ISO 45001 set for publication

ISO 45001 – Occupational health and safety management systems – Requirements with guidance for use, aims to help organisations provide safe and healthy workplaces, prevent work-related injury and ill health, and improve occupational health and safety (OH&S) performance. It is scheduled to be published on 12 March 2018.

The standard was developed in response to staggering numbers of workplace related injuries. The International Labour Organization estimates that 7,600 people die every day from work-related activities. That’s 2.78 million deaths worldwide. Of those, more than 380,000 are fatal accidents and 2.4 million are the result of occupational diseases.

“Using the structured approach described in the standard will help any organisation ensure that its investment in health and safety is well-targeted,” said Martin Cottam, Chair of BSI Committee HS/1 – Occupational Health and Safety Management.

“One particular feature of the new standard is the emphasis it places upon collaboration between workers at all levels in an organisation, as a necessary condition of effective OH&S management. ISO 45001 is applicable to organisations of any size, but we are particularly keen to encourage smaller and medium-sized organizations to adopt its principles. Our upcoming UK guidance standard, BS 45002, is designed to help smaller organisations understand and apply these principles.”

Teresa Hawkins, Director of Assessment at the National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health (NEBOSH), has also been involved with the working group that developed the standard.

“If your organisation is considering applying for accreditation, a useful starting point is to complete a gap analysis,” she said in NEBOSH News Update. “It will help you understand which areas you already meet and where you will need to implement new approaches or activity to reach the required standard. You can then begin the process of working towards accreditation and gather the evidence you will need.”

BS OHSAS 18001 (Occupational health and safety management systems) will be withdrawn after the publication of ISO 45001. Organisations that are currently certified to OHSAS 18001 will have a three-year window to migrate their occupational health and safety management system to meet the new requirements of ISO 45001.