October 30th, 2018
As the dust is settling on the ISO 9001:2015 transition we must now look to the latest change from ISO. After many years of planning and deliberations, OHSAS has relinquished 18001 and ISO has developed a new health and safety standard. ISO 45001 is the new standard for organizations seeking to demonstrate health and safety compliance.
There are two critical issues associated with ISO 45001. While the standard focuses on Health and Safety, at heart all standards are about management systems. As such, ISO 45001 focuses on the processes that assure health and safety – not any specific health or safety issue. Second, health and safety are heavily regulated. Before there was ISO 45001, there was OHSAS 18001, and before 18001 there were organizations such as OSHA (which still exist and have to be navigated). All of that to say, ISO 45001 (much like OHSAS 18001) requires process skills and knowledge of management systems.
Auditing of ISO 45001 requires the same skills and knowledge. While knowledge of health and safety issues are beneficial, it is essential for organizations to ensure the effectiveness of the system that protects against those issues.
As of right now, information related to the official transition deadline has not been provided, however, information regarding how organizations can begin preparing to transition to ISO 45001 is readily available.
The current timeline for transition from OHSAS 18001 to ISO 45001 is three years. This means by roughly May of 2021 organizations will need to comply with ISO 45001. The good news is that the transition is going to be easy in many ways. Organizations who have already adopted ISO 9001:2015 or 14001 will be able to add 45001 as it is an Annex SL standard easily. The IAF has determined that organizations transitioning to 45001 will only need one additional audit day above their traditional auditing schedule to ensure they have transitioned properly from 18001 to 45001.
The bulk of the work in the transition will be making sure your organization’s documents are updated to match ISO’s risk-based approach. While transitioning, organizations will be able to integrate safety measures into both their ISO 9001 management systems and ISO 14001 environmental procedures. Ultimately, transitioning from OHSAS should be relatively smooth, and the benefits will be numerous.
Organizations who transition will be able to see
An increase in industry recognition as an organization focused on health and safety standards
Adaptability to potential health and safety issues due to ISO’s risk-based approach and 45001’s focus on prevention
A complete management system which focuses on the management of personnel, environmental, and health and safety concerns
It is possible your organization is an expert in the safety expectations for your industry; however, some organizations may need assistance in adjusting this information into a management system. Cavendish Scott can provide that help.
Cavendish Scott has the expertise to help you implement ISO 45001. We have been working with ISO management system standards for over 30 years. Organizations frequently outsource vital activities to professional subcontractors. Cavendish Scott has assisted in hundreds ISO transitions. We can give management confidence and assurance of continued certification while keeping everyone in the organization safe. We have the experience of designing and implementing thousands of management systems and have never failed an ISO assessment. We are extremely business focused and deliver practical, low maintenance, and value-added solutions. Our turnkey consulting approach takes most of the effort from you while guaranteeing a successful registration.
We are extremely business focused and deliver practical, low maintenance, and value-added solutions. Our turnkey consulting approach takes most of the effort from you while guaranteeing a successful registration.
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May 31st, 2018
ISO 45001 is the latest standard to be published and is focused on safety. Previously, organizations would have to look outside ISO to OHSAS 18001 to show safety compliance. After many years of work, ISO has released 45001 which is the first International Standard for occupational health and safety. The standard is beneficial to any organization seeking to improve and show worker safety measures. ISO 45001 can be implemented at both captive and partner factories as well as production facilities.
ISO 45001 uses a high-level structure (Annex SL) so it has the same structure as both ISO 9001 and 14001. This makes 45001 an easy addition to any organization which already has 9001 or 14001 implemented. Organizations will be able to integrate related systems whether it be something like quality or environment with health and safety. ISO 45001 will increase efficiency across all ISO systems while simultaneously increasing working health and safety across the board.
ISO 45001 also features the same risk-based approach that ISO 9001 and 14001 employs. When an organization adopts 45001 effectively they will be able to address issues which could lead to long-term health issues or absence from work and shore up any areas which may be prone to accidents.
The benefits of ISO 45001 include but are not limited to:
Company-wide engagement : ISO 45001 places a focus on worker consultation for better OH&S practicesPrevention : ISO 45001’s emphasis on prevention provides organizations with a less costly way to manage worker safetyRisk-based approach : By adopting a risk-based approach to OH&S practices organizations are able to better prevent health and safety issues specifically related to your organization.Easy integration with ISO 9001 & 14001 : Integration provides an easy-to-use system which is beneficial in assessing risks and streamlining processes.Increased focus on outsourced processes and subcontractors : ISO 45001 provides an opportunity to identify, control, and improve processes in an effort to eliminate safety and health risks to all workers in the supply chain.
ISO 45001 employs a simple Plan-Do-Check-Act model which gives organizations a clear path to creating a plan to minimize the risk of harm. As an employer we know minimizing health and safety risks are important. When you successfully manage OH&S risk your organization can improve its ability to prevent injury, ill health, and death while also supporting worker’s livelihoods, your business, and community.
ISO 45001 has replaced OHSAS 18001. Organizations will have three years to transition from 18001 to 45001. While three years are allowed for the transition, as some organizations may have realized from the ISO 9001:2015 transition – sooner is better than later.
Cavendish Scott has the expertise to help you implement ISO 45001. We have been working with ISO management system standards for over 30 years. We have the experience of designing and implementing thousands of management systems and have never failed an ISO assessment. We are extremely business focused and deliver practical, low maintenance, and value-added solutions. Our turnkey consulting approach takes most of the effort from you while guaranteeing a successful registration.
There is no better time than today to get started on ISO 45001. With over 30 years of experience, Cavendish Scott is equipped to help you adopt the latest ISO standard. Click the learn more button to have Cavendish Scott assist your organization with implementing ISO 45001.
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