ISO 45001 Certification – Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems

ISO 45001 applies to any organization, regardless of size and sector, wishing to implement an OHSMS.

It is particularly valuable to higher-risk industries, such as:

• Construction
• Manufacturing
• Oil and gas
• Mining
• Agriculture

Implementing the ISO 45001 standard provides significant value to organizations wanting to reduce workplace incidents and demonstrate OHS commitment.

The standard strongly focuses on an organization’s context. It requires the organization to consider what stakeholders expect from its OHS management. The organization must determine which parties are relevant to its OHSMS and their requirements.

ISO 45001 aims to provide an organization with a high-level understanding of the important issues that can affect it, either positively or negatively, and how it manages its OHS responsibilities toward its workers.

Issues of interest are those that affect the organization’s ability to achieve its intended outcomes. These include the objectives set for its OHSMS, such as meeting OHS policy commitments.

Top management must demonstrate its involvement and engagement with the OHSMS through direct participation, taking OHS performance into account in strategic planning.

Top management must also contribute to the OHSMS’s effectiveness by actively directing, supporting and communicating with workers, and promoting and leading organizational OHSMS culture.

ISO 45001 defines the requirements for top management responsibility and accountability to ensure that ultimate responsibility cannot be delegated to health and safety or other managers.

ISO 45001 requires top management to encourage consultation with and participation from workers and their representatives, as these are crucial to OHS management.

Consultation implies two-way communication – dialogue and exchange – and involves the timely provision of information that workers and their representatives need before the organization can decide.

An OHSMS depends on worker participation, which enables them to contribute to OHS performance and comment on proposed changes.

The organization must encourage workers at all levels to report hazardous situations, so preventative measures and corrective action can be taken. Workers must be able to report and suggest improvements without fearing dismissal, disciplinary action or similar reprisals.