Frequently Asked Questions About ISO 45001 Certification
Which Businesses Does ISO 45001 Apply To?
The ISO 45001 standard applies to all organizations, including businesses, non-profits, public entities, and small-scale organizations. It sets out requirements to help organizations establish, implement, and maintain an effective occupational health and safety management system.
If an organization operates in any sector and wants to ensure its occupational health and safety management system meets international requirements, ISO 45001 is a highly useful standard to adopt.
In particular, organizations in high-risk industries for workplace accidents and occupational health issues, such as construction, manufacturing, and transportation, should pay special attention to establishing an effective occupational health and safety management system, and ISO 45001 can support them in this effort.
How Should You Identify Risks and Opportunities When Implementing ISO 45001?
When an organization understands the needs and expectations of stakeholders and the company’s strategic requirements, it can use that knowledge to assess any potential risks and opportunities and then take action to address them.
What is the Difference Between Improvement and Continuous Improvement in ISO 45001?
The term used in the standard is continuous improvement, meaning incremental improvements over time, not constant improvement. A series of changes can contribute to improvement, including training, process revisions, and achieving performance goals and objectives.
Is ISO 45001 Just a Simplified Version of OHSAS 18001?
ISO 45001 uses a structure based on an effective management model. It is designed to be used as part of a business management system. ISO 45001 emphasizes workforce participation, expands focus on employee health and safety programs, and implements other changes.
What Are the New Requirements in ISO 45001?
ISO 45001 comes with new and updated requirements. These are key outputs of Clause 4.2, addressing stakeholders and reasons for assessing process compliance effectiveness. It is prudent to have robust processes that account for compliance obligations related to identified stakeholders in your context. For example, a new document, IAF MD22, was issued in January 2018. This document directly affects your certification organization and may also impact your organization. Ensure your communication process includes maintaining updates on compliance needs/obligations and the expectations of your certification organization.
If You Meet ISO 45001 Requirements, Do You Also Meet OHSAS 18001 Requirements?
ISO 45001 builds upon and expands the foundation of OHSAS 18001. Therefore, overall, meeting the requirements of ISO 45001 is achievable, but OHSAS 18001 is written differently and requires documented procedures and other minor changes. Thus, you may not automatically meet the requirements of both standards.