BM TRADA ISO 45001 Information

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY MANAGEMENT WITH ISO 45001

ISO 45001

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW

As an employer, there is a responsibility to prevent work-related physical and mental health in workers and others that may occur as a result of your business operations and activities.

Governed by the Health & Safety Act 1974, employers have many considerations when it comes to workers’ Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S). This includes ensuring the right PPE is worn and having the correct signage around the workplace, through to providing appropriate training and making sure employees are working responsibly, among a raft of other factors.

Given the vastness of OH&S and how every place of work has its individual needs and requirements, it can be a minefield for any organization to manage. If not done correctly, not only could this be found as negligence, but there is the added risk of reputational damage to the organization. Most importantly, there’s a greater chance of putting workers in dangerous situations that could be avoided. These issues can all be avoided by adopting an OH&S management system that is certified to ISO 45001 standard.

CONTENTS

• Introduction ISO 45001

Occupational Health & Safety

• How ISO 45001 Works

• Four Pillars of Occupational Health & Safety

• Annex SL

• Benefits of Achieving Certification

• Achieving Certification

• An Auditor's Perspective

• Conclusion

The tools and knowledge are there to access, understanding of context and what measures to employ does require effort and resource but there are no excuses.

INTRODUCTION TO ISO 45001 OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH & SAFETY

Created by ISO (the International Organization for Standardization), ISO 45001 is a health and safety framework prepared by experts from across the world who sit on ISO technical committees.

Regarded as the highest grade of certification that can be achieved in OH&S, organizations who have achieved ISO 45001 show that they have an ongoing commitment to the wellbeing of their workers. It also demonstrates that the business has looked at all its functions, with the intent of making the workplace and processes as safe as possible.

In turn, the benefits for organizations are numerous. From proving legal compliance and increasing the organization’s reputation as a responsible employer to raising productivity, there are many tangible and intangible returns to be reaped from ISO 45001 certification.

HOW ISO 45001 WORKS Stage one - planning

The first step of establishing an ISO 45001-accredited OH&S management system starts with proper planning. This begins by understanding the health and safety risks and opportunities that the business’ workers (and any other interested parties) face as a result of operations. The organization's business activities will also have a direct impact; consequently, every system is unique – there is no one size fits all approach.

The success of any OH&S management system, and subsequently gaining ISO 45001 certification, requires an ongoing commitment from the business to continuously address health and safety performance. An effective and efficient system will take early action to identify and remedy threats to health and safety and workers’ wellbeing, following closely with the well-established hierarchy of controls methodology.

All effective OH&S systems need to have clearly defined intended outcomes, and everybody within the organization must appreciate what they are. Maintaining a successful management system depends on several key factors, including leadership and accountability from top management; clear communication, consultation and participation with the workforce; allocation of resources and forming OH&S policies; and creating processes to spot hazards and controlling the dangers. There also needs to be a level of knowledge of the organization’s structure, while staff should be competent in ensuring systems are maintained, and opportunities for improvement are put forward.

Stage two - implementation

Once the groundwork has been laid out for the OH&S management system, it can then be implemented. At this point, controls and processes are created and mandated. As mentioned above, robust OH&S systems work alongside other functions and should integrate into day-to-day operations. They should also constantly be reviewed and considered as a ‘living’ system that adapts in line with the organization.

For an OH&S system to work effectively, as well as to achieve and maintain ISO 45001 certification, its performance must be regularly audited and monitored by a third party. These impartial audits are not a measure to establish faults but more to identify areas for improvement and help organizations understand where deficiencies in the system may be.

HIERARCHY OF CONTROLS

ANNEX SL

As with all ISO management systems, ISO 45001 follows Annex SL, which follows a high-level structure (HLS). This champions leadership, worker participation and engagement, and crucially, requires input from every level of the business. Annex SL consists of 10 core clauses.

ANNEX SL

HIGH LEVEL STRUCTURE OF CLAUSES

3 7

TERMS AND DEFINITIONS PLANNING

4 8

CONTEXT OF THE ORGANIZATION OPERATION

SCOPE NORMATIVE REFERENCES

LEADERSHIP

1 2 6 10

5 9

PERFORMANCE EVALUATION

SUPPORT

IMPROVEMENT

The Annex SL link also aligns ISO 45001 with other management systems which some businesses may already have in place, such as, quality management (ISO 9001) and environmental (ISO 14001). This streamline processes and delivers efficiencies, saving organizations time and money.

BETTER LEGAL COMPLIANCE

REDUCED INSURANCE PREMIUMS

CULTIVATES A HEALTH AND SAFETY CULTURE

COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO OH&S

POSSIBLE BENEFITS OF A CERTIFIED OH&S MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

REPUTATIONAL PROTECTION

FEWER INJURIES

BETTER STAFF

MORALE AND PRODUCTIVITY

ACHIEVING CERTIFICATION

The ISO 45001 certification process should be straightforward and typically follows a generic process including application, application review, initial certification consisting of a stage one and stage two audit and finally certification. All areas of the organization need to be considered, so working with the right certification body is essential to make the process manageable and easy to understand. You should ensure that the certification body is United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) accredited. UKAS is the only UK Government recognized accreditation for organizations that provide certification, testing, and inspection of services. Check the status of a certification body here: ukas.com/find-an-organisation

CERTIFICATION. The certification process is carried out in three distinct stages:

STAGE 1

The purpose of this audit is to confirm that your organization is ready for the stage two audit. This audit will take place at your management system central office and during the stage 1 assessment, your assessor will:

•  confirm the accuracy of the information that you submitted during the application process

• confirm that the management system documented information is in place and conforms to the requirements of the standard

• evaluate the organizations site-specific conditions and to undertake discussions with the client’s personnel to determine the preparedness for stage 2;

• confirm necessary information regarding the scope of the management system, including:

a.  the client’s site(s);

b. processes and equipment used;

c. levels of controls established (particularly in case of multisite clients);

d. applicable statutory and regulatory requirements;

• review the allocation of resources for stage 2 and agree the details of stage 2 with the client;

• provide a focus for planning stage 2 by gaining a sufficient understanding of the client’s management system and site operations in the context of the management system standard or other normative document;

• evaluate if the internal audits and management reviews are being planned and performed, and that the level of implementation of the management system substantiates that the client is ready for stage 2. The output of the stage 1 assessment will be a report that identifies and points for action which, if not addressed, could be raised as non-conformances at the stage 2 assessment.

STAGE 2

The purpose of stage 2 is to evaluate the implementation, including effectiveness, of the organizations management system to confirm that it conforms to all requirements of the chosen standard. The stage 2 shall take place at the site(s) of the client. It shall include the auditing of at least the following:

a) information and evidence about conformity to all requirements of the applicable management system standard or other normative documents;

b) performance monitoring, measuring, reporting and reviewing against key performance objectives and targets (consistent with the expectations in the applicable management system standard or other normative document);

c) the client’s management system ability and its performance regarding meeting of applicable statutory, regulatory and contractual requirements;

d) operational control of the client’s processes;

e) internal auditing and management review;

f) management responsibility for the client’s policies.

The audit team shall analyse all information and audit evidence gathered during stage 1 and stage 2 to review the audit findings and agree on the audit conclusions which will be presented in a formal audit report. If the auditor identifies any major non-conformances, certification cannot be issued until corrective action is taken and verified. Accreditation requirements stipulate that if this is not completed within 6 months, then certification cannot be recommended without a further stage 2 audit.

CERTIFICATION

Following a successful two stage audit a certification decision is made by an independent panel and if positive, certification to the required standard is issued by BM TRADA in the form of a certificate which you can use to demonstrate your certification with third parties to demonstrate the high standards your organization adheres to. You certified status will also be available on the UKAS cert check portal  certcheck.ukas

Your certification is valid for three years and is maintained through a program of annual surveillance audits and a three yearly recertification audit (full system audit).

Surveillance audits are undertaken annually (calendar year) to ensure that compliance to the chosen Standard(s) is maintained throughout the three year certification cycle.

AN AUDITOR’S PERSPECTIVE

When it comes to the certification process, there are certain things that the auditors are looking for. Kieron Rafferty, Head of Audit Resources at BM TRADA. He gives his top tips for making the process as straight-forward as possible:

1. LEADERSHIP BUY IN

One of the most important things for ISO 45001 is leadership buy-in. I look for top management involvement and how they endorse the FRMS. Without endorsement, staff working under these managers will be unlikely to take the process seriously. I specifically look for examples of leadership involvement, such as how they explain the benefits to staff, and how they ensure the appropriate resources are available.

2. CULTURE CHANGE

What I look for on an audit, is how successfully ISO 45001 and its procedures have been ingrained into the culture and everyday life within an organization. As part of this, I will talk to staff – often at random - and expect them to know the basic strategy; the rationale behind why they’re being audited, and how it applies to them. I don’t expect staff to know about every policy, but they should understand why best practice is important and why it is being certified. A sign of a weak system is when people don’t know why they’re doing something, and they just see it as an extra level of bureaucracy.

3. ALLOCATE APPROPRIATE RESOURCE

The process can be a time-intesive one, but ideally everyone in the business should play a part. Some organizations will bring in consultants to support which can be a great benefit, but it can be managed internally which is often beneficial, as it allows everyone to get involved in a standard that will impact them and aids understanding of the rationale.

I would recommend that businesses ensure sufficient resource is available, but that the load is spread throughout – a mixture of backgrounds and personalities can add significant value. Ideally it should be a diverse team with appropriate skill sets and the authority to influence and make change.

5. TAKE FINDINGS SERIOUSLY AND ACT ON THEM QUICKLY

It is worth ensuring the correct personnel are involved to direct and update information and communicate out to the wider business as soon as possible. Don’t let all the hard work go to waste – it undermines the process and demotivates the team, which in turn reinforces the negative perception of audits for the next time. Ensure that those working on the findings close out are given as much team assistance as possible - look to work collectively and collaboratively.

4. CREATE A GOOD PERCEPTION OF AUDITS WITHIN THE BUSINESS

Make sure that the audit is seen as an opportunity for enhancement of process, and that any actions raised are taken as learning opportunities. If the audit is perceived by the team as a chore and a negative task, you won’t get the same level of involvement or success. If the team sees that it’s a way to drive positive change in the business and really buys into it, it can make the process much easier.

6. SHARE BEST PRACTICE AND POSITIVE OUTCOMES

Seeing the results and change borne from the process is the best way to motivate staff to keep it up and to appreciate the value. It’s also the reason why the work is done in the first place, so don’t forget to complete the circle and share the rewards.

CONCLUSION

Creating a safe, healthy environment in which employees can work should be seen as more than just a legal requirement – it should be viewed as a way to unlock further potential from the business. By implementing an OH&S management system that is certified to ISO 45001, not only are employees safeguarded, but the organization also benefits in multiple ways, from the tangible such as financial gains to streamlined operations, to the intangible, such as morale and reputation.

All organizations should be deploying a health and safety system across their business at some level – but vitally, these systems must not be left to stagnate. Those that do will quickly find that employees are being exposed to unnecessary and avoidable risks. By following the ISO 45001 approach and attaining certification, not only can a system be developed to that look after employees’ wellbeing, but it can enable true culture change across the entirety of a business’ operation.

ABOUT BM TRADA

Part of the Element Group, we specialize in providing a comprehensive range of independent testing, inspection, certification, technical and training services. We help organizations to demonstrate their business and product credentials and to improve performance and compliance.

BM TRADA exists to help make certain that the materials, products and processes that we test, inspect and certify for our customers are always safe, quality, compliant, and fit for purpose. BM TRADA is proud to be part of Element Materials Technology, the market leader in testing inspection and certification services and we can help deliver an OH&S management system that is specific to the requirements of our customers.

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