ISO 45001:2018 Occupational health and safety (OHS) management system

At last, this standard is finally published last week and is to replace OHSAS 18001:2007. Organizations certified to OHSAS normally have 3 years to migrate to the new standard. Management system champions from these organizations should check with their certification bodies on timeline to convert. 

ISO 45001:2018 specifies requirements for an occupational health and safety (OHS) management system and gives guidance for its use, to enable organizations to provide safe and healthy workplaces by preventing work-related injury and ill health, as well as by proactively improving its OHS performance.

ISO 45001:2018 is applicable to any organization that wishes to establish, implement and maintain an OHS management system to improve occupational health and safety, eliminates hazards and minimizes OHS risks (including system deficiencies), take advantage of OHS opportunities and addresses OHS management system nonconformities associated with its activities.

ISO 45001:2018 helps an organization achieve their intended outcomes of their OHS management system. Consistent with the organization's OHS policy, the intended outcomes of an OH&S management system may include:

a) continual improvement of OHS performance,

b) fulfillment of legal requirements and other requirements,

c) achievement of OHS objectives.

ISO 45001:2018 is applicable to any organization regardless of its size, type and activities. It is applicable to mitigate OHS risks under the organization's control, taking into account factors such as the context in which the organization operates and the needs and expectations of its workers and other interested parties.

ISO 45001:2018 does not state specific criteria for OHS performance, nor does it prescribe the design of an OHS management system.

ISO 45001:2018 enables an organization, through its OHS management system, to integrate other aspects of health and safety, such as worker wellness and wellbeing.

ISO 45001:2018 does not address issues such as product safety, property damage or environmental impacts, beyond the risks to workers and other relevant interested parties.

ISO 45001:2018 can be used in whole or in part to systematically improve occupational health and safety management. However, claims of conformity to this document are not acceptable unless all its requirements are incorporated into an organization's OHS management system and fulfilled without exclusion.