ISO 45001 Occupational Health and Safety

It replaced the older British-origin OHSAS 18001 specification. The standard expects leaders to take active responsibility for safety and requires workers to be consulted and to take part in decisions. The organisation identifies hazards, assesses risks, applies the hierarchy of controls, sets objectives, trains staff, plans for emergencies, investigates incidents and near misses, audits itself and reviews the system. It also covers contractors and visitors on site. Like ISO 14001, it follows the plan, do, check, act cycle, and its clauses are laid out in the same order as other ISO management systems. Certification is by accredited auditors. The standard does not replace national safety law; firms still have to meet legal duties. Site interviews with workers during the audit test whether the written system is the one people actually follow.

A construction firm bids for a public contract that requires a certified safety system. It maps site hazards, such as work at height and excavation, introduces a worker safety committee and a near-miss reporting form, and trains supervisors in incident investigation. At the certification audit, workers on site are asked how they report hazards, and their answers are consistent with the written procedure.