ISO 45001 crtification: Implementation Guide

1 Introduction
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[edit] Introduction

ISO 45001 is an international standard for occupational health and safety management systems (OH&S MS). It provides a framework through which organisations can identify hazards, assess and control occupational health and safety risks, involve workers, meet applicable requirements and continually improve their management arrangements.

ISO 45001 is a management system standard rather than a set of specific workplace safety rules. Certification involves an independent assessment of whether an organisation's OH&S management system conforms to the requirements of the standard. Certification does not itself guarantee that workplace incidents will not occur or replace an organisation's statutory health and safety duties.

[edit] What ISO 45001 covers

ISO 45001 uses a risk-based approach to occupational health and safety. Organisations are expected to identify hazards, assess OH&S risks and opportunities, establish appropriate controls and evaluate the effectiveness of those controls. The standard follows a management system approach involving planning, implementation, performance evaluation and improvement.

The standard places particular emphasis on leadership and worker consultation and participation. Workers should be involved in relevant processes affecting occupational health and safety, including the identification of hazards and development of controls. The extent and methods of participation will depend on the organisation's size, structure and activities.

Controls should be selected according to the nature of the hazards and risks. The hierarchy of controls provides a framework for considering measures such as eliminating hazards, substituting less hazardous processes or materials, engineering controls, administrative controls and personal protective equipment.

[edit] Why organisations pursue certification

ISO 45001 certification may be pursued for a variety of reasons. It can provide an independently assessed framework for managing occupational health and safety and may form part of an organisation's approach to demonstrating that its management system meets recognised requirements.

Certification may also be relevant where clients, contractors or procurement processes require evidence of an occupational health and safety management system. However, the requirements of particular clients or procurement schemes vary and should be established for the relevant project or organisation.

The standard should not be treated as a guarantee of reduced accident rates, lower insurance premiums or improved financial performance. Such outcomes depend on how effectively the management system is implemented and on many other factors affecting an organisation and its activities.

[edit] Implementing ISO 45001

[edit] Assessing existing arrangements

Before implementing ISO 45001, an organisation can undertake a gap assessment comparing its existing health and safety arrangements with the requirements of the standard. This can identify areas that already meet the requirements and areas where additional processes or improvements may be needed.

The assessment can consider hazard identification, risk assessment, legal and other requirements, operational controls, emergency preparedness, training and competence, incident investigation, worker participation, monitoring, internal auditing and management review.

A gap assessment should distinguish between genuine deficiencies and situations where effective arrangements already exist but need to be incorporated into a more structured management system.

[edit] Identifying hazards and assessing risks

Hazard identification is a central element of an ISO 45001 management system. The organisation should consider hazards associated with its activities, products, services, workplaces, equipment and processes. Routine and non-routine activities, emergency situations, contractors and other people who may be affected by the organisation's activities should also be considered where relevant.

Hazard identification should not be limited to obvious physical hazards. Depending on the organisation and its activities, relevant issues may include ergonomic hazards, psychosocial risks, chemical exposure, equipment changes and changes to working arrangements.

Risk assessments should be reviewed when significant changes occur and when information from incidents, inspections, audits or worker feedback indicates that existing controls may no longer be adequate.

[edit] Establishing operational controls

Operational controls should ensure that activities are carried out under conditions that manage identified OH&S risks. Controls can include procedures, work instructions, equipment safeguards, maintenance arrangements, competence requirements, permits, contractor controls and emergency arrangements.

Controls should reflect actual activities and working conditions rather than relying solely on generic documentation. Contractors and other external providers whose activities can affect occupational health and safety should be appropriately controlled and coordinated.

[edit] Involving workers

Worker consultation and participation are important elements of ISO 45001. Organisations should establish appropriate mechanisms for workers to contribute to health and safety decisions.

These may include worker representatives, health and safety committees, meetings, consultation exercises, feedback arrangements and participation in hazard identification and incident investigations. The appropriate arrangements will depend on the organisation's circumstances.

Worker participation should have a practical effect on health and safety management. Feedback should be considered when decisions are made and, where appropriate, the resulting actions should be communicated back to workers.

[edit] Certification process and ongoing management

Certification is not achieved simply by producing a set of procedures. The management system needs to be implemented and operated so that there is evidence that the organisation's processes conform to the requirements of ISO 45001.

Organisations should allow sufficient time for employees to understand and use new or revised processes before certification assessment. Internal audits, inspections, monitoring, incident investigations and corrective actions can help identify weaknesses and provide evidence about whether the system is operating as intended.

The time and resources required for implementation vary considerably according to the size and complexity of the organisation, the number of sites, existing management arrangements and the nature and significance of its occupational health and safety risks. There is therefore no universal implementation period or cost.

Following certification, the management system remains subject to ongoing assessment as part of the certification cycle. Organisations need to maintain and continually improve the system rather than treating certification as a one-off exercise.

[edit] Common challenges

One common challenge is treating certification primarily as a documentation exercise. Procedures and records should support actual health and safety management rather than becoming an objective in themselves. Documentation that does not reflect workplace practices may provide little practical value.

Contractor management can also require particular attention where contractors carry out activities that may affect the organisation's workers or other people under its control. Responsibilities and interfaces between the organisation and contractors should be clearly established.

Organisations with multiple sites may face additional challenges because practices and documentation can differ between locations. A management system should provide sufficient consistency to meet its requirements while allowing controls to reflect site-specific hazards and activities.

Changes to equipment, processes, materials, personnel or facilities can introduce new hazards or alter existing risks. Change management should therefore form part of the organisation's approach to maintaining the effectiveness of its OH&S management system.

[edit] Continuous improvement

Continuous improvement is an integral part of the ISO 45001 management system. Organisations should use information from incidents, audits, monitoring, worker consultation and other sources to identify opportunities for improvement.

Internal audits and management reviews provide opportunities to assess whether the OH&S management system is functioning as intended. Findings and corrective actions should be followed through to determine whether identified problems have been addressed effectively.

Health and safety objectives should be consistent with the organisation's activities, risks and strategic direction. Resources and responsibilities should be incorporated into normal organisational planning so that occupational health and safety remains part of everyday management rather than a separate certification activity.