What is ISO 45001:2018
ISO 45001:2018 is an International Standard that specifies requirements for an occupational health and safety (OH&S) management system, with guidance for its use, to enable an organization to proactively improve its OH&S performance in preventing injury and ill-health. ISO 45001:2018 is intended to be applicable to any organization regardless of its size, type and nature. ISO 45001:2018 enables an organization, through its OH&S management system, to integrate other aspects of health and safety, such as worker wellness/wellbeing; however, it should be noted that an organization can be required by applicable legal requirements to also address such issues.
With the introduction of the 2005 Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act Irish employers are being placed under increased pressures to manage their activities in an approach that effectively maintains a safer workplace by anyone affected by their activities or operations. This includes contractors, customers, visitors and the public. The legal responsibility for Health and Safety firmly on the shoulders of top management and then allows this accountability to filter through the chain of command.
Currently, further pressures are being placed on companies with large customers, suppliers, government and corporate bodies to effectively demonstrate a capable Safety Management System.
In today’s environment, this is even more evident with increased competitiveness in the market companies are turning to Management Systems such as ISO 45001:2018 as a means for ensuring competence in the companies they do business with.
The benefits of Implementing ISO 45001:2018 are endless and when implemented correctly it provides the company with an effective tool that will show a return on investment. With continued increases in insurance premiums, increased injury claims and spiraling health care costs the question companies need to ask themselves is; can they afford not to implement ISO 45001:2018?
We can carry out an audit or gap analysis of your existing health and safety practices and methods of work including compliance with legislative requirements and industry best practice (safety statement, risk assessments, method statements) against the requirements of Irish Health & Safety legislation and regulations.
We also provide a broad range of services to assist companies with their arrangements for health and safety such as preparing safe systems of work, identifying legal requirements, implementing best practice measures and recommending opportunities for improvement.
BENEFITS OF ISO 45001:2018
ISO 45001:2018 is a standard, developed in the same way as other management system standards that emphasize effective, efficient and continual improvement. The standard focuses on the fundamental requirements based on the “plan-do-check-act” method. Organizations will have a wide range of benefits from using this standard, including
- ISO 45001:2018 puts the organization in an elite category of business which will be internationally recognized.
- Improved business performance by reducing workplace illness and injury and costs which will result in increased productivity.
- Creating consistency and establishing “best practices” for occupational health and safety throughout the organization.
- Improved identification of hazards and risk.
- Demonstrating effective loss control to attract lower insurance premiums.
- Reducing accidents, incidents and downtime and improving the efficiency of operations.
- Providing for the safety of all persons affected by the activities of the organization.
- Promoting management oversight through monitoring and measuring of key performance indicators in health and safety.
- Embedding proactive behaviors which focus on prevention rather than reactive post-accident remorse. Encouraging continual improvement.
- Developing and implementing an OH&S policy and OH&S objectives
- Establishing systematic processes which consider its “context” and which take into account its risks and opportunities, and its legal and other requirements
- Determining the hazards and OH&S risks associated with its activities; seeking to eliminate them, or putting in controls to minimize their potential effects
- Establishing operational controls to manage its OH&S risks and its legal and other requirements
- Increasing awareness of its OH&S risks
- Evaluating its OH&S performance and seeking to improve it, through taking appropriate actions
- Ensuring workers take an active role in OH&S matters
- Improving its ability to respond to regulatory compliance issues
- Reducing the overall costs of incidents
- Reducing downtime and the costs of disruption to operations
- Reducing the cost of insurance premiums
- Reducing absenteeism and employee turnover rates
- Recognition for having achieved an international benchmark (which may in turn influence customers who are concerned about their social responsibilities)
Contact Us Today or send an Enquiry for your ISO 45001:2018 requirements.
