ISO 45001 Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems

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Whether you're looking to improve workplace health and safety, reduce risks, demonstrate your commitment to employee wellbeing, meet customer expectations or satisfy tender requirements, ISO 45001 provides a recognised framework for managing occupational health and safety.

Used by organisations of all sizes and sectors, ISO 45001 helps businesses create safer workplaces, reduce workplace risks and establish effective controls to protect employees, contractors and other interested parties.

ISO 45001 is the internationally recognised standard for Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems (OHSMS).

It provides a structured framework for identifying hazards, assessing risks and implementing controls to help prevent work-related injury and ill health.

The standard promotes a proactive approach to health and safety management through risk assessment, worker consultation, leadership involvement and continual improvement.

Applicable to organisations of all sizes and sectors, ISO 45001 helps businesses develop safer ways of working whilst supporting operational performance and legal compliance.

ISO 45001 certification is an independent assessment of your Occupational Health and Safety Management System by a Certification Body.

We strongly recommend selecting a UKAS-accredited Certification Body to ensure certification is independently recognised and accepted by customers, procurement organisations and other stakeholders.

Certification provides independent verification that your Occupational Health and Safety Management System meets the requirements of ISO 45001 and is being effectively implemented throughout the organisation.

A review of your existing health and safety arrangements to identify strengths, areas of conformity and opportunities for improvement against the requirements of ISO 45001. 

Developing a practical Occupational Health and Safety Management System that reflects your organisation's activities, workplace hazards and business objectives whilst satisfying the requirements of ISO 45001. 

This may include: 

• Health and Safety Policy development
• Hazard identification processes
• Risk assessment methodologies
• Legal and other requirements registers
• Health and safety objectives and performance measures
• Operational controls
• Competence and training arrangements
• Incident reporting and investigation processes
• Emergency preparedness and response arrangements
• Supporting documented information

Developing and implementing an internal audit programme to verify that the Occupational Health and Safety Management System has been effectively implemented and is achieving its intended outcomes. 

Conducting internal audits to assess conformity, identify opportunities for improvement and support readiness for certification assessment. 

Supporting the investigation of findings, the implementation of corrections and the development of effective corrective actions where required. 

Reviewing the performance and effectiveness of the Occupational Health and Safety Management System to ensure it remains suitable, adequate and effective. 

The Certification Body reviews documented information and management system arrangements to determine readiness for Stage 2 assessment. 

A detailed assessment of implementation and effectiveness throughout the organisation. Auditors will review records, sample activities, assess processes and interview personnel to determine conformity with ISO 45001 requirements. 

Where the Occupational Health and Safety Management System is found to conform to the requirements of ISO 45001 and any audit findings have been satisfactorily addressed, the organisation may be recommended for certification following completion of the Stage 2 assessment. 

The Certification Body completes its independent certification decision process before certification is issued. 

Certification is maintained through annual surveillance audits, which assess continuing conformity and the ongoing effectiveness of the management system. 

A recertification audit is typically undertaken every three years to maintain certification and demonstrate continued compliance with the requirements of the standard.

There is no fixed timescale for achieving certification. The duration of the certification journey will depend on several factors, including: 

• Size of the organisation
• Complexity of operations
• Nature and significance of workplace hazards
• Scope of certification
• Existing management systems
• Availability of resources
• Number of locations
• Current level of compliance

A Gap Analysis can help determine the level of support required and establish a realistic route to certification.

We provide practical support throughout the certification journey, helping organisations understand requirements, develop effective management systems and prepare for independent certification assessment. 

Support can include: 

• Gap Analysis
• Health and Safety Policy Development
• ISO 45001 Implementation
• Hazard Identification Support
• Risk Assessment Development and Review
• Legal and Other Requirements Registers
• Health and Safety Objectives Development
• Procedure Development
• Internal Audit Programme Development
• Internal Auditing
• Management Review Support
• Certification Readiness Reviews
• Stage 1 Audit Preparation
• Stage 2 Audit Preparation
• Corrections and Corrective Action Support
• Surveillance Audit Preparation
• Ongoing Management System Support

Whether you require support with a specific project, additional resources during implementation, or ongoing environmental management expertise, services can be tailored to suit the needs of your organisation.