfpa-1550), the COR national elements [(CFCSA, 2021)](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/audit-checklist-master-index#ref-cfcsa-2021) and the CFAI criteria [(CPSE, 2019)](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/audit-checklist-master-index#ref-cpse-2019); the legal overlay tags each category to the jurisdiction topic pages that hold the provincial and territorial requirements it discharges ([00 Jurisdiction Index](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/jurisdiction-index)). The ordering is deliberate: categories 1 to 6 are the system, 7 to 17 are the technical programs, 18 to 20 are the assurance loop that checks the rest.

Each category has one or more checklist notes titled “Checklist - \<Category\>”. This index lists them, says which are written in this package and which program modules feed them, repeats the scoring rules in short, carries the roll-up worksheet, and shows how to run the full annual audit in five days.

## 2. The 20-category taxonomy

Tags: **ISO** = ISO 45001:2018 clause (ISO 45001:2018); **Jurisdiction topic** = the principal Part 10 topic pages that hold each province’s and territory’s requirements for the category (each checklist’s Jurisdiction requirements table lists every topic it relies on; [00 Jurisdiction Index](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/jurisdiction-index) has the full set); **COR** = CFCSA national element number [(CFCSA, 2021)](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/audit-checklist-master-index#ref-cfcsa-2021); **1550** = [NFPA 1550 (2024)](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/audit-checklist-master-index#ref-nfpa-1550) chapter [(NFPA 1550, 2024)](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/audit-checklist-master-index#ref-nfpa-1550); **CFAI** = criterion or performance indicator, 10th edition, core competencies marked CC [(CPSE, 2019)](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/audit-checklist-master-index#ref-cpse-2019); the 11th edition applies to agencies appearing from 2027 [(CPSE, 2024)](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/audit-checklist-master-index#ref-cpse-2024). The full crosswalk with paraphrased intent is in [01 Audit Program](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/audit-program) section 4.1.

| \# | Category | Sub-categories | ISO | Jurisdiction topic | COR | 1550 | CFAI |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| 1 | Leadership, Policy and Program Management | 1.1 OHS policy signed, posted, reviewed annually · 1.2 Written program and organizational statement · 1.3 Risk management plan · 1.4 Roles and accountabilities by rank incl. volunteer officers · 1.5 HSO appointed with authority · 1.6 Resources and budget line · 1.7 Legal register and compliance evaluation · 1.8 Labour, volunteer association and council engagement · 1.9 Leadership behaviour and psychological safety | 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 6.1.3, 9.1.2, 7.1 | [J01 OHS Legislation, Regulator and Enforcement](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/j01-ohs-legislation-regulator-and-enforcement); [J02 Duties of Employers, Supervisors, Workers and Contractors](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/j02-duties-of-employers-supervisors-workers-and-contractors); [J03 OHS Policy and Program](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/j03-ohs-policy-and-program) | 1, 13 | 6 | 11A.1, 11A.2, CC 1A.2, CC 1B.1, 1B.2, CC 9C.3 |
| 2 | Worker Participation and JOHSC | 2.1 Composition, co-chairs, rules of procedure · 2.2 Monthly meetings, minutes posted · 2.3 Member training and paid time · 2.4 Recommendation and response with clocks · 2.5 Inspection, investigation and audit role · 2.6 Standing consultants to program teams · 2.7 Committee self-evaluation · 2.8 Right to refuse and concern escalation · 2.9 Psychological safety in practice | 5.4 | [J05 Joint Committee and Health and Safety Representative](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/j05-joint-committee-and-health-and-safety-representative); [J07 Right to Refuse and Reprisal Protection](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/j07-right-to-refuse-and-reprisal-protection) | 1, 13 (Ontario COR element: committee) | 6 | 11A.2, 11A.6, 1A.7; 11th ed. labour-management indicators |
| 3 | Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment | 3.1 Hazard profile and station inventory · 3.2 Task and position hazard assessments · 3.3 Operational risk management framework · 3.4 Hierarchy of controls · 3.5 Hazard reporting with owner and closure · 3.6 Management of change · 3.7 Pre-incident planning · 3.8 Psychosocial hazards | 6.1.1, 6.1.2, 6.1.4, 8.1.2, 8.1.3 | [J04 Hazard Assessment and Workplace Inspections](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/j04-hazard-assessment-and-workplace-inspections); [J28 Psychological Health and Safety](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/j28-psychological-health-and-safety) | 2 | 6 (risk management plan), 10 | 11A.2, 11A.3, 11A.8, CC 2B.1, CC 2B.4, CC 2C.4, CC 2D.3, CC 6B.3 |
| 4 | Procedures and Document Control | 4.1 Document hierarchy and numbering · 4.2 SWP and SOG development with the people who do the work · 4.3 Approval and JOHSC consultation · 4.4 Review cycle · 4.5 Distribution and acknowledgement · 4.6 Availability on apparatus and devices · 4.7 Member familiarity verified | 7.5, 8.1.1 | [J06 Written Procedures and Committee Consultation](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/j06-written-procedures-and-committee-consultation) | 3, 4, 5 | 6 | 11A.2, CC 9C.3, 8A.3, CC 5E.2 |
| 5 | Training and Competency | 5.1 Needs analysis by position · 5.2 Certification floor per service · 5.3 OHS orientation at hire and on change · 5.4 Supervisor safety competency · 5.5 Performance-based evaluation · 5.6 Training safety and live fire · 5.7 Driver and operator qualification · 5.8 ISO, HSO and instructor development · 5.9 Volunteer access · 5.10 Records | 7.2, 7.3 | [J03 OHS Policy and Program](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/j03-ohs-policy-and-program); [J30 Emergency Vehicles, Drivers and Licensing](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/j30-emergency-vehicles-drivers-and-licensing); [J34 Fire Services Legislation and Firefighter Certification](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/j34-fire-services-legislation-and-firefighter-certification) | 8 | 7 | CC 8A.1, 8A.2, 8A.3, 8A.4, 8B.1, 8B.2, CC 8B.3, 8B.4, 8B.5, CC 8B.6, CC 8C.1, CC 8C.2, 8C.3, 8C.5, CC 8C.8, CC 11A.5 |
| 6 | Records and Information | 6.1 Records system and retention · 6.2 Statistics and indicators · 6.3 Privacy of medical and behavioural records · 6.4 Exposure records · 6.5 Safety bulletins and lessons distribution · 6.6 Communication across shifts and stations | 7.4, 7.5, 9.1.1 | [J09 Records Retention](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/j09-records-retention); [J10 Privacy and Health Information](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/j10-privacy-and-health-information) | 12 | 6 | 2A.5, 11A.7, 11A.10, 9C.4, 9D.2, 9D.4, CC 5F.6 |
| 7 | Respiratory Protection | 7.1 Program administrator and written program · 7.2 Selection and NFPA 1970 or 1986 compliance · 7.3 Fit testing · 7.4 Medical clearance · 7.5 Inspection, maintenance, flow test, cylinder hydrostatic · 7.6 Breathing air quality · 7.7 Air management · 7.8 Training | 8.1.1, 8.1.2 | [J14 Respiratory Protection, Fit Testing and Breathing Air](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/j14-respiratory-protection-fit-testing-and-breathing-air) | 6 | 9 | CC 6F.1, 6F.2, 6F.3, 6F.4, 6F.5, CC 11A.5 |
| 8 | Protective Clothing and Equipment | 8.1 Selection and issue by role · 8.2 Routine and advanced inspection · 8.3 Routine, advanced and specialized cleaning · 8.4 Repair and retirement · 8.5 Records per garment · 8.6 Second set and hoods · 8.7 Specialty PPE · 8.8 Compliance observed | 8.1.1, 8.1.2 | [J13 Firefighter PPE and Protective Equipment](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/j13-firefighter-ppe-and-protective-equipment) | 6 | 9 | 11A.9, CC 6F.1, 6F.2, 6F.3, 6F.4, 6F.5 |
| 9 | Decontamination, Contamination Control and Exposure | 9.1 On-scene preliminary exposure reduction · 9.2 Transport and clean cab · 9.3 Post-call station decon · 9.4 Station zoning · 9.5 Exposure reporting and lifetime records · 9.6 Infection control · 9.7 Diesel exhaust, asbestos, noise · 9.8 Presumptive coverage awareness | 8.1.1, 8.1.2, 6.1.2 | [J22 Exposure Limits, Heat and Cold Stress](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/j22-exposure-limits-heat-and-cold-stress); [J25 Infection Control and Medical First Response](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/j25-infection-control-and-medical-first-response); [J32 Workers' Compensation and Firefighter Presumptions](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/j32-workers-compensation-and-firefighter-presumptions) | 2, 6 | 12, 16 | 11A.4, 11A.9, 11A.10 |
| 10 | Medical, Fitness, Wellness and Rehabilitation | 10.1 Pre-placement and periodic medicals · 10.2 Fitness program · 10.3 Cancer screening and cardiac assessment · 10.4 Fitness for duty and non-punitive policy · 10.5 Fatigue and hours · 10.6 Hearing conservation · 10.7 Rehabilitation at incidents and training · 10.8 Return to work | 6.1.2, 8.1.1 | [J22 Exposure Limits, Heat and Cold Stress](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/j22-exposure-limits-heat-and-cold-stress); [J23 Noise and Hearing Conservation](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/j23-noise-and-hearing-conservation); [J33 Return to Work, Accommodation and Hours of Work](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/j33-return-to-work-accommodation-and-hours-of-work) | 6, 13 | 13 | CC 11B.1, 11B.2, 11B.3, 11B.5, CC 11B.6, 5H.2 |
| 11 | Psychological Health and Safety | 11.1 Program and confidential access · 11.2 Peer support team and governance · 11.3 Potentially traumatic event protocol · 11.4 Supervisor training · 11.5 Family supports · 11.6 Suicide prevention pathway · 11.7 Workplace violence and harassment · 11.8 Organizational psychological safety | 5.4, 6.1.2, 8.1.1 | [J26 Workplace Violence](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/j26-workplace-violence); [J27 Workplace Harassment](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/j27-workplace-harassment); [J28 Psychological Health and Safety](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/j28-psychological-health-and-safety) | 2 | 14, 15 | 11B.4, 11B.5 |
| 12 | Emergency Operations and Incident Scene Safety | 12.1 Incident management system · 12.2 Personnel accountability · 12.3 Two-in/two-out, RIT, mayday · 12.4 Incident safety officer deployment · 12.5 Air management · 12.6 Crew integrity and communications · 12.7 Structural firefighting controls · 12.8 Roadway operations and driving · 12.9 Effective response force and critical tasks · 12.10 Post-incident analysis | 8.1.1, 8.2 | [J12 Fire Service OHS Rules and Fireground Operations](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/j12-fire-service-ohs-rules-and-fireground-operations); [J30 Emergency Vehicles, Drivers and Licensing](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/j30-emergency-vehicles-drivers-and-licensing); [J31 Roadway Incident Scenes](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/j31-roadway-incident-scenes) | 3, 4 | 10, 11, 17 to 21 | 11A.8, 11A.11, 11A.12, CC 2C.4, CC 5E.2, 6C.3 |
| 13 | Hazardous Materials and Energy Hazards | 13.1 Hazmat program and competency levels · 13.2 Air monitoring · 13.3 Entry and decontamination · 13.4 Electrical, PV, EV, lithium, ESS, gas · 13.5 WHMIS and SDS · 13.6 CBRN | 8.1.1, 8.1.2 | [J19 Lockout, Machine Guarding and Electrical Safety](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/j19-lockout-machine-guarding-and-electrical-safety); [J21 WHMIS, Hazardous Materials and Asbestos](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/j21-whmis-hazardous-materials-and-asbestos) | 2, 3 | 9, 10 | CC 5H.1, 5H.2, CC 5H.3 |
| 14 | Technical Rescue: Heights, Confined Space and Water | 14.1 Fall protection plan and equipment · 14.2 Rope rescue systems and inspection · 14.3 Confined space entry and rescue · 14.4 Trench and collapse · 14.5 Water, ice and swiftwater · 14.6 Boat operations · 14.7 Competency per discipline | 8.1.1, 8.1.2 | [J16 Fall Protection and Rope Access](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/j16-fall-protection-and-rope-access); [J17 Confined Space](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/j17-confined-space); [J18 Excavation and Trench](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/j18-excavation-and-trench); [J29 Occupational Diving](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/j29-occupational-diving) | 2, 3, 6 | 10 | CC 5G.1, CC 5G.2 |
| 15 | Department Emergency Preparedness and Continuity | 15.1 Station fire, evacuation and medical emergency plans · 15.2 Firefighter injury and line-of-duty death response plan · 15.3 Continuity of operations and surge · 15.4 First aid provisions · 15.5 Drills and plan tests | 8.2 | [J08 Incident Reporting and Investigation](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/j08-incident-reporting-and-investigation); [J24 First Aid](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/j24-first-aid) | 11 | Annex J | CC 5D.1, 5D.3, 5D.5, 5D.6, 5D.8, CC 5D.9, 9B.11, 9B.12, CC 6B.3 |
| 16 | Incident Investigation and Learning | 16.1 Reporting of injury, exposure, vehicle and near miss · 16.2 Statutory reporting timelines · 16.3 Investigation method and JOHSC participation · 16.4 Three-tier learning reviews · 16.5 Learning firewall and just culture · 16.6 External learning intake · 16.7 Corrective action from events | 10.2 | [J08 Incident Reporting and Investigation](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/j08-incident-reporting-and-investigation) | 10 | 4, 5, 6 | 11A.6, 11A.7 |
| 17 | Contractors and Mutual Aid | 17.1 Contractor qualification and site rules · 17.2 Safety criteria in procurement · 17.3 Mutual and automatic aid agreements · 17.4 Outsourced services · 17.5 Visitors and public in stations | 8.1.4 | [J02 Duties of Employers, Supervisors, Workers and Contractors](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/j02-duties-of-employers-supervisors-workers-and-contractors) | 14 | 6, 10 | CC 10A.1, 10A.4, CC 10B.1, 10B.2, 10B.3, 2A.2, 6C.3 |
| 18 | Monitoring, Inspection and Indicators | 18.1 Inspection schedule and checklists · 18.2 Apparatus and equipment inspection and test regime · 18.3 Occupational hygiene monitoring · 18.4 Leading and lagging indicators · 18.5 Compliance evaluation · 18.6 Dashboard to JOHSC and council · 18.7 Deficiency closure | 9.1.1, 9.1.2 | [J04 Hazard Assessment and Workplace Inspections](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/j04-hazard-assessment-and-workplace-inspections); [J15 Equipment Inspection, Ladders and Aerial Devices](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/j15-equipment-inspection-ladders-and-aerial-devices) | 7, 9 | 8, 12 | CC 2D.1, 2D.2, CC 2D.6, CC 2D.9, 6B.2, CC 6B.3, CC 6D.1, 6D.4, CC 6D.5, CC 6E.3, 6E.4, 6F.4, 6F.5, 9A.6, 9B.6, 11A.3 |
| 19 | Audit and External Verification | 19.1 Audit program and criteria · 19.2 Auditor competence and independence · 19.3 Spot-audits and annual audit done · 19.4 External verification · 19.5 Finding grading and closure · 19.6 Audit program review | 9.2 | [J03 OHS Policy and Program](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/j03-ohs-policy-and-program); [J36 External Verification and Funding](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/j36-external-verification-and-funding) | 1 (audit cycle) | 6, Annex H | CC 2D.1, 2D.4, CC 2D.6, CC 2D.7, CC 11B.6, CC 5A.7, 5B.4, 5C.4, 5D.9, 5E.3, 5F.9, 5G.2, 5H.3, 5I.2, 5J.2, 5K.3 |
| 20 | Management Review | 20.1 Annual review held with the required inputs · 20.2 Objectives and targets with owners · 20.3 Culture baseline and maturity band considered · 20.4 Decisions resourced in the budget · 20.5 Outputs communicated · 20.6 Council and CAO reporting · 20.7 Program appraisals received | 9.3, 10.3, 6.2 | [J03 OHS Policy and Program](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/j03-ohs-policy-and-program) | 1 (Ontario element: management review) | 6 | 1A.3, 1A.7, CC 1B.1, 2D.2, CC 2D.7, CC 2D.9, 2D.10, CC 8B.6, CC 11B.6 |

> **Note: Customize**
>
> Switch off a category only when its program module is switched off in [01 Program Profile Worksheet](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/program-profile-worksheet); record the reason on the roll-up worksheet. Categories 1 to 6 and 16 to 20 are never switched off.

## 3. Checklist notes

Doc_ids: the category checklists are `FSSMS-AUD-C<category number>`. The checklists written with the program modules carry `FSSMS-AUD-P<program number>`, with a letter suffix where a program has more than one note. Both are shown below without the `FSSMS-AUD-` prefix, so read the \# column, not the doc_id, for the category.

| \# | Checklist note | doc_id | Status in this package | Fed by |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| 1 | [Checklist - Leadership, Policy and Program Management](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/checklist-leadership-policy-and-program-management) | C01 | Written | [01 Roles and Responsibilities](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/roles-and-responsibilities), [06 Program Improvement Teams](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/program-improvement-teams), the OHS Policy and the Internal Responsibility and Accountability policy (04 Policies) |
| 2 | [Checklist - Worker Participation and JOHSC](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/checklist-worker-participation-and-johsc) | C02 | Written | [02 JOHSC Integration](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/johsc-integration), the Right to Refuse and Work Stoppage policy |
| 3 | [Checklist - Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/checklist-hazard-identification-and-risk-assessment) | C03 | Written | [03 Hazard Profile and Risk Register Method](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/hazard-profile-and-risk-register-method), Risk Management and Hazard Assessment policy |
| 4 | [Checklist - Procedures and Document Control](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/checklist-procedures-and-document-control) | C04 | Written | [05 Document Control and Records](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/document-control-and-records), 06 Safe Work Procedures |
| 5 | [Checklist - Training and Competency](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/checklist-training-and-competency) | C05 | Written | Training and Competency policy; Training Safety and Live Fire program |
| 5 | [Checklist - Training Safety and Live Fire](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/checklist-training-safety-and-live-fire) | P08 | Written with the program module; deepens 5.6 | Training Safety and Live Fire program |
| 6 | [Checklist - Records and Information](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/checklist-records-and-information) | C06 | Written | [05 Document Control and Records](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/document-control-and-records), [04 Baseline Metrics and Indicator Set](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/baseline-metrics-and-indicator-set), Records, Privacy and Health Information policy |
| 7 | [Checklist - Respiratory Protection](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/checklist-respiratory-protection) | P01 | Written with the program module | Respiratory Protection program |
| 8 | [Checklist - Protective Clothing and Equipment](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/checklist-protective-clothing-and-equipment) | P02 | Written with the program module | Protective Clothing and Equipment program |
| 9 | [Checklist - Decontamination and Contamination Control](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/checklist-decontamination-and-contamination-control) | P03a | Written with the program module | Decontamination and Contamination Control program |
| 9 | [Checklist - Cancer Prevention, Exposure and Screening](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/checklist-cancer-prevention-exposure-and-screening) | P03 | Written with the program module | Occupational Cancer Prevention, Exposure Tracking and Screening program |
| 9 | [Checklist - Infection Control and Medical Response](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/checklist-infection-control-and-medical-response) | P08b | Written with the program module | Infection Control and Medical Response Safety program |
| 10 | [Checklist - Medical, Fitness and Wellness](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/checklist-medical-fitness-and-wellness) | P04 | Written with the program module | Medical, Fitness and Wellness program; Hearing Conservation program |
| 10 | [Checklist - Rehabilitation](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/checklist-rehabilitation) | P06 | Written with the program module | Firefighter Rehabilitation at Incidents and Training program |
| 11 | [Checklist - Psychological Health and Peer Support](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/checklist-psychological-health-and-peer-support) | P05 | Written with the program module | Psychological Health and Safety and Peer Support program |
| 11 | [Checklist - Workplace Violence and Harassment](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/checklist-workplace-violence-and-harassment) | P21b | Written with the program module | Workplace Violence and Harassment program and policy |
| 12 | [Checklist - Emergency Operations Safety](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/checklist-emergency-operations-safety) | P07 | Written with the program module | Emergency Operations Safety program; Apparatus, Driving and Roadway Operations program |
| 12 | [Checklist - Apparatus, Driving and Roadway](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/checklist-apparatus-driving-and-roadway) | P09 | Written with the program module; deepens 12.8, 18.2 and 5.7 | Apparatus, Driving and Roadway Operations program |
| 12 | [Checklist - Wildland, Heat and Weather](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/checklist-wildland-heat-and-weather) | P19 | Written with the program modules | Wildland and Interface program; Heat, Cold and Weather program |
| 13 | [Checklist - Hazardous Materials and Energy Hazards](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/checklist-hazardous-materials-and-energy-hazards) | P11 | Written with the program module | Hazardous Materials, CBRN and Energy Hazards program; WHMIS and Hazard Communication program |
| 14 | [Checklist - Working at Heights and Fall Protection](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/checklist-working-at-heights-and-fall-protection) | P14 | Written with the program module | Working at Heights and Fall Protection program |
| 14 | [Checklist - Confined Space, Trench and Rope Rescue](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/checklist-confined-space-trench-and-rope-rescue) | P15 | Written with the program modules | Confined Space program; Trench and Structural Collapse Rescue program; Rope Rescue program |
| 14 | [Checklist - Water, Ice and Marine Operations](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/checklist-water-ice-and-marine-operations) | P18 | Written with the program module | Water, Ice and Swiftwater Rescue program |
| 15 | [Checklist - Department Emergency Preparedness and Continuity](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/checklist-department-emergency-preparedness-and-continuity) | C15 | Written | Facilities and Station Safety program; Emergency Operations Safety program (LODD response) |
| 16 | [Checklist - Incident Reporting, Investigation and Learning](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/checklist-incident-reporting-investigation-and-learning) | P22 | Written with the program module | Incident Investigation and Learning program; After the Call tiers |
| 17 | [Checklist - Contractors and Mutual Aid](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/checklist-contractors-and-mutual-aid) | C17 | Written | Contractor and Mutual Aid Safety program and policy |
| 18 | [Checklist - Monitoring, Inspection and Indicators](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/checklist-monitoring-inspection-and-indicators) | C18 | Written | Workplace Inspections program; [Annual Inspection and Review Schedule](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/annual-inspection-and-review-schedule); [04 Baseline Metrics and Indicator Set](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/baseline-metrics-and-indicator-set) |
| 18 | [Checklist - Facilities and Station Safety](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/checklist-facilities-and-station-safety) | P10 | Written with the program module; deepens 9.4, 9.7, 15.1, 17 and 18.1 | Facilities and Station Safety program; Workplace Inspections program |
| 19 | [Checklist - Audit and External Verification](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/checklist-audit-and-external-verification) | C19 | Written | [01 Audit Program](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/audit-program) |
| 20 | [Checklist - Management Review](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/checklist-management-review) | C20 | Written | [Management Review](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/management-review), [Form - Annual Program Appraisal](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/form-annual-program-appraisal) |
| Conditional | [Checklist - RPAS, Marine and ARFF (Conditional Modules)](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/checklist-rpas-marine-and-arff-conditional-modules) | P25 | Written with the program modules; scored only for modules switched on | RPAS program; Marine Firefighting program; Airport Rescue and Firefighting program |

> **Information: Delivery note**
>
> Apparatus, driving and roadway criteria sit in categories 12 (operations and driving) and 18 (the inspection and test regime), and [Checklist - Apparatus, Driving and Roadway](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/checklist-apparatus-driving-and-roadway) deepens them; facility criteria sit in 9 (zoning and exhaust), 15 (station emergency plans) and 18 (station inspections), and [Checklist - Facilities and Station Safety](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/checklist-facilities-and-station-safety) deepens them. The audit plan states once whether a program-team checklist is scored inside the categories it deepens or on the spare row 21 of the roll-up worksheet, so no item is counted twice.

## 4. Checklist note structure

The checklists written for this index (categories 1 to 6, 15 and 17 to 20, and the program checklists for apparatus, confined space, facilities, training safety, water and working at heights) have the same parts, so an auditor can move between them without relearning the form:

1.  **Scope**: what the category covers and what it leaves to another category.
2.  **Criteria**: a table of the standards and law that set the items, with citations.
3.  **How to score**: a five-line pointer to section 5 of this index.
4.  **Checklist table** with these columns: `# | Item | Stage | Wt | Evid | CFAI | Scoring anchors (1 / 2 / 3) | D | I | E | Score | Finding | Owner | Due`. Stage is S1, S2 or S3. Wt is C3, K2 or S1, with L for legislated. Evid is D, O, I or a both-required combination. CFAI is the 10th edition indicator number the item answers, or a dash. The anchors say what a 1, a 2 and a 3 look like for that item; a 0 is always “not in place”. The last seven columns are completed by the auditor.
5.  **Effectiveness questions**: three questions that cannot be answered from documents; the auditor answers each from observation or interview and records the evidence. One of the three in every category is, or includes, whether members report they can raise a concern in this area and get an answer.
6.  **Accountability loop item**: the last item of every checklist scores the program’s accountability and closed-feedback-loop table and its loop test.
7.  **Interview and observation prompts**: the category’s slice of the question bank.
8.  **Jurisdiction requirements** (the topic pages the category relies on) and **References**.

**Short-form checklists.** The checklists written inside the other program modules (respiratory protection, protective clothing, decontamination, cancer prevention, infection control, medical and fitness, rehabilitation, psychological health, workplace violence, emergency operations, hazardous materials, wildland and weather, incident reporting, and the conditional modules) keep the module’s own table: item, stage, evidence expected and the 0 to 3 score, with the scoring guidance in the row or in a “3 looks like” column, the three effectiveness questions, a sampling or “how to run this category” note in place of the prompt list, and the accountability-loop and psychological-safety items. Their scoring sections state the unweighted mean. To fold one into the weighted roll-up, the auditor assigns each item its weight and evidence code at the planning meeting from [01 Audit Program](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/audit-program) sections 5.3 and 5.4 (L and C3 for every item that discharges a legal duty or a critical control) and records them on the score sheet; until that is done, the short-form mean is reported on its own line and is not entered in the category percentage.

## 5. Scoring in short

Full rules in [01 Audit Program](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/audit-program) section 5. In short:

1.  Score each item on three dimensions, 0 to 3: **D** documentation, **I** implementation, **E** effectiveness.
2.  Derive the **item score**: 0 not in place; 1 documented but not implemented (I of 0 or 1); 2 implemented but not verified effective (I at least 2, E of 0 or 1); 3 implemented and effective with evidence (I at least 2, E at least 2).
3.  Items coded D+I, D+O, O+I or D+O+I need **both** evidence types to score above 1 on implementation. Interview evidence counts when a majority of those interviewed answer positively and specifically ([CFCSA, 2021](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/audit-checklist-master-index#ref-cfcsa-2021); [CSNS, 2023](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/audit-checklist-master-index#ref-csns-2023)).
4.  Weights: **C3** critical (x3), **K2** core (x2), **S1** supporting (x1). **L** items must score at least 2 or the category fails its legislated floor.
5.  Category score = sum(weight x item score) / sum(weight x 3). Pass = program score at least 80 per cent, every category at least 50 per cent, every legislated floor met, no open major at the close of the corrective action window [(CFCSA, 2021)](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/audit-checklist-master-index#ref-cfcsa-2021).
6.  Effectiveness index = sum(weight x E) / sum(weight x 3); maps to the maturity band (Reacting under 25; Complying 25 to 44; Building 45 to 64; Learning 65 to 84; Generative 85 and above with program score at least 80 and no open major).

## 6. Roll-up worksheet

Complete one row per category from the category score sheets. The worksheet is a markdown table so it can be rebuilt in any spreadsheet; the formulas are stated in words.

| \# | Category | Applicable? | Items scored | Sum wt x 3 (possible) | Sum wt x score | Category % | Sum wt x E | Effectiveness % | Sum wt x D | Documentation % | L floor met? | Majors | Minors | OFIs | Last audit % | Trend |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| 1 | Leadership, Policy and Program Management | Y |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| 2 | Worker Participation and JOHSC | Y |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| 3 | Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment | Y |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| 4 | Procedures and Document Control | Y |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| 5 | Training and Competency | Y |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| 6 | Records and Information | Y |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| 7 | Respiratory Protection | Y |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| 8 | Protective Clothing and Equipment | Y |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| 9 | Decontamination, Contamination Control and Exposure | Y |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| 10 | Medical, Fitness, Wellness and Rehabilitation | Y |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| 11 | Psychological Health and Safety | Y |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| 12 | Emergency Operations and Incident Scene Safety | Y |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| 13 | Hazardous Materials and Energy Hazards | Y/N |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| 14 | Technical Rescue: Heights, Confined Space and Water | Y/N per sub-note |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| 15 | Department Emergency Preparedness and Continuity | Y |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| 16 | Incident Investigation and Learning | Y |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| 17 | Contractors and Mutual Aid | Y |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| 18 | Monitoring, Inspection and Indicators | Y |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| 19 | Audit and External Verification | Y |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| 20 | Management Review | Y |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| 21 | (spare: a program-team checklist scored on its own row, where the audit plan says so) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
|  | **Program** |  |  | **Sum of possible** | **Sum of scored** | **Program %** | **Sum** | **Program effectiveness %** | **Sum** | **Program documentation %** | **All met?** | **Total** | **Total** | **Total** |  |  |

**Formulas in words.**

- Category % = (Sum wt x score) divided by (Sum wt x 3), times 100. Where a category has more than one note (5, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 18), sum the notes’ items into the one row, except a program-team checklist the audit plan scores on the spare row 21.
- Effectiveness % and Documentation % = the same with E and D in place of the item score.
- Program % = the sum of every applicable category’s “Sum wt x score” divided by the sum of every applicable category’s “Sum wt x 3”, times 100. It is not the average of the category percentages; a long category weighs more than a short one, by design.
- L floor met = Y only if every L item in the category has an item score of at least 2.
- Trend = Category % this audit minus last audit, in percentage points.

**Result block** (copied to the audit report executive summary):

| Result | Value |
|:---|:---|
| Program score | % |
| Categories below 50 % | list |
| Legislated floors not met | list |
| Open majors at close of window | number |
| Pass or fail |  |
| Program effectiveness index | % |
| Maturity band | Reacting / Complying / Building / Learning / Generative |
| Program documentation index | % |
| Psychological-safety measure (proportion of interviewees answering both standing questions positively, by group) | career % / volunteer % / officers % / members % |
| Culture baseline score ([05 Safety Culture Baseline](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/safety-culture-baseline)) |  |
| Three priorities for the management review | 1\. 2. 3. |

## 7. Running the full audit in five days

For a mid-size department (roughly 150 to 400 members, 8 to 15 stations, composite) with a team of three trained internal auditors: a lead auditor from outside the safety division, one operational officer, and one person with no reporting line into operations (corporate safety, finance, a volunteer officer or a peer from another department). Documents requested 10 working days earlier and read before day one.

| Day | Morning | Afternoon | Evening (composite departments) |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Day 1** | Opening meeting (45 minutes: fire chief, senior officer H&S, HSO, JOHSC co-chairs, program managers). Categories 1, 2, 20: interviews with the fire chief, a deputy chief, both JOHSC co-chairs; review of policy, program, RACI, management review record, JOHSC minutes sample | Categories 3, 4, 6: hazard profile, SWP sample, document control, records sample drawn; interviews with the HSO (as auditee) and the records custodian. Team splits: lead on 1 and 20, officer on 3 and 4, third auditor on 2 and 6 | Volunteer station A: station inspection observed, three member interviews, PPE and SCBA records on site |
| **Day 2** | Headquarters station at shift change: apparatus and SCBA check observed (categories 7, 12, 18); station inspection records; three interviews including a company officer. Category 5 at the training division: needs analysis, certification floor, training records sample, instructor qualifications; one training evolution observed | Categories 8 and 9 at logistics and a busy station: PPE records per garment, advanced inspection and cleaning records, extractor logs, decon cycle observed (simulated if no call), station zoning walked; four interviews | Volunteer station B: as station A; category 17 if a mutual aid partner is nearby |
| **Day 3** | Categories 10 and 11 with the program managers and the occupational health provider: medical and fitness scheduling process (existence and currency only, no clinical content), screening access, rehab records from the last three working fires, peer support governance, PTE protocol; interviews with a peer supporter and two members | Categories 12 and 13: command and accountability records from the last five working fires, ISO assignments, mayday drills, air management records, hazmat competency and air monitoring records; one drill under command observed; interviews with two incident commanders | Second career station on another platoon: three interviews, night or weekend observation |
| **Day 4** | Category 14 with the technical rescue and water program teams: equipment inspection and test records, fall protection plan, confined space records, competency per discipline; one rigging or equipment check observed | Categories 15, 16, 19: station emergency plan and drill records, first aid provisions, investigation sample, near-miss and learning reviews, firewall practice; the prior audit’s findings verified in the register; auditor competence records; interviews with the learning program lead and a JOHSC worker member | Team working session: scores reconciled, both-required checks, legislated floors, roll-up worksheet started |
| **Day 5** | Category 18 and gaps: indicator dashboard, compliance evaluation, inspection completion rates; any item without enough evidence revisited; remaining interviews to reach the sampling table | Closing meeting (90 minutes): preliminary scores by category, major findings read out with evidence, auditee comments recorded, the three priorities agreed in draft. Report drafting begins; issued within 15 working days |  |

Rules of thumb: 25 interviews in a 150 to 400 member department (the sampling table), at least eight of them volunteer members; one observation per technical category; the HSO is interviewed, not consulted, and does not sit in on interviews; a call takes precedence over everything on the schedule; a category that cannot be completed in five days is reported as incomplete with a date, never scored from documents alone.

> **Tip: Volunteer and composite departments**
>
> The evening blocks are not optional in a composite department. If the audit cannot reach volunteer members on their training nights, the report says the volunteer sample was not met and the implementation scores for every category carry that limit.

## 8. Combined interview question bank (the standing part)

Each checklist note carries its own prompts. These are asked in every interview:

1.  What is your role, and how long have you been in it?
2.  Tell me about the last time you did \[the category’s core task\]. Walk me through it as it happened.
3.  What makes that go well on a good day? What gets in the way?
4.  If the procedure and the real job differ, where, and why?
5.  Who would you tell if you saw something unsafe tomorrow, and what would happen next?
6.  Have you raised a concern, reported a near miss or stopped a task in the last year? What came back to you?
7.  What one thing would you fix first?

Questions 5 and 6 are the psychological-safety measure [(Edmondson, 1999)](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/audit-checklist-master-index#ref-edmondson-1999) and are scored on every sheet.

## Jurisdiction requirements

This chapter relies on the following legal requirements, which differ by province and territory. Check your jurisdiction’s section on each topic page before adopting it.

| Topic | What to check in your jurisdiction | Page |
|:---|:---|:---|
| OHS Policy and Program | When a written OHS program is required and the elements it must contain, which the Jurisdiction topic column and the category checklists audit (sections 1 and 2) | [J03 OHS Policy and Program](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/j03-ohs-policy-and-program) |
| Hazard Assessment and Workplace Inspections | Whether the law fixes how often the workplace must be inspected and by whom, or leaves the frequency to the program’s hazard identification system (categories 3 and 18) | [J04 Hazard Assessment and Workplace Inspections](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/j04-hazard-assessment-and-workplace-inspections) |
| External Verification and Funding | Which external audits are open to the department, such as a COR certifying partner or compensation board certification, whose element numbering and scoring conventions the COR column and section 5 follow | [J36 External Verification and Funding](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/j36-external-verification-and-funding) |

## References

Canadian Federation of Construction Safety Associations \[CFCSA\]. (2021). *National COR accreditation standard* (final draft, 2021-06-11). <https://cfcsa.ca/pdfs/CFCSA%20National%20COR%20Accreditation%20Standard%20-%20FINAL%20DRAFT,%202021.06.11.pdf>

Center for Public Safety Excellence \[CPSE\]. (2019). *Fire and emergency service self-assessment manual* (10th ed.). Commission on Fire Accreditation International. <https://cpse.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/10th-Edition-FESSAM-Strikethrough-Underline-v.4.pdf>

Center for Public Safety Excellence \[CPSE\]. (2024). *Fire and emergency service self-assessment manual* (11th ed.). Commission on Fire Accreditation International. <https://www.cpse.org/accreditation/cfai10/>

Construction Safety Nova Scotia \[CSNS\]. (2023). *COR evaluation instrument* (FM 9.16, Rev. 10). <https://constructionsafetyns.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/FM-9.16-COR-Evaluation-Instrument-Rev.10.pdf>

Edmondson, A. C. (1999). Psychological safety and learning behavior in work teams. *Administrative Science Quarterly, 44*(2), 350–383. https://doi.org/10.2307/2666999

International Organization for Standardization. (2018). *ISO 45001:2018, Occupational health and safety management systems: Requirements with guidance for use*. <https://www.iso.org/standard/63787.html>

National Fire Protection Association. (2024). *NFPA 1550, Standard for emergency responder health and safety* (consolidates NFPA 1500, 1521 and 1561). <https://www.nfpa.org/codes-and-standards/nfpa-1550-standard-development/1550>