Data from International Labor Organization (ILO) shows close to 7 600 people die daily from work-related diseases and accidents. The goal of the ISO committee is to save more than three million lives of workers annually. The committee comprises occupational health and safety experts. ISO management systems have standards. Every workplace needs to follow these ISO standards.
What is ISO 45001?
ISO 45001 2018 was published in March 2018. It’s an ISO for workplace management systems of OH & S (occupational health and safety). The goal of ISO 45001 is to reduce injuries and diseases caused at one’s workplace. It also promotes both the physical and mental health of workers. The pillars of the ISO standards are:
- International Labor Organization OSH 2001
- OHSAS 18001
- National standards
- International Labor Organization conventions and guidelines.
The ISO 45001 replaces the BS OHSAS 18001 over three years, 2018 to 2021. It includes some elements of its predecessor, the BS OHSAS 18001. It’s expected by March 2021, and all companies would have migrated to the ISO 45001 standards and keep a valid ISO certification. Due to the Covid 19 pandemic, ISO extended the transition period by six months. The new deadline is September 2021.
The ISO 45001 maintains the high-level structures used by other ISO standards like ISO 14001:2015 and ISO 9001:2015. This feature makes it easy for organisations to integrate ISO 45001 easily.
ISO 45001 Certification from Best Practice
Importance of ISO 45001 in sustainable development
Both ISO 45001 and ISO 14001 both relate to sustainable development goals. ISO 45001 management standard focuses on occupational health and safety, while ISO 14001 focuses on the environment. Together the standards touch on the following essential aspects of sustainable development goals:
- Clean and affordable energy
- Reducing environmental impact
- Developing industry
- Economic growth and decent work
- Innovation and infrastructure
- Accessibility to clean water and sanitation
Having a productive and safe workplace is the priority of every business. But still, deaths and accidents do occur at workplaces. A committee developed the ISO 45001 made up of experts in occupational health and safety. This standard sets out the elements of a management system regarding the occupational health and safety management system. Intending to create a safer workplace, ISO45001 focuses on the following sustainable development goals:
- Good Health and Well-being.
- Decent Work and Economic Growth
How about combining ISO 45001 and ISO 14001 to achieve sustainable development?
ISO 14001 environmental standards state an internationally agreed set of standards for having an environmental management system. The standards assist companies in improving their environment, which includes the workplace of their staff. Organisations can have more effective and safe environment performance by using natural and artificial resources efficiently while reducing waste. ISO 14001 is directly linked to more than eight of the 17 sustainable development goals SDGs.
The UN has recognised the fact that to end poverty and other social and economic deprivations; the following actions need to be considered:
- Improving health and education
- Spurring economic growth
- Tackle climate change
- Environmental preservation
- Reducing inequality
Adopting the ISO 45001 can support the SDGs set by the United Nations. Organisations can now reduce the number of work-related deaths and accidents by using health and safety management standards. Adopting the ISO 45001 will ultimately achieve ‘Decent Work and Economic Growth and ‘Good Health and Well-being.’
Best Practice Biz is a JAS-ANZ accredited Certification body that aims to provide ISO Certification globally. We provide a range of in-house training and support systems to help you on your journey to continual improvement.
