Why is the practice of internal auditing so important for aviation companies?

Question

Compare and contrast self-auditing with comprehensive auditing.

Answer 1

To identify any areas of regulatory non-compliance, areas of risk and hazard, non-compliance with any company rules/policies/procedures, issues of organizational management, evaluation of programs, and areas of strength and weakness.

Discussion should go toward self-audits are those conducted by the persons that work in a certain location or department, and are an audit of the area(s) in which they work. Self-audits may be informal or more detailed. Comprehensive audits are detailed, thorough, and sometimes require significant amounts of time. These audits can be applied to a specific facility, area, or an entire organization, depending upon the nature of the inspection. Comprehensive safety audits are generally planned well in advance of the scheduled inspection date so that the auditor(s) have adequate time in which to prepare for their task. Comprehensive safety audits are often conducted by specific individuals within the company, or by members of an auditing team who have completed training on how to conduct an audit. Often these types of safety audits involve the use of detailed checklists to guide the auditor as the inspection is taking place and to serve as a reminder of the areas and items that need to be examined. Depending on the company and the areas being audited, the team may consist of several direct employees of the company and in some cases, qualified persons or firms from outside the company may be brought in to participate.