Tag Archives: OHS Management

ISO 45001 OHS Management Standard – Whats New & Why Change?

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45001, OHS, OHS Management, Management Standards

After the much anticipated wait the ISO 45001 Occupational Health & Safety management standard has been published by the International Standards Organisation and adopted by the Australian and New Zealand standard body.

We are seeing businesses across a range of industries here in Australia start to transition there OHS management systems to the ISO 45001 management system standard with a view to the eventual migration from AS/NZS 4801 to ISO 45001.

Whats New?

There are a lot of new changes to how a company manages there OHS in accordance with the ISO 45001 standard but for practicality I have detailed some of the key new aspects below.

  • Consistent language and increased compatibility with other standards
  • Defining context of the organisation including understanding & needs & expectations of relevant parties
  • Leadership & Commitment
  • Planning – Identification of Risks & Opportunities associated with OHS
  • Management of Change
  • Outsourcing & Contractors
  • Continual Improvement
  • Communication – Now requires worker consultation and worker participation in the decision making process

Why Change?

In comparison to the AS/NZS 4801 management standard the ISO 45001 OHS management standard is a OHS management system standard rather than and OHS work processes standard and integrates seamlessly with the new ISO 9001 Quality standard and ISO 14001 Environmental standard.

The ease of which ISO 45001 can be integrated into any existing certified Quality or Environmental management systems and associated costs savings in both internal staff and consultant time add a lot of weight to the pro ISO 4500 migration argument. When you also consider the fact that AS/NZS 4801 is likely to be discontinued in the future the argument for migrating to ISO 45001 is further supported.

In addition to the above reasons for change unlike AS/NZS 4801 which is only recognised in Australia and New Zealand the ISO 45001 standard is internationally recognised which is ideal for Australian businesses trading internationally.

Posted by: Cathal Uniacke – cathal@custodiansafety.com.au

What Nobody Told Me – OHS Don’ts

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index

Don’t conduct high risk tasks without written work methods

Australian OHS/WHS law identifies area of work that is classified as High Risk. Where work carried out by companies comes under the category of high risk, written work methods with sequential task identification, associated hazards, initial risk ratings, controls, residual risk rating and a responsible person must be prepared and in place. The document is commonly referred to as a Safe Work Method Statement.

Don’t ignore accidents resulting in injury no matter how minor they may appear

Minor accidents resulting in injury if left untreated can escalate. If insurers are not notified of injuries they may not accept the claim meaning the company may have to cover the costs themselves. Employers also have a duty to report accidents that are classified as ‘serious’ under Worksafe guidelines to Worksafe for further investigation and follow up action consideration. Failure to report accidents is an offense and can result in considerable fines and penalties.

Don’t presume materials or equipment has adequate safe working load capacities

Materials and equipment safe work load capacities can vary depending on the manufacturer and the place of manufacture. Although materials and equipment from different manufacturers may look the same the safe working load capacities can vary so the specific specifications should always be checked prior to use.

Don’t skip plant or equipment servicing, maintenance or inspection intervals

Australian OHS/WHS law outlines that all plant & equipment must be maintained. It is important that companies with the responsibility of maintaining plant and equipment develop maintenance schedules and conduct maintenance as per the manufacturer’s guidelines.

Don’t develop detailed OHS procedures, plans & written work methods and not inspect and maintain them throughout the job

Companies place a lot of focus on OHS management in the preliminary or pre-start stage of projects and this focus can often times ware off as the works progress. It is important that project teams keep their focus on OHS management as works progress and not just at the start when the OHS management documents are being developed.

Posted by: Cathal Uniacke – cathal@custodiansafety.com.au

 

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