What is ISO 45001?

02 August 2018

Work-related accidents and sickness place a burden on employees, their families and businesses themselves. Standard ISO 45001 is therefore intended to ensure greater safety at the workplace. In a short interview, Barbara Meyer from TÜV NORD explains what the standard is intended to achieve and the changes that result for companies and other organizations.

 

#explore: What will change for businesses?

Barbara Meyer: In future, businesses will also be responsible for the safety of external contractors working on their premises, as well as that of visitors and neighbours. In principle, a systematic approach based on the so-called STOP principle is followed to eliminate health and safety risks. The acronym stands for Substitution – that is, replacing substances hazardous to health with non-hazardous substances – for technical measures to ‘enclose’ sources of danger such as machinery, for example using safety guards, for organisational measures that separate people from sources of danger in terms of time or space – for example, pedestrians from forklift truck drivers – and for personal measures, which include safety goggles as well as health and safety training. If a company outsources individual tasks to an external firm – for example, a cleaning company – these processes will, according to ISO 45001, remain the responsibility of the client’s occupational health and safety management system. In addition, organisations must ensure the safety of employees who work outside their own premises from time to time. To reduce risks, occupational health and safety measures should be integrated into the development of operational processes and products from the outset.

#explore: Why does ISO 45001 place such great emphasis on employee participation in all occupational health and safety processes?

Barbara Meyer: In most cases, human error is the cause of accidents in the workplace. Accident research has demonstrated this for many years. Around 90 per cent of accidents in workplaces are due to behavioural and organisational factors. Employee involvement in all aspects of occupational health and safety can therefore significantly improve the effectiveness of the relevant management system. ISO 45001 aims to promote behaviour-based occupational health and safety in organisations. In many organisations, this requires a cultural shift that motivates employees to take greater personal responsibility and participate more actively. Managers setting a good example, a clear commitment and the active involvement of all levels of management are also crucial. Occupational health and safety is a top priority and, as such, must be exemplified by senior management.

#explore: How can companies benefit from the transition?
Barbara Meyer: The transition to ISO 45001 naturally involves a certain amount of effort, but this is worthwhile not only in human terms but also economically. Fewer disruptions to operational processes, lower accident and sickness rates, and increased safety awareness reduce costs, boost staff satisfaction, provide legal certainty and thus lead to competitive advantages. The standard’s so-called ‘high-level structure’ also enables companies to combine various aspects – such as quality, environmental and energy management – with the occupational health and safety management system, and to develop an integrated management system from this.