ISO 45001: Occupational health and safety management systems

ISO 45001 sets guidelines and standards for occupational health and safety management systems (OH&S) for organizations in various industries.

ISO 45001 focuses on:

• Leadership commitment
• Worker participation
• Hazard identification and risk assessment
• Legal and regulatory compliance
• Emergency planning
• Incident investigation
• Continuous improvement

Once implemented, ISO 45001 enables organizations to better approach and manage health and safety risks in the workplace through a holistic approach that encompasses OH&S policy, planning, implementation, operation, and audits.

ISO 45001 is not mandatory, but may be valuable to many organizations – especially those in construction, manufacturing, mining, or other industries that operate in potentially high-risk environments.

To obtain ISO 45001 certification, an organization needs to develop and implement an OH&S management system in line with the ISO 45001 standard, document its processes, conduct internal audits, and then undergo an external audit by an accredited certification body.

ISO 45001 certifications are typically valid for three years. During that time, an organization typically undergoes annual audits, with a recertification audit in the third year.

ISO 45001 certifications offer several benefits to organizations. Some key advantages include the following.

Implementing ISO 45001 may pose several challenges to organizations. They include the following.

Here are a few tips for preparing for an ISO 45001 certification:

• Purchase and read the ISO 45001 standard in full
• Review the ISO 45001 briefing note
• Define clear OH&S objectives and performance targets that are aligned with the ISO 45001 standard
• Perform a skills gap analysis to determine the skills your organization needs to implement and adhere to an ISO 45001-approved OH&S management system

For more information and guidance on ISO 45001 certification, you can refer to the following resources.

International Organization for Standardization (ISO). The ISO 45001 page on the official ISO website provides the ISO 45001 standard document, news updates, and additional resources.

Accredited certification bodies. To pursue ISO 45001 certification, you can reach out to accredited certification bodies that offer certification services in your region. These bodies have the expertise to guide you through the certification process. You can find a list of accredited certification bodies on the website of the International Accreditation Forum (IAF) ^[1] or contact your local accreditation body.

ISO 45001 skills matrix template. Our ISO 45001 skills matrix template can help you track and manage the skills, competencies, and certifications necessary for ISO 45001 certification – or to develop an OH&S management system.