As of 15 September 2018, ISO 9001:2008 certificates will no longer be valid. That deadline is now just a few short months away, and many companies are therefore rushing to get certified under ISO 9001:2015, the latest version of the ISO 9001 standard for quality management systems.

One company that won't need to rush is Cobra Hydro UK, a British business specialising in odour control systems and sludge dosing applications.

Image from www.cobrahydrouk.co.uk

The Cobra Hydro team approached NPT Management Systems earlier this year and asked us to help them transition to ISO 9001:2015. We're pleased to announce that the transition was successful, and that Cobra Hydro are now completely up to date with their certification.

Here's what Cobra Hydro UK's Quality Manager Lisa Reeves had to say about the transition:

"We contacted NPT Management Systems due to their good reviews on Google and their location, which is close to our offices. We have held ISO certification since 2001, but we found transitioning to the new standard quite daunting.

"Neil was able to put a system in place that was user-friendly and suitable for the business. Neil has always made himself available on the phone, via email and in person.

"We have successfully been recommended for ISO 9001:2015, which - a few months ago - we weren't sure was possible. We will continue to work with NPT to establish our current system and work towards ISO 14001 and ISO 45001."

- Lisa Reeves, Quality Manager

In addition to helping Cobra Hydro UK with the ISO 9001:2015 transition process, we also helped the company to save money by identifying a more cost-effective choice of certification body and assisting them with the switch.

Contact NPT Management Systems today and ask us how we can help with your ISO certification needs.

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