ISO 45001 (occupational health and safety)

Demonstrate your commitment to a safe, quality working environment! Every day, lives are lost as a result of illness or accidents in the workplace. What’s more, employee psychosocial well-being has become a higher priority for companies during the health crisis. Safeguarding the physical integrity of employees and minimizing workplace hazards is crucial to a company’s prosperity.

What does ISO 45001 stand for?

ISO 45001 is an international standard specifying the requirements to be met by an occupational health and safety (OHS) management system. It provides a framework for organizations to manage risk and improve their OH&S performance.

ISO 45001 (santé et sécurité au travail)

The international standard ISO 45001 defines the criteria to be met by an occupational health and safety (OH&S) management system. It establishes a framework for managing risks and improving the performance of organizations in the field of OHS.

ISO 45001 is aimed at all organizational structures – of any size and in any field of activity. It is based on the OHSAS 18001 standard and other current international standards and agreements relating to health and safety in the workplace. It succeeded OHSAS 18001 in 2018 as the main international standards reference, with a migration deadline set for September 2021.

ISO 45001 adopts the ISO Master Scheme (HLS), which prescribes the configuration of all ISO standards, making it easier to integrate them with other generic management system standards. Organizations that are already certified to standards such as ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 will benefit.

Based on the recognized management principles of Plan-Do-Check-Act, ISO 45001 requires an organization to :

  • Identify threats and assess occupational health and safety hazards arising from its activities and services;
  • Establish appropriate control measures ;
  • Define precise objectives to optimize efficiency in occupational health and safety.

The importance of ISO 45001

Adopting ISO 45001 is of paramount importance for organizations wishing to reduce workplace accidents and demonstrate their commitment to health and safety in the workplace. This standard offers many advantages:

  • ISO 45001 establishes a worldwide reference structure for the management of occupational health and safety hazards. It encourages companies to methodically anticipate threats and implement preventive strategies against risks, leading to a reduction in incidents, work-related pathologies and dangerous situations on business sites.
  • The implementation of this standard demonstrates to employees and external stakeholders the organization’s commitment to the well-being, safety and health of its employees. As a result, it enhances the company’s brand image and stimulates staff motivation and retention.
  • The standard requires adherence to S&ST regulations, helping to ensure compliance with current legislation. It also encourages a proactive approach to risk management, which can lead to lower insurance rates.
  • ISO 45001 recommends the creation of procedures to anticipate and react to emergencies, thereby reinforcing the entity’s ability to adapt to crises and safety hazards.
  • The system based on the PDCA cycle (Plan, Do, Evaluate, Improve) enables constant improvement and evolution of the H&S management system, thus promoting continuous progress in employee health and safety performance over the long term.

Benefits of certification

The introduction of an occupational health and safety management system is a legal requirement, and companies are obliged to justify its effectiveness. This is true in many countries. Obtaining ISO 45001 certification attests to the implementation of a system that complies with legal standards and is a vector for improvement.

ISO 45001 certification entitles your company to :

  • Set up and continuously improve an occupational health and safety management system to eliminate or reduce risks to employees and other stakeholders vulnerable to hazards associated with your activities or services.
  • Systematically optimize your occupational health and safety results and avoid the (re)occurrence of claims and incidents.
  • Validate its adherence to the occupational health and safety policy and prove its compliance to third parties.
  • Continuously comply with the relevant legal standards regarding health and safety in the workplace.