ISO 45001 – OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
What is ISO 45001?
ISO 45001 is an internationally recognized standard for occupational health and safety management systems. It provides a framework that organizations can follow to effectively manage and improve their occupational health and safety performance. The standard focuses on preventing work-related accidents, injuries, and illnesses, and promoting a safe and healthy working environment for employees and other stakeholders.
ISO 45001 sets out the requirements for establishing, implementing, maintaining, and continually improving an occupational health and safety management system within an organization. It helps organizations identify and assess risks, establish controls and preventive measures, train employees on safety procedures, and regularly monitor and evaluate their performance.
By implementing ISO 45001, organizations can demonstrate their commitment to protecting the health and safety of their workforce and visitors. Compliance with the standard can lead to a reduction in accidents and illnesses, improved employee morale and productivity, enhanced reputation and stakeholder trust, and legal and regulatory compliance.
Standard Version
ISO standards are regularly revised every five years to align with modern trends and requirements. The most recent version of ISO 45001 was released in 2018, replacing the previous ISO 18001 standard.
2018
ISO 45001:2018
Why was the standard created?
The ISO 45001 standard was created to address the need for a globally recognized framework for occupational health and safety management. Several factors contributed to its development:
- Worker Safety and Well-being: The primary motivation behind ISO 45001 was to protect workers from work-related accidents, injuries, and illnesses. The standard aims to provide organizations with a systematic approach to identify and manage occupational health and safety risks, ultimately ensuring the well-being of employees.
- Global Harmonization: Before the introduction of ISO 45001, there were different national standards and guidelines for occupational health and safety management in different countries. The lack of international harmonization posed challenges for multinational organizations seeking consistency in managing health and safety across their operations. ISO 45001 aimed to provide a unified global standard to facilitate harmonization and alignment of practices.
- Improvement of Occupational Health and Safety Performance: ISO 45001 was developed to help organizations improve their performance in managing occupational health and safety. By implementing the standard’s requirements, organizations can establish robust systems to identify hazards, assess risks, implement controls, and continuously monitor and improve their health and safety performance.
- Legal and Regulatory Compliance: Compliance with health and safety regulations is a legal requirement for organizations in many countries. ISO 45001 helps organizations meet legal obligations by providing a framework that aligns with relevant laws and regulations. It assists in identifying applicable legal requirements and establishing processes to ensure compliance.
- Stakeholder Expectations: In an increasingly conscious society, stakeholders, including customers, employees, investors, and communities, expect organizations to prioritize health and safety. ISO 45001 enables organizations to demonstrate their commitment to occupational health and safety management, thereby building trust and meeting stakeholder expectations.
- Continual Improvement: ISO 45001 emphasizes the concept of continual improvement. It encourages organizations to regularly review and enhance their occupational health and safety management systems to achieve better outcomes over time. By adopting a systematic approach, organizations can identify areas for improvement, implement corrective actions, and drive ongoing progress in health and safety performance.
Overall, the creation of ISO 45001 aimed to provide organizations with a comprehensive and globally recognized framework to manage occupational health and safety effectively, protect workers, meet legal requirements, and continually improve health and safety performance.
Benefits of Implementing ISO 45001
There are several key advantages associated with the implementation of ISO 45001:
- Enhanced Occupational Health and Safety: ISO 45001 helps organizations establish a systematic approach to identify, assess, and control occupational health and safety risks. By implementing the standard’s requirements, organizations can create a safer and healthier working environment, reducing the likelihood of accidents, injuries, and illnesses among employees.
- Improved Compliance: ISO 45001 assists organizations in meeting legal and regulatory requirements related to occupational health and safety. By implementing the standard, organizations can ensure that their practices align with applicable laws and regulations, reducing the risk of non-compliance and potential penalties.
- Increased Employee Engagement: Engaging employees in the development and implementation of an occupational health and safety management system is crucial. ISO 45001 encourages employee participation and consultation, promoting a culture of involvement and ownership. Engaged employees are more likely to adhere to safety procedures and contribute to the identification and mitigation of risks.
- Enhanced Reputation and Stakeholder Confidence: ISO 45001 certification demonstrates an organization’s commitment to occupational health and safety. It can enhance an organization’s reputation among customers, suppliers, employees, and other stakeholders, instilling confidence in its practices and commitment to worker safety.
- Cost Reduction: Effective management of occupational health and safety risks can result in cost savings. By preventing accidents, injuries, and illnesses, organizations can reduce medical expenses, insurance premiums, and compensation claims. Additionally, improved productivity and reduced absenteeism due to better working conditions contribute to cost savings.
- Increased Productivity: A safe and healthy work environment has a positive impact on employee productivity. By addressing occupational health and safety risks, organizations can minimize disruptions caused by accidents or illnesses, leading to improved employee morale, motivation, and efficiency.
- Competitive Advantage: ISO 45001 certification sets organizations apart from competitors, demonstrating their commitment to health and safety. It can become a factor that differentiates an organization in the marketplace and attracts customers, partners, and investors who prioritize working with responsible and safety-conscious organizations.
- Continuous Improvement: ISO 45001 promotes a culture of continual improvement. Organizations are encouraged to regularly assess their occupational health and safety performance, identify areas for enhancement, and implement corrective actions. This focus on continual improvement helps organizations stay proactive and adaptive to changing circumstances and emerging risks.
It’s important to note that the specific benefits realized by an organization may vary based on factors such as its size, industry, and level of implementation.
Who can obtain the certificate?
ISO 45001 is applicable to organizations of all sizes and across various industries and sectors, such as public, private, or non-profit. It can be integrated with other management systems to create a comprehensive approach to organizational performance. The certificate is issued to the organization or company; it is not awarded to individuals. However, individuals can obtain a lead auditor certificate in the field of ISO 45001.
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Developed and published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO)
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CERTIFICATION PROCESS
Essential steps to ISO certification
PRE-AGREEMENT PERIOD
Negotiate and agree on contract terms.
Sign the contract.
Make a 50% payment of the first year's fee for consulting services.
GAP ANALYSIS
Appoint a contact person responsible for providing information to the consulting team.
Schedule a comprehensive analysis visit by the consulting team to the client's production facility.
TRAINING
Conduct an introductory training session for designated company personnel.
Discuss the results of the gap analysis.
Form working groups.
Agree on the work plan and schedule.
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STANDARD
Define the organizational structure.
Identify key processes and supporting processes.
Develop procedures and instructions to align documentation with international standards.
INTERNAL AUDIT
Provide training on planning and conducting internal audits.
Offer consulting support throughout the internal audit process.
CERTIFICATION
Assist company representatives during the external audit.
Analyze the results of the external audit.
Provide recommendations for future audit preparations.