It is essential to have occupational health and safety management systems in place to safeguard the well-being of individuals in their workplace. ISO 45001 and OHSAS 18001 are two highly known standards in this industry. In this blog article, we will look at the Difference Between ISO 45001 and OHSAS 18001. We will also talk about the Importance of ISO 45001 Training to ensure a safe workplace.
Table of content
- What is ISO 45001?
- What is OHSAS 18001?
- Differences between ISO 45001 and OHSAS 18001
- Structure
- Risk-Based Approach
- Context of the Organization
- Worker Participation
- The Importance of ISO 45001 Training
- Awareness and Understanding
- Compliance
- Risk Management
- Continual Improvement
- Conclusion
What is ISO 45001?
The ISO standard 45001 is globally recognised for managing occupational health and safety systems. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) established it to offer enterprises a framework for proactively managing and improving their occupational health and safety performance. ISO 45001 is concerned with detecting and mitigating workplace hazards, decreasing occupational risks, and fostering a safety culture within a company.
What is OHSAS 18001?
OHSAS 18001 is an abbreviation for Occupational Health and Safety Assessment Series. The British Standards Institution (BSI) created it, a widely used standard for occupational health and safety management systems. OHSAS 18001 is a framework that helps businesses identify and control health and safety hazards, comply with regulatory requirements, and constantly improve their occupational health and safety performance.
Differences between ISO 45001 and OHSAS 18001
While both ISO 45001 and OHSAS 18001 are concerned with occupational health and safety management, there are numerous significant variations between the two standards.
Structure
ISO 45001 adheres to the Annex SL structure, a high-level framework several ISO management system standards use. This facilitates interaction with other management systems like ISO 9001 (quality management) and ISO 14001 (environmental management). In contrast, OHSAS 18001 has its distinct framework.
Risk-based approach
ISO 45001 promotes risk management as a proactive process. Organisations must identify possible hazards, assess risks, and implement suitable preventive actions to eliminate or reduce such risks. OHSAS 18001 is similarly concerned with risk assessment. However, it does not require a risk-based methodology.
Context of the organisation
ISO 45001 lays a heavy focus on knowing the organisation’s context. Businesses must analyse internal and external elements that may impact their occupational health and safety performance. OHSAS 18001 does not explicitly require an understanding of the organisation’s context.
Worker participation
ISO 45001 encourages worker participation in developing and implementing occupational health and safety management systems. It promotes effective communication, consultation, and engagement at all levels of the organisation. OHSAS 18001 acknowledges the necessity of worker involvement but does not give as much depth on this topic.
The Importance of ISO 45001 Training
Employees and management must get comprehensive ISO 45001 training when firms move from OHSAS 18001 to ISO 45001 or directly adopt ISO 45001. Here are a few of the reasons why such training is critical.
Awareness and understanding
ISO 45001 training assists employees and management in understanding the standard’s requirements, including its structure, core ideas, and implementation instructions. This guarantees everyone is on the same page and can contribute to the organisation’s occupational health and safety objectives.
Compliance
Undertaking ISO 45001 training enables businesses to comply with legal and regulatory requirements pertaining to occupational health and safety. It assists employees and management in understanding their roles and responsibilities in maintaining compliance and avoiding legal complications.
Risk management
ISO 45001 places a high value on risk management. Employee training in risk assessment methodologies, hazard identification, and control measures assists firms in managing occupational hazards and preventing accidents and injuries.
Continual improvement
ISO 45001 encourages a continual improvement culture in occupational health and safety. Employees trained in continuous improvement, performance monitoring, and auditing are better prepared to contribute to the organisation’s efforts to improve safety standards.
Conclusion
ISO 45001 and OHSAS 18001 are key occupational health and safety management standards. While they have similar objectives, ISO 45001 provides a more systematic and comprehensive approach to risk management and continuous improvement. Organisations moving from OHSAS 18001 to ISO 45001 or immediately adopting ISO 45001 should prioritise ISO 45001 training to guarantee a seamless transition and leverage the advantages of the new standard. Organisations may establish a safer work environment, minimise accidents and injuries, and improve their overall occupational health and safety performance by investing in effective training.
