23/03/2018
The long-awaited new international standard for occupational health and safety was published on 12th March 2018. According to the International Labour Organisation, 7,600 people die every day around the world from work-related accidents and disease in addition to 374 million non-fatal injuries and illnesses. Aside from the enormous impact on families and communities, the cost to business and economies is significant. The ISO 45001 provides a minimum standard of practice to improve work safety worldwide.
What is the ISO 45001?
The ISO 45001 replaces the widely-adopted OHSAS 18001. The International Accreditation Forum (IAF) is developing the migration requirements to help certified organisations, certification bodies, accreditation bodies and other interested parties prepare. It is expected there will be a three-year period before the OHSAS 18001 is withdrawn.
While the ISO 45001 draws inspiration from the OHSAS 18001, it is a separate and distinct standard. ISO 45001 follows the high-level structure approach that is being applied to other ISO management system standards, such as ISO 9001 (quality) and ISO 14001 (environment). However, ISO 45001 places a greater emphasis on the environment in which the organisation operates, and more responsibility is assigned to senior managers, with the executive team required to demonstrate a commitment to the standard. In addition, ISO 45001 focuses on identifying and controlling risks, rather than hazards, as required in OHSAS 18001, and puts more focus on stakeholders. For example, there are two new sub-clauses not present in OHSAS 18001: “Understanding the organisation and its context” and “Understanding the needs and expectation of interested parties”.
The ISO 45001 also includes a requirement to manage health and safety risks related to change, outsourcing of processes, procurement of goods and services, contractor control, and the communication of work activities.
Who is the ISO 45001 intended for?
The ISO 45001 is intended for all organisations, from micro-businesses to multi-nationals, private companies to NGOs and government departments. Essentially, any organisation with employees can benefit from the systematic approach to occupational health and safety the standard provides. ISO 45001 has been specifically designed to be utilised in small organisations dealing with low health and safety risks, to larger, more complex corporations who have to manage multiple risks over many locations, including overseas.
What does the ISO 45001 contain?
The ISO 45001 provides a basis to allow organisations to develop risk-management and health and safety policies and procedures which fit within their business structure. It does this by:
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developing an occupational health and safety policy and implementing it
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establishing a systematic process which considers the risks and opportunities and legal requirements of an organisation
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establishing the hazards relating to the work done by the organisation and preparing a plan to eliminate or minimise their potential effects
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setting up operational controls to manage occupational health and safety risks
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increasing awareness of the hazards within the organisation
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evaluating occupational health and safety risk management performance so it can be improved
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providing workers with the knowledge and incentives to take an active role in health and safety matters within the company
How do organisations transition from OHSAS 18001 to ISO 45001?
The logical time to make the transition from OHSAS 18001 to ISO 45001 is during the recertification period as recertification requires a complete audit of health and safety policies and procedures. This period provides the opportunity to study the new standard in readiness for implement into the organisation.
The first step to a smooth transition is to undertake a gap-analysis of how the organisation’s health and safety policies and procedures currently fit within the ISO 45001 standard and to identify gaps which need to be addressed to meet the new standard’s requirements.
Once the new processes and required systems have been implemented, an audit should be undertaken to ensure compliance is met.
Fisher Scoggins Waters is a London based law firm and are experts in construction, manufacturing, and engineering law. For advice on employee health and safety prosecutions and emergency response services, please phone Michael Appleby on 0207 993 8264.