Certex is now certifying in ISO 45001

The ISO 45001 standard is the world’s new international work health and safety standard. The new standard has the goal of helping businesses provide a safe and healthy working environment for all employees and those who visit the workplace.

This exciting new addition provides a benchmark standard in global best practice for managing OHS risks and improvement of OHS performance. This benefits businesses in that not only is there now one clear internationally recognised framework (available to businesses of all sizes) but the new standard also opens businesses up to recognition that is not limited to markets within Australia.

In order to consider whether the ISO 45001 standard is suitable for your needs, some of the major differences between the ISO 45001 and ISO 4801 standards are highlighed below.

Role of upper management

The new ISO 45001 standard focuses on upper management’s role in the OHS management process. The standard is also designed to facilitate OHS compliance throughout a business and in the business’ overall management structure.

This integration of the OHS management system into an organisation's standard business planning requires them to make OHS performance a regular part of their business rather than a separate limb. Furthermore, upper management is now responsible and accountable for the safety of their workers; ISO 4801 allowed for the delegation of the accountability but with ISO 45001 this is no more.

New definitions

In the earlier ISO 4801 standard many terms used were not specifically defined, however ISO 45001 assigns specific definitions to certain words and concepts such as ‘monitoring’, ‘risk’, ‘worker’, ‘workplace’, ‘effectiveness’, ‘measurement’, and ‘performance’.

It will be imperative for businesses to familiarise themselves with these new universal definitions to ensure they are aware of the standard of compliance expected. These new definitions may change the ways businesses need to approach compliance.

Supplier contracts

Supplier contracts is a focus of the legisation however this was not reflected in the old standards. The new ISO 45001 standard rectifies this and introduces Supplier Contracts as an area to be considered.

Businesses will also need to stay on top of risk management in relation to contractors and suppliers. Those businesses engaged in outsourced processes and functions will need to consider how contractor activities may have on workers, workplace environment and others in the workplace.

What is happening to ISO 4801?

Though ISO 4801 remains a recognised standard and will still be applicable to some organisations (it is also cited in legislation) it is no longer the most current standard.

Businesses currently accredited in the ISO 4801 have three years from the publication of the new standard (March 2018) to make the transition to the new standard. For businesses wishing to certified in the exciting new ISO 45001 standard,  Certex is able to provide accreditation services.