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01. What is ISO 45001:2018?

Answer: 

ISO 45001:2018 is the replacement to OHSAS 18001 and is the international ISO standard for Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems (OHSMS).  Requirements with guidance for use offers a single, clear framework for all organizations wishing to improve their OH&S performance. Directed by the top management of an organization, it aims to provide a safe and healthy workplace for employees and visitors. To achieve this, it is crucial to control all factors that might result in illness, injury, and in extreme cases death, by mitigating adverse effects on the physical, the mental and cognitive condition of a person – and ISO 45001 covers all of those aspects.

 

 

02. What are the major differences between OHSAS 18001 and ISO 45001?

Answer: 

There are many differences, but the main change is that ISO 45001 concentrates on the interaction between an organization and it's business environment while OHSAS 18001 was focused on managing OH&S hazards and other internal issues. But the standards also diverge in many other ways:

• ISO 45001 is process-based – OHSAS 18001 is procedure-based

• ISO 45001 is dynamic in all clauses – OHSAS 18001 is not

• ISO 45001 considers both risk and opportunities – OHSAS 18001 deals exclusively with risk

• ISO 45001 includes the views of interested parties – OHSAS 18001 does not

 

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03. I am certified to OHSAS 18001. How do I begin the migration?

Answer: 

When migrating from OHSAS 18001, several steps must be taken to “prepare the ground”, so to speak, before the new management system itself can be established. If you follow the sequence below, you will be well on your way:

1. Perform the analysis of interested parties (i.e. those individuals or organizations that can affect your organization’s activities) as well as internal and external factors that might impact your organization’s business, then ask yourself how these risks can be controlled through your management system.

2. Establish the scope of the system, while considering what your management system is set to achieve.

3. Use this information to establish your processes, your risk evaluation/assessment and, most importantly, to set the key performance indicators (KPIs) for the processes.

Once you have adapted all the data to the tools of OHSAS 18001, you can reuse most of what you already have in your new management system. So, while the approach is quite different, the basic tools are the same.

 

04. What do I need to know if I am new to ISO 45001?

 

Answer: 

The answer depends on how much you know about ISO management systems. ISO 45001 adopts Annex SL, thus sharing a high-level structure (HLS), identical core text and terms and definitions with other recently revised ISO management system standards such as ISO 9001:2015 (quality management) and ISO 14001:2015 (environmental management). If you are already acquainted with the common framework, then much of ISO 45001 will seem familiar to you and you will just need to fill the “gaps” in your system.

 

 

05. I have an integrated system certified to ISO 9001 and ISO 14001. How can ISO 45001 be used with other management systems?

 

Answer: 

ISO’s common framework (the aforementioned HLS) for management system standards was deliberately developed to facilitate the integration of new management topics into an organization’s existing management systems. For example, ISO 45001 is based fairly closely on ISO 14001 as we are aware that many organizations combine their OH&S and environmental functions internally.

 

06. How will ISO 45001 be used?

 

Answer: 

We predict that most organizations will use ISO 45001 to establish an effective OH&S management system, and just a few will want the extra recognition that comes with certification. There is no requirement to certify to an ISO management system standard. Simply having a formal management system in place will bring many benefits of its own through enforcing best practice. Certification is merely an added endorsement that demonstrates to external parties that you have achieved full compliance with a specific standard.

 

The benefits of ISO 45001 are endless when implemented correctly. While the standard requires that OH&S risks be addressed and controlled, it also takes a risk-based approach to the OH&S management system itself, to ensure that it is effective and that it is being continually improved to meet an organization’s ever-changing “context”. Moreover, it ensures compliance with current legislation worldwide. All these measures combined can establish an organization’s reputation as a “safe place to work”, bringing a host of corollary benefits, from reducing insurance costs to improving employee morale – all while continuing to meet your strategic targets.

 

07. What is ISO?

 

Answer: 

ISO (International Organization for Standardization www.iso.org) is an independent international membership organization that develops voluntary international standards. These standards provide specifications for products, services, and systems that help to ensure things such as quality, safety, and efficiency.

ISO is made up of approx. 160 member who acts as national standards bodies. ISO itself is based in Geneva, Switzerland.

The most commonly known ISO standards for management systems are:

• ISO 9001 Quality management systems

• ISO 14001 Environmental management systems

• ISO 27001 Information security management systems

• ISO 13485 Medical devices management systems

• AS9100 Aerospace management systems (although it starts with AS it is still an international standard)

 

08. What's the bottom line on ISO?

Answer: 

ISO's work makes a positive difference to the world we live in. ISO standards add value to all types of business operations. They contribute to making the development, manufacturing, and supply of products and services more efficient, safer and cleaner. They make trade between countries easier and fairer. ISO standards also serve to safeguard consumers and users of products and services in general - as well as making their lives simpler. 

 

09. Why get involved in standards development

Answer: 

One of the strengths of ISO standards is that they are created by the people that need them. Industry experts drive all aspects of the standard development process, from deciding whether a new standard is needed to defining all the technical content. Getting involved in this process can bring significant advantages to your business. For example by:

• Giving early access to information that could shape the market in the future

• Giving your company a voice in the development of standards

• Helping to keep market access open.

Getting involved in standards development brings your concerns and needs to bear on a process that will affect you in the future.

 

10. Who pays for ISO?

Answer: 

ISO's national members pay subscriptions that meet the operational cost of ISO's Central Secretariat. The dues paid by each member are in proportion to the country's Gross National Product and trade figures. Another source of revenue is the sale of standards, which covers around 36% of the budget.

 

However, the operations of the central office represent only about one-fifth of the cost of the system's operation. The main costs are borne by the organizations which manage the specific projects or loan experts to participate in the technical work. These organizations are, in effect, subsidizing the technical work by paying the travel costs of the experts and allowing them time to work on their ISO assignments.

 

11. What is ISO's relations to governments?

Answer: 

ISO is a non-governmental organization (NGO). Therefore, unlike the United Nations, the national members of ISO are not delegations of the governments of those countries. Our national members are the national standards bodies, or equivalent organizations, in their country. Some of them are wholly private sector in origin, others are private sector organizations but have a special mandate from their governments on matters related to standardization, and others are part of the governmental framework of their countries. In addition, government experts often participate in ISO's standards' development work. So, while ISO is an NGO, it receives input from the public sector as it does from the private sector.

 

12. Are ISO standards mandatory?

Answer: 

ISO standards are voluntary. ISO is a non-governmental organization and it has no power to enforce the implementation of the standards it develops. A number of ISO standards - mainly those concerned with health, safety or the environment - have been adopted in some countries as part of their regulatory framework, or are referred to in legislation for which they serve as the technical basis. However, such adoptions are decisions by the regulatory authorities or governments of the countries concerned. ISO itself does not regulate or legislate. Although voluntary, ISO standards may become a market requirement, as has happened in the case of ISO 9000 quality management systems, or ISO freight container dimensions.