Step-by-step Implementation of The ISO 45001:2018 Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems

Summary

The aim of the following article is to emphasize the required steps for implementing the ISO 45001:2018 Occupational health and safety management system.

An occupational health and safety management system is a crucial requirement for business organizations to maintain and retain its workforce and maintain a strong brand image. The number of workplace fatalities has lowered over the years with the help of the ISO 45001:2018 Occupational health and safety management system. This standard works like a protocol system providing guidelines for detecting occupational health and safety-related risks and averting them over time.

Due to the lack of health and safety provisions maintained by employers, more than 4.8 million workplace accidents have been reported in the last year. Such cases not only hinder its image but increase the company’s expenses. Medical charges and compensation rates have increased in the last five years. Moreover, an employer will need to hire new associates to fill in these gaps. The overall cost of providing compensation and providing training to the new and temporary workers often surpasses any profit margin.

The ISO 45001:2018 is the most beneficial tool for reducing workplace hazards. It increases knowledge, generates awareness, and shows which risk aversion measures must be incorporated into the operations. The following will outline the steps a company must follow to implement the system efficiently.

The Steps to Implement the ISO 45001:2018

Step 1 — Understanding the system and determining the context

For flawless implementation, one must have a clear concept regarding the clauses and requirements of the ISO 45001. The main requirements include:

● Scope of the system
● Leadership
● Policies and objectives
● Communication
● Resource acquisition
● System implementation
● Monitoring and inspection
● Continual improvement

Per these clauses, these requirements must be met before implementing the system. By fulfilling each criterion, a company gains the ability to optimize efficiency of these protocols.

Step 2 — Inspection and gap analysis

The present occupational health and safety management system must be evaluated to determine its efficiency and its impact on the business. It should be followed by a gap detection process which will detect differences between the efficacy of the present safety management system and its objectives. Gap detection is necessary before implementing new rules as it highlights the flaws and provides the opportunity for correction. Performing a gap analysis is the most cost-effective way of enforcing new guidelines.

Step 3 — Stakeholder engagement

Before establishing a safety and security system for your workforce, a company must recognize the major parties and who will be affected by the implementation. The interest parties’ clauses and demands should be valued before setting the priorities for the system.

Step 4 — Final enforcement

After completing the gap analysis and setting objectives based on the interests of the various stakeholders, corrective measures can be put into place prior to ISO 45001 being implemented.

Step 5 — Monitoring and continual improvement

The last part of the “plan, do, check, act” template is inspecting performance of the new safety operations from time to time and completing the necessary steps for maintaining the effectiveness.

Organizing review meetings is therefore necessary after implementing the ISO 45001:2018 Occupational health and safety management system. One can think of hiring consultants and professional auditors to perform the after-implementation reviews and analyses as both a time saver and a cost savings.

Author Bio

Damon Anderson is an ISO consultant specializing in audits, analyses, and reviews. He has helped hundreds of businesses achieve their desired certification with minimal hassle