Certification of Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems to ISO 45001: fighting occupational accidents and illnesses in an increasingly effective manner

* Due to the Coronavirus emergency, the transition period for BS OHSAS 18001 to ISO 45001 accredited certification has been extended by IAF (International Accreditation Forum) to 11 September 2021.

An occupational health and safety management system compliant with ISO 45001, ensuring the management of legislative compliance, protects the organization from potential risks and improves credibility on the market.

With a management system, potential hazards are identified and analyzed and related risks assessed, on the basis of which objectives and programs are designed and planned to improve the safety of one's employees.

By defining responsibilities and training the workforce, precautions are taken and prepared to handle potential emergencies. The ISO 45001 certification proves that the health and safety of employees is priority in your company.

ISO 45001

The ISO 45001 standard adopts the same approach (HLS = High Level Structure, which defines common terminology, requirements and definitions) already adopted by the ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 standards, thus facilitating the definition of an Integrated management and allowing the exploitation of system procedures already in place in the company.

The benefits of ISO 45001 certification

  • Raise awareness of employee safety and motivation
  • Ensure full compliance with all mandatory health and safety requirements
  • Reduce, mitigate or avoid accidents
  • Reduce downtime and production interruptions
  • Reduce costs related to insurance premiums
  • Allows access to facilitations in financing procedures and bureaucratic-administrative simplifications
  • To improve its reputation with customers, suppliers, authorities and investors as a safe and reliable partner

Main changes introduced in the ISO 45001 standard compared to the previous BS-OHSAS 18001 standard

  • Business context: new clauses have been introduced for the systematic determination and monitoring of the business context.
  • Workers and other stakeholders: greater attention to the needs and expectations of workers and other interested parties and the involvement of workers.
  • Field of application: the Organization must define the boundaries of applicability of its Management System in line with the determination of the context, including activities or processes under its control or influence that may have an impact on health and safety performance.
  • Management of risks and opportunities: companies are responsible for determining, taking charge and, where necessary, the obligation to intervene to address any risks or opportunities that may have an impact (positive or negative) on the capacity of the management system deliver the expected results, including improved workplace safety and health.
  • Leadership and Management Commitment: stronger emphasis on top management to actively engage and take responsibility for the effectiveness of the management system.
  • Objectives and performance: greater attention to objectives as factors for improvement and performance evaluation.
  • Participation, consultation and participation of workers (new requirement).
  • Communication: ISO 45001 is more prescriptive than in the past, indicating the need to define what, when and how to communicate.
  • Procurement: outsourced processes and contractors must be considered.
  • Documentary aspects: Organizations have greater freedom in the management of the Management System documentation.
 Examination of the application and documentation sent by the Company, listed in the "Special rules" specific to the product to be certified. Any deficiencies and significant deviations from the requirements, found at this stage, will be communicated so that the appropriate changes can be introduced before the assessment visit is carried out. Upon request, CSI will appoint an inspector to visit the organisation to verify the conformity of the product, process or service. If the results of the visit include non-conformities or observations, a corrective action plan will be required to meet the requirements for the issue of the product certificate. After all the non-conformities that may have emerged from the assessment visit have been passed, and after the positive outcome of the laboratory tests, certification will be granted. The issue of the certificate will be followed by surveillance visits to verify that compliance is being maintained. The frequency of surveillance visits and laboratory tests, if any, is fixed by the special rules applicable. The certification shall have the validity defined in the specific special rules, on expiry the contract shall be deemed to be tacitly renewed unless terminated by one of the two contracting parties 4 (four) months before the expiry date. Tool to certify, though an official recognized third-party body endorsement, that the company is compliant to the requirement... Tool to certify the capability of an organization to gain and maintain steadily, service standard declared to the public... Formal act of a third-party body that certify the conformity of the product technical reference documents, marketing deed to enhance and diversify the product... For years the training offered by IMQ group represented a point of reference for professional development and the update of freelance and employees. Second and third-party, inspections and testing: expert auditors capable to understand the situation of the company...