What is ISO 45001?
While OHSAS 18001 is currently the recognised standard for best practice occupational health and safety management, it is due to be replaced by a new international standard – ISO 45001 Occupational Health and Safety.
Once the new standard is published, Alcumus ISOQAR will provide support to organisations wishing to become ISO 45001 certified, as well as those who need to transition from OHSAS 18001 to ISO 45001 certification.
Why is ISO 45001 being developed?
ISO 45001 will have all the benefits of OHSAS 18001. ISO 45001 certification will ensure that your organisation:
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Is taking proactive steps to comply with appropriate legislation and best practice
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Remains up-to date with legislative changes
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Becomes a safer place to work
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May realise substantial savings from lost productivity and litigation from prevented incidents and accidents
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Satisfies core requirements of SSIP when registering as a member of SSIP with ISOQAR; and will act as ‘deemed to satisfy’ for other industry schemes.
However, ISO 45001 is a new and improved standard. Compared to OHSAS 18001, ISO 45001 has the following advantages:
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More up-to-date than OHSAS 18001
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Created by an international committee of experts
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Designed with global recognition in mind
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Integrates seamlessly with other ISO management systems, including ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015, and ISO 27001:2015.
Latest update – July 2017 – ISO 45001 DIS 2 passes international ballot
ISO 45001 was originally predicted to launch in 2016, but the process of creating the new standard has faced several delays.
Why has ISO 45001 been delayed?
The first draft, Draft International Standard 1 (DIS1), was rejected in May 2016. This meant that a second draft of the standard had to be produced in response to ISO member comments.
The second draft, ISO 45001 DIS 2, was published earlier this year and opened to ISO members for comment. The UK commenting period closed on the 18th June, and in July, the international ballot was approved.
What happens next?
The ISO members will meet on 18-22 September to review the results of the international ballot, and decide whether a Final Draft International Standard (FDIS) is required.
When will ISO 45001 be published?
The ISO has targeted a publication date of February 2018. However, if the committee vote to proceed with DIS2, it’s possible that ISO 45001 will be published in late 2017.
