ISO 45001 Management

The requirements of the ISO 45001 Occupational Health and Safety standard are designed to consistently maintain a safe and healthy work experience and to look for areas where further improvement can be made. ISO standards follow a ten-clause format, where clauses 1 through 3 are designed to introduce and inform the organization about the specifics of the standard. Moving into clause 4, companies will find the first H&S-specific requirements and begin the real work of developing their new management system.

• Clause 4: The Context of The Organization Following the standard ISO format, organizations will first be required to determine the context of their organization as it applies to H&S. Companies can determine the positioning of their organization and define the expectations of their H&S management system as well as their health and safety goals by considering the external and internal forces influencing the effectiveness, efficiency, and well-being of their team.

• Clause 5: Leadership and Worker Participation Leadership participation is critical in all ISO standards, and ISO 45001 takes leadership responsibility to a next level. Executive leadership is required to take overall responsibility for the implementation of the H&S system for setting roles and responsibilities within their team and creating and maintaining documentation for all levels of involvement.

• Clause 6: Planning After completing the work, companies can start to plan for the development and implementation of their ISO 45001-compliant H&S management system. This is the initial step of the familiar PDCA cycle (Plan, Do, Check, Act) that ISO will recognize. To evaluate hazards faced by workers and fully assess the risk and opportunity of each hazard, three steps are being followed: Hazard Identification, Assessment of Risk and Opportunities. Plans for achieving objectives should be detailed, delving into the what, when, who, and how for each goal. Companies can begin to develop processes to help them reach the goals of their system and create a continuously-improving, safety-focused culture.

• Clause 7: Support The implementation of an effective H&S management system requires generous support from the entire organization. By highlighting the importance of the system’s impact and providing adequate resources for workers as they work on system-related tasks will help to build awareness and buy-in for the concepts of health and safety in the workplace. Through documentation, resources, competence, awareness, and communication, organizations will support those to pursue ISO 45001 compliance and certification.

• Clause 8: Operation Latest procedure development, accurate process evaluation, complete documentation and record maintenance are required for ISO 45001 compliance. Clause 8 is needed when the action of implementation occurs (the Do phase of the PDCA cycle), and companies should focus on the effectiveness of each of their plans as they work through each section.

• Clause 9: Performance Evaluation Measuring the effectiveness of a newly-developed H&S management system is primary to its success. The “Check” in the PDCA cycle of ISO 45001 sets requirements for performance evaluation after being closely monitored in order to provide the proof needed for compliance and certification.

• Clause 10: Improvement The last clause of the ISO 45001 standard focuses on the “Act” phase of the PDCA cycle. Through hazard identification and goal setting, companies find innumerable avenues for improvement, aiding in their ability to meet their H&S objectives. True work-place improvement and cultural changes happen not just when an H&S management system is implemented but through continuous examination and proactive approach for future progress. Through process evaluation, internal audits, management reviews, and tracking incidents and findings of nonconformities, companies are constantly continuing to evolve into a safer workplace through their H&S management system.