At present, the recognised standard for occupational health and safety in the UK is BS OHSAS 18001, sometimes referred to as ISO 18001. However, while the British Standard OHSAS 18001 is used internationally, it was not developed by ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) as ISO 9001 and other internationally-recognised standards were.

ISO are currently in the process of developing a new health and safety standard - ISO 45001 - that, when it is published, will replace OHSAS 18001 as the primary international standard for occupational health and safety.

When will ISO 45001 be published?

According to the ISO website, ISO 45001 is currently in the 'Enquiry Stage'. A final draft will move to the 'Approval Stage' in late 2017, and the new standard is currently scheduled for publication in February 2018.

What to expect from ISO 45001

ISO 45001 will provide employers with a framework to:

• Improve worker safety
• Minimise risks and hazards
• Provide a safer working environment

It will take the existing OHSAS 18001 standard into account, but the system will be closer in structure to existing ISO standards like ISO 9001 and ISO 14001.

If you need OHSAS 18001 certification for your business, or if you'd like to make sure you're ready for the new ISO 45001 standard, please contact NPT Management Systems for more information.

ISO are currently in the process of drafting a new addition to their family of international standards. ISO 45001 (due to be published in late 2016) will set the bar for occupational health and safety management systems worldwide, thereby helping organisations to ensure the continued health and safety of all of their employees.

Wait, isn't there already an ISO standard that covers health and safety?

You're probably thinking of OHSAS 18001, a British standard that is applied internationally as a benchmark for health and safety management systems.

Though this standard is frequently called ISO 18001, it is actually not an official ISO standard; that being said, OHSAS 18001 has reportedly served as a key source of inspiration for the new ISO 45001 standard, and many elements of the latter will bear a close resemblance to the requirements set out by the former.

If you are thinking of implementing a health and safety management system (HSMS) throughout your business in the near future, both ISO 18001 and ISO 45001 will be good standards to work towards. Even if you have already achieved OHSAS 18001 certification, you may decide that you would benefit from getting your organisation's HSMS re-certified in accordance with the new standard once it has been published. ISO have promised a more 'context'-focused set of requirements, and besides, if you're already using other ISO standards like ISO 9001 and ISO 14001, it makes sense to stay within the ISO family in this area too.

Click here for more information about the forthcoming ISO 45001 standard, or contact us now to find out how we can help you to plan and implement a compliant health and safety management system.

Photo by Elliott Brown

Health and safety is an extremely important consideration for any business - failing to provide a safe working environment for your employees can lead to prosecution, hefty fines, and even jail time, not to mention the fact that somebody could get seriously hurt.

With this in mind, it's a good idea to design and implement a health and safety management system for your company. The industry standard for H&S management systems is ISO 18001, and we're pleased to announce that ISO 18001 certification is now among the services we offer here at NPT Management Systems.

Our ISO 18001 consultants will:

• Get to know your business and how you operate
• Help you to design a health and safety management system that's perfectly suited to your company
• Ensure that the system is implemented properly throughout the entire organisation
• Assist with applying for ISO 18001 certification (via a UKAS-approved body)

If you would like to find out more about our ISO 18001 services, please call 02380 659 867 or email enquiries@nptmanagementsystems.co.uk today.