ISO 45001 is an occupational health and safety management standard. It defines a set of occupational health and safety (OH&S) management requirements for occupational health and safety management systems (OHSMS).
OHSAS 18001 2007 was developed by the OHSAS Project Group, a consortium of 43 organizations from 28 countries. This consortium includes national standards bodies, registrars (certification bodies), OH&S institutes, and consultants.
This new OHSAS 18001 2007 standard was officially published during July of 2007. It cancels and replaces OHSAS 18001 1999. Since it was first published in 1999, OHSAS 18001 has rapidly become the most widely used international OH&S management standard. OHSAS 18001 applies to all types of organizations. It doesn’t matter what size they are or what they do.
The purpose of OHSAS 18001 is to help organizations to manage and control their OH&S risks and to improve their OH&S performance. They can achieve this purpose by developing an OHSMS that complies with OHSAS 18001.
An OHSMS is a network of interrelated elements. These elements include responsibilities, authorities, relationships, functions, activities, processes, practices, procedures, and resources. These elements are used to establish OH&S policies, plans, programs, and objectives.
If you don’t already have an occupational health and safety management system (OHSMS), you can use this OHSAS 18001 standard to establish one. And once you’ve established your organization’s OHSMS, you can use it to manage and control your OH&S risks and to improve your OH&S performance.
OHSAS 18001 expects organizations to comply with all of the requirements that make up the standard. According to the standard, your OHSMS must comply with every OHSAS 18001 requirement (Part 4 of the standard).
However, the size and complexity of OHSMSs vary quite a bit. How far you go is up to you. The size and complexity of your OHSMS, the extent of your documentation, and the resources allocated to your system will depend on many things. How you meet each of the OHSAS 18001 requirements, and to what extent, depends on many factors, including:
1. The size of your organization
2. The location of your organization
3. The nature of your organization’s culture
4. The nature of your organization’s activities
5. The nature of your organization’s legal obligations
6. The nature and scope of your organization’s OHSMS
7. The content of your organization’s OH&S policy
8. The nature of your organization’s OH&S hazards
9. The nature of your organization’s OH&S risks
OHSAS 18001 is designed to be used for certification (registration) purposes. However, OHSAS 18001 does not require certification. You can be in compliance without being formally certified (registered). You can self-assess (self audit) your OHSMS and simply declare that it complies with the OHSAS 18001 standard (if it actually does).
OHSMS development plan includes
1. Define the scope of your OHSMS.
2. Define your organization’s OHSMS policy.
3. Develop a methodology to identify hazards and assess risks.
4. Establish procedures to identify hazards and assess risks.
5. Identify your organization’s hazards and assess your risks.
6. Establish procedures to evaluate and select OH&S controls.
7. Evaluate the adequacy of your existing OH&S controls.
8. Select OH&S controls that reduce your OH&S risks.
9. Document the results of your control selection process.
10. Identify relevant legal and nonlegal OH&S requirements.
11. Respect all relevant legal and nonlegal OH&S requirements.
12. Establish unique OH&S objectives for your organization.
13. Establish programs to achieve your OH&S objectives.
14. Appoint a member of top management to manage OH&S.
15. Ensure the competence of those who influence OH&S.
16. Identify your OH&S training and awareness needs.
17. Establish OH&S training and awareness procedures.
18. Implement OH&S training and awareness procedures.
19. Establish procedures to manage OH&S communications.
20. Establish procedures to manage OH&S participation.
21. Document your organization’s unique OHSMS.
22. Control your organization’s OH&S documents and records.
23. Implement controls to manage OH&S hazards and risks.
24. Establish an OH&S emergency management process.
25. Monitor and measure your organization’s OH&S performance.
26. Record the results of your OH&S monitoring and measuring.
27. Evaluate compliance with legal and nonlegal requirements.
28. Record the results of your OH&S compliance evaluations.
29. Establish procedures to investigate OH&S incidents.
30. Establish nonconformity management procedures.
31. Perform regular internal audits of your OHSMS.
32. Review your OHSMS at planned intervals.
33. Update and improve your OHSMS.