WHAT IS THE ISO 45001 STANDARD FOR HEALTH AND SAFETY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS?
ISO 45001 is an international standard that sets out requirements for businesses looking to implement an occupational health and safety (OHS) management system. Organisations’ efforts are formally assessed, and subject to ongoing audit. Accreditation is form of third-party certification, showing that the company meets a widely-accepted and independent benchmark.
At the time of writing, the current version of the standard is ISO 45001:2018. It replaced the standard BS OHSAS 18001.
It is possible to have an OHS management system in place and not be certified to ISO 45001. However, as with other management system standards – such as ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 50001 – it can be useful for organisations to use the structured framework if provides, even if they elect not to implement every aspect.
What is a health and safety management system?
Generally speaking, implementing an OHS management system means having documented policies and processes in place to support a safer working environment, and ensure the health and wellbeing of anyone in and around the business.
Among a range of potential advantages, a certified system can help to reduce risks to employees and demonstrate that an organisation acts and behaves in a responsible way. An ISO 45001-certied system can also help organisations to meet regulatory requirements.
However, it is the view of the Health and Safety Executive that the requirements of the standard exceed the law in some respects, and therefore a fully certified system may not be the most efficient way to demonstrate OHS competence – especially for smaller businesses and organisations.
What ISO 45001 does emphasise is that an OHS management system needs to be management-led, ensuring that OHS is part of the culture of an organisation.
What areas are assessed by ISO 45001:2018?
ISO 45001:2018, like other standards for management systems, is dynamic and encourages organisations to implement positive change by following a process-based approach. This is in contrast to the previous 18001 standard, which was more procedure-based.
As organisations implement processes to meet the standard, regular and ongoing review, improvement and evaluation then helps to improve those processes. An OHS management system aiming to comply with ISO 45001 is assessed in the following areas.
– Management systems that are in place.
– Planning and risk assessment (including consideration of opportunities, rather than risk alone.)
– Training of staff and their awareness of the system.
– Communication.
– Response in emergency situations.
– Monitoring and continuous improvement.
ISO 45001 adopts the same overarching structure as other ISO standards for management systems, helping to align it with the likes of ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015.
Polyfoam XPS and ISO 45001
Management systems, including health and safety management systems, are an important and familiar aspect of construction product manufacturing.
In addition to ISO 45001 certification, Polyfoam XPS has certification for quality, environmental, and energy management systems (ISO 9001, 14001 and 50001 respectively). All certificates can be downloaded from the technical support section of the Polyfoam XPS website, or you can contact us to find out more about our certification.