ISO 45001

Occupational

health and safety
ISO 45001

Health and safety in the workplace
are the number one concern ofmost businesses, yet still deaths
and injuries occur. ISO 45001 sets
the minimum standard of practiceto protect employees worldwide.

According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), there are
currently more than 2.78 million deaths a year as a result of occupational accidents or work-related diseases, in addition to 374 million
non-fatal injuries and illnesses. Aside from the enormous impact
on families and communities, the cost to business and economies
is significant.
ISO 45001, Occupational health and safety management systems– Requirements with guidance for use, is the world’s first International Standard for occupational health and safety (OH&S).
It provides a framework to increase safety, reduce workplace risks
and enhance health and well-being at work, enabling an organization to proactively improve its OH&S performance.

Who is ISO 45001 for ?
ISO 45001 is applicable to all organizations, regardless of size,

industry or nature of business. It is designed to be integrated into
an organization’s existing management processes and follows
the same high-level structure as other ISO management systemstandards, such as ISO 9001 (quality management) and ISO 14001(environmental management).

ISO 45001, Occupational health and safety | 1

What arethe benefits formy business ?
ISO 45001 enables organizations

to put in place an occupational
health and safety (OH&S) management system. This will help
them manage their OH&S risks
and improve their OH &S performance by developing andimplementing effective policies
and objectives.
Key potential benefits from use of
the standard include :• Reduction of workplace
incidents• Reduced absenteeism andstaff turnover, leading toincreased productivity• Reduced cost of insurance
premiums• Creation of a health and safety
culture, whereby employees
are encouraged to take anactive role in their own OH&S
• Reinforced leadershipcommitment to proactively
improve OH&S performance• Ability to meet legal andregulatory requirements• Enhanced reputation• Improved staff morale
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How does it differ from otherOH&S standards ?
ISO 45001 was developed with consideration of other related

standards, such as OHSAS 18001, Occupational health andsafety management, the International Labour Organization’s
ILO-OSH 2001 guidelines and various national standards, andis consistent with the ILO’s international labour standards andconventions.
Developed under the ISO system, with the input of experts from
more than 70 countries, it provides an international frameworkthat takes into account the interaction between an organizationand its business environment.
ISO 45001 adopts a risk-based approach that ensures it is effective

and undergoes continual improvement to meet an organization’s
ever-changing context.

Can I integrate ISO 45001 into
my existing management system ?
ISO 45001 shares a high-level structure (HLS), identical core text

and terms and definitions with other recently revised ISO management system standards such as ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015.
This framework is designed to facilitate the integration of new
management topics into an organization’s established management systems. In addition, ISO 45001 was designed to follow
ISO 14001 fairly closely, as it is recognized that many organizations

combine their OH&S and environmental management functions
internally. This will simplify the integration of ISO 45001, particularly for those who are familiar with ISO 14001.

ISO 45001, Occupational health and safety | 3

What aboutcertification ?
Certification to ISO 45001 is not a requirementof the standard but can be a useful tool to demonstrate that you meet its criteria. If you arealready certified to OHSAS 18001, while it is a very
different standard, you will already have some ofMore information
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the necessary tools and systems in place to implement ISO 45001.

How do I get started ?
If you are considering implementing ISO 45001,

For more information,see our dedicated pageon ISO management
system standards(www.iso.org/management-systemstandards) or contact yournational ISO member.

here are a few tips to get you started :1. Perform an analysis of your organization’scontext that is relevant to OH&S (such asinterested parties) as well as the internaland external factors that might impact yourbusiness.
2. Establish the scope of the system, considering what you would like your management
system to achieve.
3. Set your OH&S policy and objectives.
4. Define the time frame in which you wish to
implement your system and plan how toachieve it.
5. Determine any competence and/or resource
gaps that need addressing before you can
implement the standard.

4 | ISO 45001, Occupational health and safety

ISO 45001, Occupational health and safety | 3

About ISO
ISO (International Organization forStandardization) is an independent,
non-governmental organization with amembership of 162* national standards
bodies. Through its members, ISO brings
together experts to share knowledge anddevelop voluntary, consensus-based,
market-relevant International Standards
that support innovation and provide
solutions to global challenges.
ISO has published more than 22 000*International Standards and related
documents covering almost every
industry, from technology to foodsafety, to agriculture and healthcare.
For more information, please visit :www.iso.org.
* February 2018

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