ISO 45001:2018 Implementer Training

This next module introduces and explains the terminology used in the ISO 45001:2018 standard.

This module takes a step-by-step look at the relevant clauses in the ISO 45001:2018 standard in order to understand what they mean and what your company needs to do to comply with them.

Clear, well-written, and non-bureaucratic documentation is an important part of an OH&S Management System.

A point worth noting here is that documents are used for storing and sharing information, while records are essentially hard copies of results (such as from an audit) or evidence of activities that have been performed. And while documents get revised from to time and are generally kept up-to-date, records are static and never revised.

This module examines the steps necessary to implement an effective ISO 45001 OH&S Management System and achieve certification.

This part looks at hazard identification and risk assessment, which form the core of the OH&S Management System's drive for control and improvement. The terms are easy to understand: hazards have the potential to cause harm; risks relate to the potential for hazards to arise.

Auditors will examine the controls you have in place for hazard identification and risk assessment, and will expect you to have kept records to verify that your controls have been effectively applied. From a practical standpoint, a simple methodology might look like this:

• Look for Hazards
  Take a close look at your workplace. What are the potential hazards? What activities, materials, substances, tools or machinery have potential to cause harm?
• Who Might Be Harmed and How
  Identify not only employees but contractors and the general public. Pay attention to the young and elderly, as well as inexperienced and disabled staff.
• Evaluate Risks
  What's the likelihood of the hazards you've identified actually occurring? If the hazard were to occur, what harm would ensue? Are you prioritizing risk? If risks are deemed unacceptable, what are you doing to control them?
• Record your Findings
  Maintaining written records is essential. Keep them to demonstrate compliance with legal requirements and the ISO 45001:2018 standard, and as evidence to show the external auditor during your company's certification audit.
• Review and Revise
  Regularly review risk assessments to ensure that controls are still adequate for existing hazards. Risk assessments should also be reviewed and revised whenever new hazards are introduced into the workplace (such as new substances or machinery).

This final part discusses the ISO 45001 verification checklist (also known as a gap analysis), a useful framework for evaluating your OH&S Management System against the requirements of ISO 45001:2018.