A Safe Place
to Work
The role of standards in shaping the future ofhealth and safety.

A SAFE PLACE TO WORK

Foreword
BSI is dedicated to promoting
best practices that support theever-evolving culture of health andsafety in the workplace, encouraging
a proactive approach to changing
needs. Working with organizationsof all sizes, we help drive compliance,
reduce risk and increase
resilience.
Howard Kerr, Chief Executive, BSI

2+44 (0)345 086 9001

A SAFE PLACE TO WORK

Contents
3 Introduction

IntroductionToday’s workplace environment is radically different to that of justten years ago. Changing economic, social and political circumstancesacross the globe have thrown up unique sets of challenges and newareas of risk, as well as innovative solutions to past problems. The continuing evolutionof the workplace means that priorities are likely to shift again in the decades to come.

Dr Scott Steedman, Director ofStandards at BSI and ISO VicePresident (Policy).

4 ISO 45001: Improving
organizational resilience with
OH&S management
Outlining how ISO 45001 will provide
practical solutions for workplace
health and safety.

In many parts of the world, there has been a decrease in heavy industry and a rise in office-based
and service jobs. Various industrial diseases, associated with exposure to hazardous materials,
are now better understood and today’s workers accordingly enjoy better protection, earlier
detection and more effective treatments than those who came before them.

6 Psychological health in theworkplaceOn the other hand, emerging technologies have heralded new material applications with theirown potential for health issues. Similarly, new job roles and tasks have caused a sharp rise inconditions that previously received little attention. Stress-related complaints cost economies
millions each year; musculoskeletal conditions, repetitive strain injury (RSI), eye strain and otherchronic health issues are also widespread.

8 Reaping the benefits ofglobal OH&S standards

New questions must be raised in line with changing employment patterns and practices. What
exactly is your workplace if you travel extensively, work from home or go from site to site? Who
are the “workers” in an organization that outsources, uses contractors, people on zero-hours
contracts or volunteers? Where does one organization’s duty of care end and another’s begin ina place where different organizations are working side by side?

10 Health and safety at workin SMEs: Overcoming
implementation challenges

Emerging technologies and industries have, in many ways, increased the complexity ofoccupational health and safety (OH&S). However, the primary responsibility of every organization
remains the same: to provide an environment that minimizes risk and protects its workers.
Working on the age-old premise of prevention is better than cure, ISO 45001 provides
organizations with a tool to guide employers through this complex landscape. It will be up
to each to assess its own risks according to the hazards its workers face. Of course, there isno one size fits all, but there is at least an agreed set of requirements to help improve OH&S
performance, no matter what you do.
Developed by experts from around 70 countries in liaison with representatives from theInternational Labour Organization (ILO), International Trades Union Confederation (ITUC) andInternational Organisation of Employers (IOE), ISO 45001 aims to tackle the needs of manydifferent cultures. Taking a risk-based approach dependent on each user’s individual situation,
the standard is designed to make organizations think broadly about anything that can have a
detrimental effect on workers and people nearby, and is suitable for all types of organizations –from small start-ups to multinational conglomerates.
ISO 45001 will save lives. It requires a change in the way organizations interact with workers, andwith each other, and necessitates implementation of a consistent evaluation process to meet
shifting demands. With all this in place, businesses can respond effectively to a transforming
workplace culture, managing risk by promoting a safe and healthy workforce that reflects onsociety as a whole.

Dr Scott Steedman, Director of Standards at BSI and ISO Vice-President (Policy)

How standards can be used toaddress this important issue.

Experts from different regions share
their perspective.

Why many business owners struggle
with implementing and managing
health and safety processes.

12 The role of trade unions inadvocating OH&S standards
How union efforts to promote andmonitor the application of OH&S
standards will improve worker
outcomes.

14 HITACHI: Blending healthand wellbeing standards withdigital technology for optimal
results
16 Occupational Health & Safety
Standards
Infographic.

18 Health and safety standards
training and certification
19 BSOL Online: Improve yourorganization’s performance3

A SAFE PLACE TO WORKISO 45001:

Improving organizational
resilience with OH&S
management
Sally Swingewood, Lead Programme Manager at BSI and Committee Manager
for ISO/TC283, outlines how this international standard will provide practicalsolutions for workplace health and safety.

Over 7,600 people die each day from occupational
accidents or work-related diseases. That’s over 2.78
million deaths worldwide, every year. On top of this,around 374 million non-fatal injuries occur annually inthe workplace, leading to extended absences from work, rising
insurance premiums and also early retirement.1

with OH&S fully integrated into senior management processes, andworkers at all levels playing a significant role in decision making andimplementation.

The devastating impact such workplace incidents can have on people
is palpable – and on top of this comes a wider economic cost. Poor
management of OH&S results in business interruption and reduced
productivity, leading to losses that could have a significantly large andlong-term impact on an organization. Depending on who is at fault,
work-related injuries and ill health can also cause severe reputational
damage, perhaps leading to legal action.

OH&S is no longer a standalone issue with responsibility laid on theshoulders of specialists alone, it’s an integral element in running ahealthy and sustainable organization. The focus of ISO 45001 is on theworkers, what they do, where they need to go to work and the hazards
they face. It starts with context – what the organization looks like,what its activities are and who can affect, or be affected by, the OH&S
management system. It advocates a preventative approach to identify,
anticipate and ideally eliminate hazards long before harm is caused.
This requires comprehensive planning and commitment from top
management to improve health and safety within their organization.

It is crucial that businesses of all sizes manage occupational risks
to protect their workers and create better, safer working conditions
across the globe. Proper management of OH&S is key for employers,
enabling them to increase organizational resilience through proactive
risk prevention. This is where ISO 45001 Occupational health and safety
management systems – Requirements with guidance for use comes
into play.

If this happens, the performance improvements can be extended toeveryone who works for, or on behalf of, the organization. The context
driven risk-based approach is adaptable for companies of all sizes,
including the very smallest. The standard sets out what needs tobe done, not how it should be done, and this is important. How any
organization meets ISO 45001 requirements should be determined bywhat is useful and necessary for their own situation.

ISO 45001 is the world’s first formal international standard dealing withhealth and safety management at work. It was designed to transform
workplace practices, providing employers and workers with a clear
framework to better their OH&S performance and lay the ground forcontinuous improvement.

The benefits of ISO 45001 are endless when implemented correctly.
Implementation helps improve the physical and psychological healthand safety of workers, and brings commercial and reputational benefits:less time lost, better employee retention, easier regulatory complianceand an awareness that can lead to better change management.

The standard draws on OHSAS 18001, a former benchmark for OH&S.
However, it contains new and distict guidance and is not a revision or
update. ISO 45001 places far more emphasis on those at the top of
the organization taking responsibility for OH&S performance and forincluding workers in deciding how to identify and manage risks that
can affect them. It promotes a holistic and decentralized approach,

Ultimately, implementing a robust and adaptable OH&S management
system allows organizations to better protect themselves and everyone
who works for them, leading us closer to a world where everyone can
expect to return safely home from work each day without injury or
work-related ill health4.

A SAFE PLACE TO WORK

It is crucial thatbusinesses of all sizes
manage occupational risks
to protect their workers andcreate better, safer working
conditions across theglobe.

References
1. https://www.ilo.org/global/topics/safety-and-health-at-work/lang--en/index.htm
BSIGROUP.COM

5

A SAFE PLACE TO WORK

Psychologicalhealth in theworkplace
Mental health has benefitted from increased mainstream attention in recent
years. As a result, the subject of psychological health in the workplace has
also gained greater prominence. We spoke to Norma McCormick, from
Corporate Health Works, Inc. and Stavroula Leka, Professor of Work, Health& Policy at the Centre for Organizational Health & Development, University of
Nottingham, about how standards can be used to address this important issue.

Q Why do you think the focus on psychological health and safety in the workplace
has increased in recent years?
NORMA: The recent transformation in how we talk about mental health means there’s much less stigma attached to it – it’s no longer
something that people feel must be hidden or denied. At the same time, understanding of how psychological health directly influences all
aspects of our lives has also increased.
STAVROULA: I think that socioeconomic context has played a big role, especially since the last financial crisis. As job security has deteriorated
and work has become more intense, poor mental health has increased. We have also seen the rise of new forms of employment relationships
such as zero-hour contracts in the UK and the flexisecurity model in Europe, both of which reduce the power employees have over theirworking conditions.

Q What are the key factors that influence psychological health in the modern workplace?
STAVROULA: Researchers refer to the ‘psychosocial’ dimensions of a workplace. This can cover anything from work schedule, timescales andhow tasks are organized to flexibility and work-life balance, as well as the human relationships involved. A healthy workplace covers allthese dimensions in a way that promotes both sustainable staff health and wellbeing and sustainable organizations.

Q Aside from any ethical considerations, why should businesses pay attention to psychologicalhealth at work?
NORMA: Poor psychological health presents a significant threat to long-term economic prospects. According to a recent study, mental healthdisorders could cost the global economy up to US$16 trillion between 2010 and 2030 unless significant action is taken.1
STAVROULA: I think employers have become increasingly aware of the impact of mental health on the bottom line in recent years. Stresscauses higher workplace absence, as well as sub-optimal performance and lower productivity – so you can quickly see how it influences
long-term organizational success. On the other hand, promoting wellbeing at work means promoting engagement, fulfilment andperformance.

References
1. https://www.mentalhealthcommission.ca/English/what-we-do/workplace/national-standard
6

A SAFE PLACE TO WORKQ What are the main challenges for businesses when it comes to improving psychological health in
the workplace?
NORMA: Each organization has its own set of circumstances
regarding workplace demands and the psychological health of
employees. Generally speaking, larger companies already havededicated HR experts to focus on these challenges, while smaller
ones are more time and resource-poor when it comes to health andwellbeing management.

Standards can have asignificant influenceon the way that businesses
approach psychologicalhealth in the workplace.

However, the process by which both large and small organizations
can begin to manage workplace psychological health is the same
– by identifying primary risk factors and then assessing what canbe done to change the working environment. The first part is often
most difficult for business owners because it involves making an open and honest appraisal of their operations and approach.

STAVROULA: Sometimes the terminology and language used to discuss these issues presents a major practical barrier to progress. Although
there is increasing awareness, in workplaces where there’s still some sensitivity attached to mental health, it may be easier for managers tofocus conversations on the contributing issues – like work organization – rather than use terms which might still trigger unease, like“work-related stress” or “mental illness”. Targeting the sources of mental ill health should represent a priority.

Q How can standards play a role in promoting psychological health at work?
NORMA: Standards can have a significant influence on the way that businesses approach psychological health in the workplace. The National
Standard of Canada for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace CAN/CSA-Z1003-13/BNQ 9700-803/2013, published in January
2013, was the first of its kind in the world.2 Many large Canadian organizations are now using the standard to create preventative processes
which sit at the heart of their operations.3
STAVROULA: Momentum has been growing over the last decade to create standards in this area. Australia has developed and promoted
the importance of psychological health as part of its model Work Health and Safety Act, as have other countries. BSI published a guidance
standard on managing psychosocial risks at work in PAS 1010 in 2011, while other countries, like Italy, Japan, Sweden, Spain and Ireland also
have their own frameworks and tools.
NORMA: Internationally, we have the upcoming ISO 45003 which will focus solely on psychological health and safety in the workplace,
expected by mid-2021. Designed to supplement ISO 45001, ISO 45003 will help organizations clarify responsibilities within their specificoperational context and honestly appraise issues which might negatively impact psychological health, as well as any current barriers toaddressing them. From here it will provide guidance around implementing preventative management structures, to improve psychologicalhealth in the workplace.
STAVROULA: The standard also requires organizations to monitor the impact of the initiatives they introduce, gathering ongoing input fromstaff. This will highlight ‘leading indicators’ where good progress is being made, as well as ‘lagging indicators’ where more attention isneeded. These indicators could include the volume and type of sickness absence days, for example.

Q Looking ahead, what would be your goal for ISO 45003?
NORMA: Although there have been several national standards and toolkits introduced over last decade, ISO 45003 will be the firstinternational standard to tackle psychological health in the workplace. I’m confident that the broader reach and extra credibility of a global
standard will help many more organizations address this critical issue.

.

STAVROULA: I’m keen to see ISO 45003 used as a guidance standard to supplement ISO 45001, which covers more generic occupational
health and safety. It’s important that psychological health is no longer addressed simply as an individual issue to be dealt with throughrehabilitation efforts: developing a healthy psychosocial work environment is key to creating positive change. ISO 45003 heralds themove towards this prevention-focused approach
2. https://www.mentalhealthcommission.ca/sites/default/files/2017-03/case_study_research_project_findings_2017_eng.pdf
3. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-mental-global/mental-health-crisis-could-cost-the-world-16-trillion-by-2030-idUSKCN1MJ2QN
7

A SAFE PLACE TO WORK

Reaping the benefitsof global OH&S
standards
How can OH&S standards like ISO 45001 drive societal benefit on a global
scale? We spoke to experts from different regions to get their perspectiveon the role of OH&S standards, as well as more general health and wellbeing
standards – and to share key learnings.

Martin Cottam, Group Technical Assurance & Quality Director at Lloyd’s Register and ISO Committee
TC 283 (Occupational Health & Safety Management) Chair:
Rather than regulation prescribing exactly how every issue is managed, I believe the company itself is best placed tounderstand and manage their health and safety. This really sits at the heart of the framework for OH&S management in
the UK, and through the guidance of standards, it can be mirrored on a global scale.
Communication around OH&S needs a structured approach to be effective. Standards like ISO 45001 present an
opportunity for business owners and workers to encapsulate good practice, to be used as a common currency andtoolset – whether that’s for one office or across different time zones and cultures.
The committee responsible for ISO 45001 represents approximately 70 countries and includes delegates from mirror committees, somenumbering over 100 individuals. The contributions from this extensive network provide a lot of intelligence when scoping out what new andexisting standards must encompass for a world-wide user-base. This process allows for continual improvement, ensuring our guidance clearlyaddresses all potential issues across the world. A good example of this is the standard currently being developed to protect psychologicalhealth in the workplace.

Dr Stella Tawana, Director in the Department of Health Services at the University of Botswana:
Most countries in the African region face several complex OH&S challenges, such as inadequate infrastructure to capture
data, lack of funds to acquire and implement guidelines and no external players pushing for adoption of internationallaws. What’s more, while our construction and mining industries are thriving, there are few safety controls in place.
In many cases, organizations only adhere if it’s a necessity, for example when it is required by international parent
companies or related to exportation quality management.
There are inadequate penalties in place for safety breaches, with employers being more willing to pay for a breach thanto invest in OH&S. And, while there has certainly been more interest in OH&S in recent years, this can have a negative impact
unless it’s based on recognized certification and training.
Botswana does not have specific OHS legislation and will immensely benefit from internationally recognized standards like ISO 45001; it istherefore vital that more is done to demonstrate their wider-reaching benefits. Identification and reduction of risk and injury is just one aspect;
OH&S standards and certification play a fundamental role in helping organizations move towards improved economic and social impact.

8

A SAFE PLACE TO WORKDavid Solomon, FISQEM, CMSS, ISO45001 Master, OH&S Master, QMS, EMS and Head of Delegation –Standards Australia, ISO TC283 (Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems)
Safety is in everything we do, be that procurement, outsourcing or design. Everyone in an organization is accountable, nomatter the size or location of that enterprise. Individuals must take responsibility for their own actions, because safety is
everyone’s responsibility.
ISO 45001 aligns very much with our own Work Health and Safety laws in parts of Australia, meaning that at leastin those locations we already do much of what the standard requires. The real challenge is integration across all
operational areas – from finance to production to HR. Senior management must lead by example to ensure staff at alllevels are engaged. Once this happens, personnel will be more likely to use the same system as guidance, regardless of theirlocation, in safeguarding their health and wellbeing.

Dr. Yoshiaki Ichikawa, Senior Chief Engineer at Hitachi and ISO TC 268/SC 1(Smart Community Infrastructures) Chair:
For businesses that operate globally, health and wellbeing standards (which are more relevant to overall lifestyle than justoccupational risk and are complimentary to OH&S standards) are essential – especially considering that many countries
receive limited state guidance on these matters. Right now, we are expanding operations to Sri Lanka, and will share
how we prioritize optimal employee wellbeing.

.

Of course, our various strategic partners won’t all follow the same health and well-being policies that we have in Japan.
Instead, through the provision of standards, like PAS 3002, we will provide them with the framework to improve healthand wellbeing within their own cultural context. This helps us ensure employees in neighbouring sites have the appropriate
support to create fulfilling work-life balance9A SAFE PLACE TO WORK

Health and safety atwork in SMEs:

Overcoming implementation
challenges
Many small business owners struggle with implementing and managing
processes to protect their workers and improve health and safety performanceat work. Martin Cottam, Group Technical Assurance & Quality Director at
Lloyd’s Register and Chair, ISO Committee TC 283 – Occupational Health &Safety Management, examines the reasons why, and how new international
standards can help.

Managing OH&S is something that larger organizations havebeen familiar with for decades. Most invest significant
resource into governing OH&S, from both a legislativecompliance and a social responsibility perspective. To dothis effectively, it’s common for big businesses to employ dedicated
OH&S experts, teams – or even whole departments – to monitor
compliance, implement processes and publish reports for management
and stakeholders.
For smaller businesses, OH&S responsibility is not always as clearly
defined. Ian Cass, Managing Director of the Forum of Private Businessexplains:
Limited resource often means that hiring dedicated experts
isn’t possible, so the responsibility will frequently be taken on by
non-specialist staff, or a time-poor business owner. In addition,
because it’s rarely connected with core revenue-generating
activities, implementing new OH&S or wellbeing initiatives
can be deprioritized during busy periods.

10

Recent years have also seen significant changes in the way that
small businesses employ staff, with flexible and remote working
practices now the norm. This development has added another layer ofcomplexity, given an organization’s employees tended to work at one
location in the past.
In addition, SMEs can face external pressures when it comes to their
OH&S systems – particularly from larger supply chain partners.
Sometimes, those at the ‘top’ of the chain expect to see OH&S
managed identically by all companies in the sequence.
This perspective does not recognize that each company needs tohandle OH&S in a way that’s appropriate to its context and size. A large
multinational company, for example, with several locations acrossdifferent time zones and cultures, will need a different approach to asmall organization with a handful of staff. Different regions will also
have a variety of legislative systems and implementation that need tobe considered.

A SAFE PLACE TO WORKTaking a standards-based
approach can help SMEs
and start-ups understand their
responsibilities and create theright structures to efficiently
manage worker healthand safety and comply
with the law.

Taking a standards-based approach can help SMEs and start-ups
understand their responsibilities and create the right structures toefficiently manage worker health and safety and comply with the law.
The new international standard for OH&S, ISO 45001, has been
designed to integrate with other management systems standards.
It means SME owners benefit from seamless compatibility with the
new versions of ISO 9001 (Quality Management) and ISO 14001(Environmental Management). Small businesses can use these ISO
management system standards to help shape fundamental strategy
and maintain more efficient operational control.
Like many other management system standards, ISO 45001 uses
a simple ‘plan-do-check-act’ (PDCA) model to help systematicallyminimize the risk of harm to all workers. It addresses factors which canlead to long-term health issues and absence from work, as well as thosethat give rise to accidents.
General familiarity with, and experience of, standards-based systems
varies greatly between people running small businesses. Just knowing
where to start can be a big part of the challenge for busy SME owners,
so clear guidance is important.

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In the past, many standards-creators have been guilty of adopting a‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to how they communicate around OH&S –regardless of business size or type. Although the desired outcome is thesame, official communication styles should be more flexible. Larger ormore complex corporate audiences need significantly different advice,messaging and content around OH&S, compared to the typical SME.
Small businesses need better access to bespoke guidance to help themunderstand their OH&S responsibilities, and how to introduce processes
to meet them.
In order to address this imbalance, the ISO technical committee which
focuses on OH&S management is working on new guidance handbook
to help smaller organizations implement ISO 45001. It will demystify
the most formal and complex elements and illustrate relevant advice
with relatable examples from other SMEs.
This handbook will enable small organizations to compete on alevel playing field with larger enterprises, with OH&S practices that
contribute to safer, healthier, better engaged employees and overallbusiness success. Meanwhile, BSI will continue to support small
businesses in the adoption of this handbook and other standards, andthrough more direct engagement to provide actionable advice.

11

A SAFE PLACE TO WORKThe role oftrade unions inadvocating OH&S
standards
Jan Toft Rasmussen, OH&S Secretary, Danish Department Occupational
Health and Safety at the Danish Metalworkers’ Union, explores how union
efforts to promote and monitor the application of OH&S standards, like ISO
45001, will improve OH&S outcomes for Danish workers.

In Denmark, trade unions can influence health and safety policy
through their involvement in the Occupational Health and Safety
Council, a body comprised of union delegates and employer
organizations.1 Through it we forward proposals to improve OH&S inDanish businesses via appropriate legislation and intervention. Unions
and employer organizations also receive state funding, which allows
us to cooperate to counsel workers, union members and employers on
health and safety in the workplace, and other related issues.

Trade union membership in Scandinavian countries is high: morethan 70% of workers are organized by membership bodies.2 It is our
responsibility to ensure that the health and safety of those workers istaken seriously. This is why the Danish Metalworkers’ Union (Dansk
Metal) was keen to support the progression of ISO 45001. We werestrongly involved in its development and believe that the application ofthis standard, together with existing laws, can help employers make areal difference to the working experience of their staff.
At present, the Danish Working Environment Act is fairly comprehensive
in its regulation of workplace health and safety. All companies with ten
or more employees are required to put in place formal OH&S proceduresand OH&S personnel and representatives and managers must
undertake mandatory training.

Further to this, from 2005 to 2011 the Danish Working Environment
Authority (DWEA) spent seven years visiting and screening businessesof all sizes. During this time, they introduced the ‘smiley’ categorization
for OH&S management, awarding companies with either a red, orange
or green smiley according to the outcome of these visits.3
Organizations failing to meet certain standards are given injunctions
and a red smiley and are subject to further inspection, while others
might be given an improvement notice. The rest are visited every three
years to ensure standards remain high.
A fourth classification was later introduced, known as ‘smiley with acrown’. This grouping is for organizations that demonstrate exemplary
OH&S performance. It means further inspection is no longer required,
unless the DWEA is made aware of a significant issue or risk. What’smore, it can’t be obtained without possession of a recognized healthand safety certificate.
Certification demonstrates that an employer takes the health and safetyof its employees seriously and is therefore highly desirable. Certified
organizations with ‘crown smiley’ status can market this achievement
to build trust with current and future recruits – and to establish
credibility with clients and customers. OHSAS 18001 was recognized
as the industry standard for many years but is now superseded by the

References
1. https://oshwiki.eu/wiki/OSH_system_at_national_level_-_Denmark
2. https://www.worker-participation.eu/National-Industrial-Relations/Across-Europe/Trade-Unions2
3. http://engelsk.arbejdstilsynet.dk/en/inspection/smiley-26-6-07
12

A SAFE PLACE TO WORK

Certification
demonstrates that an
employer takes the health andsafety of its employees
seriously.

introduction of ISO 45001. This new standard has a much larger focus
on the responsibility of senior management and strongly emphasizes
the need for worker participation – all of which leads to further
improved OH&S.
Despite the systems in place, there are still many issues faced by
the Danish workforce that prevent OH&S standards from being usedeffectively. The digitalization of many industries, in addition to an influxof migrant workers, has put increased pressure on our native workforce.
In many cases, unskilled individuals feel the need to retrain as their jobs
become automated. Others work longer and harder hours to competewith an imported workforce which is satisfied with lower pay. Conflict
between managers and union members is also caused by the increasingstrain felt by many to deliver more for less.
As a result, safety standards can be lowered – particularly when it
comes to psychological health. The Danish Metalworkers’ Union has
found that stress is now the second biggest OH&S issue faced by skilled
metal workers, following workplace noise.4 What’s more, workplace
injury is still a huge issue, with around 40,000 incidents reported eachyear.5 The daily challenges that metalworkers face have not changed,

but management has been less willing to systematically solve these
problems because of increased economic pressures.
It’s vital for senior management to integrate worker health and safety
into their strategic business processes. Managers should be trained tooperate within OH&S systems and workers should participate, so they
understand how to take advantage of the benefits. Trade unions play animportant role by ensuring that gaining certification does not become abox-ticking exercise and that the top priority remains worker protection.
To this end, we’ve begun to engage with accrediting bodies to audit
Danish businesses against OH&S certification requirements. Our goal
is to make sure every organization can use management systems
strategically, whilst also enabling them to integrate other aspects ofhealth and safety, such as the mental health and wellbeing of workers.

.

Our involvement as a trade union will help Danish businesses
implement a system of continual improvement, and by monitoring thecertification process, we hope that the benefits of standards like ISO
45001 will be fully realized by workers and employers alike

4. https://www.danskmetal.dk/Nyheder/Sider/Noerresundby-26aarig-traadte-i.aspx
5. https://amid.dk/arbejdsmiljoe-i-tal/analyser-og-publikationer/arbejdsulykker-i-tal/
13

A SAFE PLACE TO WORKHITACHI:

Blending health andwellbeing standards withdigital technology for
optimal results
Dr. Yoshiaki Ichikawa, Senior Chief Engineer at Hitachi and ISO TC 268/SC 1(Smart Community Infrastructures) Chair, discusses the role of standards inworkplace health and wellbeing, as well as Hitachi’s innovative approach inthis area.

The health and wellbeing of all our 300,000+ employees is
a top priority for Hitachi, both from a physical and a mental
perspective. We believe that when people are happy andengaged they are free to reach their full potential. Connecting
health and wellbeing strategies with Hitachi’s business objectives
enables us to improve employee happiness, while reducing costs
and increasing productivity.
Our policy goes beyond the physical to address the mental health,stress levels and overall wellbeing of Hitachi staff. Maintaining a positive
lifestyle and work-life balance in this way does far more than reduceorganizational costs; it drives innovation, creative thinking and loyalty
to the business.
The Japanese government launched the ‘Data Health Plan’ programme
in June 2013, to promote health and prevent lifestyle disease amongst
citizens.1 Individuals receive yearly health examinations as part of thisplan via public health insurance agencies. Employers are required
to examine the results of this data and provide their employees withindividual recommendations to improve their wellbeing.
This is not dissimilar to BSI’s PAS 3002 Code of practice on ‘improving
health and wellbeing within an organization’. In fact, the Data HealthPlan regulation encompasses the main elements of PAS 3002: to

14

proactively support the physical and psychological health and wellbeingof workers. Both systems provide a framework that companies can use
to create their own action plans – so the approach can be specificallytailored to the organization’s circumstances.
By following these systems to create our own policy, Hitachi has seen
the reduction of medical expenditure within the company, which has
clear links to both increased productivity and reduced sickness. This,in turn, has brought strong reputational and brand benefits which
are particularly important from a talent recruitment and retention
perspective.
In Japan, this is officially acknowledged by the ‘Certified Health &Productivity Management Outstanding Organizations Recognition’programme, commonly referred to as the ‘White 500’ list. Jointly
run by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and the Nippon
Kenko Kaigi, it acknowledges the best corporations when it comes to
employee health and productivity policies.2 Since its launch in 2017,
Hitachi has been listed consistently within the White 500 for its efforts.
Japan’s labour force population continues to decrease, so it’s importantfor companies to promote their wellbeing credentials to attract theright staff – especially in the knowledge that younger workers placesignificant value on life-work balance.3

A SAFE PLACE TO WORK

Maintaining a positive
lifestyle and worklife balance in this way
does far more than reduceorganizational costs; it
drives innovation, creative
thinking and loyalty to
the business.

Protect your business and access the latest standards related tooccupational health and safety management systems in BSOL
Request a quote today: visit bsigroup.com/en-ZA or call +27 (0)12 004 0270
Although we’ve had good success, one of the main challenges withevery wellbeing initiative is keeping employees engaged. To address
this, we use artificial intelligence (AI) to motivate with continued positive
feedback and regular recommendations for behavioural change. Our
method combines data collected within the scope of Data Health Law,
with additional information from digital devices.
One example of this is a sensory device that monitors body movement
to estimate employee activity in the workplace. We use this toanalyse the relationship between that employee’s happiness and theircorporate performance.4 It’s a helpful tool to improve memory andconcentration, as well as stimulate creativity, increase positive thinking
and reduce anxiety.

Our AI systems analyse this data to provide our staff with personalized
advice on how to raise their happiness levels. For example, suggesting
they schedule meetings in the morning and perform desk work in
the afternoon. So far, this advice has already helped raise overall
organizational happiness and increase productivity.
Our next step is to help branches outside of Japan, providing themwith a similar framework to improve employee health and wellbeing.
Standards, like PAS 3002, will help these organizations achieve
improved health, safety and wellbeing performance – and excellence inall other areas as a resullt.

References
1. http://www.hitachi.com/rev/archive/2018/r2018_06/06b05/index.html
2. http://www.meti.go.jp/english/press/2018/0220_003.html
3. https://www.ft.com/content/7ce47bd0-545f-11e8-b3ee-41e0209208ec
4. http://www.hitachi.com/rev/pdf/2015/r2015_08_116.pdf
15

A SAFE PLACE TO WORKA SAFE PLACE TO WORK

Occupational Health & Safety
Standards*
Critical for the safety of today’s world

ISO 45001
Machine safety
standards

100%

PPE:

Occupational
health and safety
management
systems

BS 8437

Occupational
health and safety

BS EN 60079-29-1

Personal fall protection
systems and equipment
for use in the workplace

PAS 1010

Detectors for flammable gases

Psychosocial
risks in theworkplace

BS EN ISO 13849
Safety of machinery
control systems

BS EN 14458

Face shields and visors
for use with emergency
services

ERROR:Your PC couldn’t handle
its work load
and needs to restart

3

2

1

DANGEREXPLOSIVEGASDANGEREXPLOSIVE
GAS

BSI
SI

BS EN 20345
Safety footwear

BS EN 62V061
Electronic control
systems for machinery

BS EN 14052

High performance industrial
helmets

BS EN 458

Hearing protector*The selection of standards is based upon the popularity among current BSOL subscriptions
16

Explosive atmospheres

BS EN 60079-10-1
Explosive gas atmospheres

BS ISO/IEC 80079-36

Non-electrical equipment for explosive atmospheres

17

A SAFE PLACE TO WORK

Health and safety standards
training and certification
Why train with BSI?
We are one of the world’s leading providers of training, information and knowledge on health and safety
management standards.
Our experts provide top quality training for firms at all stages, enabling them to progress their OH&S programmes and translate employee safety
into business value. Our tutors work across the world to transfer their knowledge, skills and the tools needed to promote excellence. World-classquality management standards training can be undertaken at venues across the country, where our experts will:• Determine how standards can help your organization respond to health and safety issues• Help teams plan and implement management systems with a systematic approach to OH&S
• Embed monitoring, auditing and compliance

For more information: visit our website and select the course suitable for you

Certification
For over a century, BSI has led the way in standards. Certifying with BSI sends a clear message to customers,competitors, suppliers, staff and investors that a business is committed to being the best it can be.
With more than 80,000 certified clients and more full-time assessors than any other body worldwide, BSI is one of the largest and mostexperienced certification providers. We certify to global occupational health and safety management standard ISO 45001, as well as other vitalstandards related to OH&S. In addition, we offer the code of practice PAS 3002, which provides recommendations to help employers promoteand maintain the health and wellbeing of their staff. Driven to ensure the long-term health of your company, after certification, we will provide
regular visits to assess and ensure compliance, carefully matching our industry experience to your needs, and giving free analysis, benchmarking
performance against other organizations in your industry. With our help, your business will be able to minimize occupational hazards, protect staff
and deliver ongoing improvements in health and safety company-wide.

For more information: visit our website bsigroup/ae/health&safety

Disclaimer
Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the material in this document, BSI and the report’s authors will not be liable for any
loss or damages incurred through the use of the report.
The British Standards Institution (BSI, a company incorporated by Royal Charter), performs the National Standards Body activity (NSB) in the UK.
BSI, together with other BSI Group Companies, also offers a broad portfolio of business solutions other than the NSB activity that help businesses
worldwide to improve results through Standards-based best practice (such as certification, self-assessment tools, software, product testing,information products and training).
© 2019 BSI. All rights reserved. This document is provided "as-is." Information and views expressed in this document, including URL and other
Internet Web site references, may change without notice. You bear the risk of using it. Some examples are for illustration only. No real association isintended or inferred.
This document does not provide you with any legal rights to any intellectual property in any BSI product. You may copy and use this document foryour internal, reference purposes.
18

A SAFE PLACE TO WORKThe reassuringly easy way to work with standards
BSOL is a simple online tool that gives you instant access to the standards you need, making life a lot easier.
It’s easy to build your own database of relevant standards. Then you can find what you need fast and stay rightup to date – so you can avoid costly errors and work with confidence.
Know you’re covered

Fit the way you work

Save time

Tailored to you	Manage all your standards in one place. You can accessthousands of internationally recognized standards through
BSOL – and it takes only seconds to search.

	Subscribe only to the standards you need, use pre-built modules
or build personal collections.

Save money	You can still access every standard in the system and update
your choices at any time.

	Make standards even better value for money. Using BSOL gives
you large savings on your traditional standards spend.

Miss nothing	Get an alert whenever a standard changes and understandthe significance immediately. Then view the differences to key
standards, so you can track exactly how they’ve changed.

Reduce risk
	Track past, present and future changes. With access to historicand emerging standards, you can see the guidance that
informed previous decisions, as well as changes that could
shape your future moves.

Full flexibility
Easy monitoring	Monitor which standards your users are working with, and easily
spot gaps or overlaps.

Free and unlimited training	Our training team are here to give you extra support if you need it.

Make life easier with BSOL.
Get a quote or find out more atbsi.me@bsigroup.com Or call +971 4 3364917

19

Discover how BSI can help you apply
health & safety solutions to yourorganisation enabling you to reduce
operational risks and minimize hazards
BSI Group
Tel +971 4 3364917
bsi.me@bsigroup.com
bsigroup.com/en-EN© BSI 2019