WHAT IS ISO 45001:2018?
ISO 45001:2018 is an international standard that specifies requirements for an Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) management system, along with guidance for its use, enabling organizations to proactively improve OH&S performance in preventing work-related injury and ill health.
ISO 45001:2018 is intended to be applicable to any organization, regardless of type, nature, or size. All requirements of ISO 45001 are intended to be integrated into the organization’s own management processes.
ISO 45001:2018 enables an organization, through its OH&S management system, to integrate other aspects of health and safety, such as worker health care and welfare; however, it should be noted that an organization may be required by applicable legal requirements to address such issues.
WHAT ISO 45001 DOES NOT DO…
ISO 45001:2018 does not state specific criteria for OH&S performance, nor is it prescriptive about the design of an OH&S management system. An organization’s OH&S management system must be specific to meet its own needs in preventing injury and ill health; therefore, a small business with low risks may only need to implement a relatively simple system, while a large organization with high levels of risk may require a much more complex system.
Any type of system can conform to the requirements of the standard, provided that it is appropriate and effective for the organization.
So, what is the ISO 45001 standard?
ISO 45001 does not specifically address issues such as product safety, property damage, or environmental impacts, and an organization does not need to consider these issues unless they present a risk to workers.
ISO 45001:2018 is not intended to be a legally binding document; rather, it is a management tool for medium and larger organizations to use voluntarily to eliminate or minimize the risk of harm.
NOTE: There are several ILO conventions and standards (ILS) related to OH&S that have been adopted by countries worldwide to varying degrees. ISO 45001:2018 is consistent with the ILS framework.
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Benefits of applying ISO 45001:2018
The ISO 45001 standard, based on the OH&S Management System, enables organizations to improve their OH&S performance by:
- Establishing and implementing an OH&S policy and objectives
- Setting up systematic processes that consider the “context” of the organization and take into account risks and opportunities, legal requirements, and other requirements
- Identifying OH&S hazards and risks associated with the organization’s activities; eliminating them or controlling them to minimize potential impacts
- Establishing operational controls to manage OH&S risks as well as legal and other requirements
- Increasing awareness of the organization’s OH&S risks
- Evaluating OH&S performance and seeking improvement through appropriate actions
- Ensuring workers take an active role in OH&S matters
Combining these measures will strengthen the organization’s reputation as a safe workplace and may bring more direct benefits, such as:
- Improved ability to comply with legal requirements
- Reduced accident-related costs
- Reduced downtime and operational disruption costs
- Lower insurance costs
- Reduced absenteeism and staff turnover rates
- Recognition of achieving an international standard (which may influence customers concerned about social responsibility)
Who should apply this Standard?
The simple answer is: this Standard is for all organizations.
Whether your organization is a small business or a global corporation; a non-profit organization, a charity, a training institution, or a government body—if your organization has workers or individuals who may be affected by its activities, implementing a system to manage health and safety will benefit the organization.
The Standard can be used by organizations with low-risk activities as well as large and complex organizations with high-risk activities. While the Standard requires OH&S risks to be addressed and controlled, it also adopts a risk-based approach to the OH&S management system to ensure:
– a. the system is effective;
– b. it is continually improved to respond to the organization’s changing “context.”
This risk-based approach aligns with how organizations manage other “business” risks, thereby encouraging integration of the Standard’s requirements into overall management processes.
How does ISO 45001 relate to other ISO standards?
ISO 45001 follows the High-Level Structure applied to other ISO management system standards such as ISO 9001 (quality) and ISO 14001 (environment). During its development, other international standards were also considered (such as OHSAS 18001 and the “ILO-OSH Guidelines” of the International Labour Organization), as well as national standards and ILO conventions and standards (ILSs).
When this Standard is implemented, organizations will find its requirements aligned with other standards. This facilitates a smooth transition from existing OH&S management system standards to ISO 45001 and supports integration with other ISO management system standards within the organization’s overall management processes.
Further information to better understand ISO 45001:2018
You can learn more about:
- The development of the standard and the work of the project committee
The High-Level Structure, see Annex SL
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