ISO 45001 – Occupational Health and Safety
ISO 45001:2018 joins OHSAS 18001 as one of the international ISO standards for Occupational Health and Safety Management (OH&S).
Not only will the standard supersede OHSAS 18001, it makes integration with other management systems simpler than ever before; because it shares the common structure defined by Annex SL, it is directly aligned with the revised versions of ISO 9001 and ISO 14001.
Is ISO 45001 right for me?
If you have certification to OHSAS 18001 you will need to migrate to ISO 45001 to maintain the validity of certification. There is the normal 3-year migration period, so there is still time to plan your move over to ISO 45001.
ISO 45001 is right if you and your organization need to demonstrate a commitment to managing the safety of workers and interested parties. If you have already implemented a quality or environmental management system aligned with the Annex SL structure, ISO 45001 can be integrated smoothly.
Organizations that implement ISO 45001 need
Benefits of ISO 45001 certification
Reduced operating costs
Less down-time due to incidents and ill health and lower costs from legal fees and compensation means money saved.
Improved interested party relationships
Make the health and property of staff, customers and suppliers more of a priority and people will respond.
Legal compliance
Understand how statutory and regulatory requirements impact your organization and its customers.
Improved risk management
Identify potential incidents and implement controls and measures to keep risk as low as possible.
Proven business credentials
Independent verification against recognized standards speaks volumes.
Customer satisfaction
Meet customer requirements consistently whilst safeguarding their health and property.
Win more business
Procurement specifications often require certification as a condition to supply, so gaining the standard opens doors. ISO 45001 is also recognised by Safety Schemes In Procurement (SSIP).
Corporate Social Responsibility
Implementation of a structured OH&S system can aid demonstration of CSR and organizational culture.
ISO 45001 terminology and definitions
In ISO 45001 certain terms have been defined for clarification. These include 'Risk', 'The Worker', 'The Workplace' and 'Hazard Identification'.
Risk
A universal definition of 'Risk' is clarified because its meaning varies in some countries. Hazard identification has been very manufacturing and hardware oriented, when more and more of us work in services, so 'Hazard Identification' is covered by the terms 'risk identification' and 'risk control' to encompass all potential hazards applicable to all industries and sectors.
The Worker
There are differences in the definition of this term and various legal constraints around it in different countries. In the context of ISO 45001, 'The Worker' is the person performing work or work-related activities that are under the control of the organization.
Workplace
Now defined as the place under the control of the organization where a person needs to be or to go for work purposes.
How it works
TOV America Process
TOV has a unique approach to certification which complies with the requirements for bodies providing audit and certification of management systems.
Enquiry & quote
Tell us about your organisation, scope and sites. We send a clear, fixed quotation.
Application review
We confirm scope, competence and audit time, then agree the audit programme with you.
Stage 1 audit
Documentation review and readiness check of your management system.
Stage 2 audit
On-site audit of how the system is implemented and how effective it is.
Certification decision
An independent reviewer decides on certification and your certificate is issued.
Surveillance audits
Annual audits confirm the system is maintained and keeps improving.
Recertification
A full re-audit in year three renews the certificate for another cycle.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What is the migration period from OHSAS 18001?+
The normal migration period is 3 years. Organizations certified to OHSAS 18001 need to migrate to ISO 45001 to maintain the validity of their certification.
Can ISO 45001 be integrated with other standards?+
Yes. It follows the Annex SL structure, so it integrates directly with ISO 9001 and ISO 14001.
How long is the certificate valid?+
A management-system certificate is valid for three years, with annual surveillance audits to keep it active and a recertification audit before it expires.
How long does certification take?+
It depends on size and readiness. Once your system is implemented, the Stage 1 and Stage 2 audits and the certification decision typically take a few weeks.
Can several standards be audited together?+
Yes. Standards built on the common Annex SL structure, such as ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001, can be audited together in an integrated audit.
How can my customers verify my certificate?+
Anyone can confirm a certificate with our online certificate search using the company name or certificate number.
Related