In 2019 we committed to transition from AS4801 & OHSAS18001 certification to the INTERNATIONAL Best Practice Standard for Occupational Health & Safety Management Systems, ISO 45001:2018.
2 years and a whole lot of effort and commitment later, we felt we were there and certifying body DNV agreed :: stamping us with ISO 45001 certification.
What is ISO 45001?
ISO 45001 is applicable to any type of organisation – large or small – within any business sector. It is based on OHSAS 18001 and other recognised OH&S standards and conventions. It replaced OHSAS 18001 in 2018 as the main international standard; the transition deadline set to September 2021.
ISO 45001 applies the ISO High Level Structure (HLS), which defines the structure for all ISO standards easing integration with other generic management system standards. This benefits companies already certified to standards such as ISO 9001 and ISO 14001.
Based on the well-established management principles of Plan-Do-Check-Act, ISO 45001 requires an organisation to:
- identify hazards and assess occupational health and safety risks related to its activities and services;
- determine the necessary controls;
- set clear objectives and targets to improve on its OH&S performance.
Benefits of certification
In many countries, an occupational health and safety management system is a legal requirement and companies must report on performance. Certification to ISO 45001 by an independent party like DNV proves you have a legally compliant system in place and it drives progress.
ISO 45001 certification enables your organisation to:
- Establish and continually improve an OH&S management system to eliminate or minimise risk to personnel and other interested parties exposed to hazards associated with your activities or services.
- Work systematically to improve your occupational health and safety performance and prevent (re)occurrence of accidents and incidents.
- Assure its conformance with stated OH&S policy and demonstrate conformance to others.
- Continually comply with applicable OH&S legal requirements.
Source: DNV
