An independent, documentation-based review of your current health and safety system, checked against the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 and best practice. Delivered as a written report with a prioritised action plan.
Reuben Brooker, Lead Consultant·Last updated: September 2026
A health and safety gap analysis is a review of your existing health and safety documentation and systems, compared against what a PCBU is legally required to have under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 (HSWA). It is a documentation review, not a site visit. The output is a written report that identifies what is compliant, what is partially in place, and what is missing, ranked by priority.
Find out where your system stands
Book a short scoping call. We confirm a fixed quote before any work begins.
Under section 36 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015, every PCBU must ensure the health and safety of workers and others so far as is reasonably practicable. That duty requires more than good intentions. It requires documentation that shows you identify risks, control them, and review your systems over time.
Many businesses are not sure whether their current paperwork actually demonstrates this. Policies get copied from templates, hazard registers fall out of date, and no one has checked the whole system against the Act since it was first put together. A gap analysis tells you exactly where you stand before WorkSafe, a client, or a prequalification assessor asks.
It is also the standard first step before larger work. If you are not sure whether you need a full system rebuild or just a few fixes, the gap analysis answers that question before you spend money finding out the hard way.
Gap Analysis, Site Audit, or OHSMS?
These three services get confused often. Here is exactly how they differ.
Service
What it checks
Format
Gap Analysis (this page)
Your existing documented system, checked against HSWA 2015 and best practice
N/A — this builds the system rather than checking it
Digital files, printed handbook, in-person handover
A gap analysis is usually the starting point. It tells you what needs fixing before you spend money building or rebuilding anything. Many clients run a gap analysis first, then come back for an OHSMS build or a site audit once they know what they actually need.
What We Assess
The review covers nine core areas of your health and safety system.
Health and safety policy and objectives
PCBU and officer duties, including due diligence records
Hazard identification and risk management, including your hazard register
Site-Specific Safety Plans (SSSPs) or equivalent documentation
Emergency procedures and incident and near-miss reporting records
Worker engagement, participation, and consultation processes
Training records and competency management
Contractor and subcontractor management
Ongoing monitoring, review, and continuous improvement processes
What You Receive
📋
Written gap report
Findings against each of the nine core areas, in plain language, so you know exactly where you stand.
🎯
Prioritised action plan
Gaps ranked by priority, so you know what to fix first and what can wait.
⚖️
Legislation references
Findings tied to the specific HSWA 2015 duties they relate to, not vague generalisations.
🤝
Follow-up conversation
We walk through the findings with you and outline your options for closing the gaps.
Not sure if this is what you need?
Tell us about your business and we will confirm the right service and a fixed quote.
We talk through your business, the sites and activities you cover, and what has prompted the review.
2
We confirm a fixed quote
Based on the size of your business and how much documentation there is to review. No hourly rates.
3
Document collection
You send through your current policies, procedures, registers, and records. We tell you exactly what to gather.
4
Review against HSWA 2015 and best practice
Reuben reviews everything against the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015, the Health and Safety at Work (General Risk and Workplace Management) Regulations 2016, and WorkSafe NZ guidance.
5
Gap report and action plan delivered
A written report identifying what is compliant, what is partially in place, and what is missing, with each gap ranked by priority.
6
Follow-up conversation
We talk through the findings and, if you want help closing the gaps, outline options such as an OHSMS build or targeted document work.
Who Reviews Your System
Your gap analysis is carried out by Reuben Brooker, Lead Consultant at Health & Safety Consultants Auckland, with more than 15 years of experience in workplace health and safety.
You deal with the person doing the work, and the follow-up conversation is with Reuben directly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, if you are not confident your current documentation would hold up to a WorkSafe investigation or a prequalification review. Under section 36 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015, a PCBU must manage risks so far as is reasonably practicable, and a gap analysis is the standard way to check whether your paperwork actually demonstrates that.
A gap analysis is a documentation review comparing your whole system against HSWA 2015 and best practice. Our Workplace Site Audit is a physical, on-site inspection of one location. Many businesses need both, but they answer different questions: one checks the paperwork, the other checks the site.
No. This service is a documentation-based review of your existing health and safety system. If you also want your physical site checked, a Workplace Site Audit can be booked alongside it.
The fee depends on the size of your business, the number of sites, and how much documentation there is to review. We confirm a fixed quote after a short scoping call, so you know the exact cost before we start.
Timeframes depend on how much documentation is provided and how complex your operation is. We confirm an expected turnaround during your scoping call once we understand the scope.
We walk you through the findings on a follow-up call. If you want help closing the gaps, we can quote for a full OHSMS build or for targeted work on specific documents, depending on what the report identifies.
Sources
Health and Safety at Work Act 2015, section 36: primary duty of care requiring every PCBU to ensure health and safety so far as is reasonably practicable. legislation.govt.nz
WorkSafe New Zealand, understanding the law: overview of PCBU duties and how HSWA 2015 applies to New Zealand workplaces. worksafe.govt.nz
Health and Safety at Work (General Risk and Workplace Management) Regulations 2016: supporting regulations setting out specific risk management requirements under HSWA. legislation.govt.nz
Find out where your system stands
Tell us about your business. We will scope it, confirm a fixed quote, and review your documentation against HSWA 2015.
