INTRODUCTION TO ISO 45001 STANDARD

Concept of ISO 45001

ISO 45001 is an international standard defining requirements for Occupational Health & Safety Management Systems (OHSMS). This standard provides a framework to help organizations identify, control, and minimize occupational safety risks, occupational diseases, and negative impacts on worker health.

By implementing ISO 45001, organizations not only ensure compliance with occupational safety laws but also demonstrate commitment to workers, customers, and communities in creating safe and healthy work environments.

Development History of ISO 45001

• Before ISO 45001, many businesses applied OHSAS 18001 standard.
• On March 12, 2018, ISO announced ISO 45001:2018, officially replacing OHSAS 18001.
• ISO 45001 was built on high-level structure (HLS) for easy integration with other management systems such as ISO 9001 (quality) and ISO 14001 (environment).

Why is ISO 45001 Important?

Implementing ISO 45001 brings many important benefits:

• Legal compliance: Helps businesses meet legal requirements for occupational health and safety.
• Reduce accident and occupational disease risks: Identify, control, and prevent hazards in production and business operations.
• Cost savings: Limit losses from workplace accidents, reduce lost workdays, optimize insurance and healthcare costs.
• Enhance reputation and image: Organizations demonstrate responsibility to workers and society, gain advantages in cooperation and bidding.
• Attract customers, partners, and investors: Many stakeholders prioritize working with businesses with ISO 45001 certification.
• Sustainable development: Ensure balance between business growth and social welfare.

Basic Principles of ISO 45001 Management System

ISO 45001 is built on modern quality management principles, especially the PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act) model, including:

• Plan: Identify hazards, assess risks, define OHS objectives and action plans.
• Do: Implement processes, risk control measures, safety programs.
• Check: Monitor, measure, evaluate implementation, identify deviations and improvement opportunities.
• Act: Implement corrective actions and improve safety management system effectiveness.

Basic Requirements in ISO 45001:2018

ISO 45001:2018 standard is structured into multiple clauses, with main requirements including:

• Organization context: Understand internal and external factors affecting OHSMS.
• Leadership & commitment: Top leadership role in directing, supporting, and committing to safety.
• Planning: Identify hazards, assess risks, determine opportunities and OHS objectives.
• Support: Ensure resources, competence, training, communication, and system documentation.
• Operation: Operational control, change management, emergency preparedness & response.
• Performance evaluation: Monitoring, measurement, internal audit, management review.
• Improvement: Correct non-conformities, continuous improvement.

ISO 45001 Implementation Process at Businesses

To successfully implement ISO 45001, businesses typically perform the following main steps:

• Survey & assess current safety system status.
• Establish safety policy, objectives, and OHS programs.
• Awareness training, responsibility assignment, risk management process development.
• Trial system operation, conduct internal audit & management review.
• Correct non-conformities and prepare certification documents.
• Certification assessment by independent organization and maintenance through periodic surveillance.

Notable Changes in ISO 45001:2018

The 2015 version of ISO 45001 has several new features compared to previous versions, notably:

• Apply high-level structure (HLS) — easy integration with ISO 9001, ISO 14001.
• Strengthen leadership role, safety commitment from highest level.
• Focus on risk-based thinking and opportunities in OHS management.
• Expand scope to entire operational chain, including contractors and partners.
• Encourage broad worker participation in management system.

Outstanding Benefits of Implementing ISO 45001

• Protect people: Minimize accidents, injuries, occupational diseases.
• Protect business: Reduce production disruptions, limit arising costs and litigation.
• Increase competitiveness: Enhance reputation, facilitate market expansion.
• Sustainable development: Modern corporate image, socially responsible, promoting safe and civilized work environment.

ISO 45001 is an effective management tool for organizations and businesses to ensure safety, comply with laws, improve operational efficiency, and affirm social responsibility on the sustainable development journey.

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