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OHSAS 18001:2007
Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems
The series of health and safety assessment, OHSAS 18001 work in helping organisations develop policies and business objectives for health and safety. The results of the implementation of the system demonstrate concern for employees and safe workplace. The standard may be applied to the Industrial and service sector.
A Health Management System and safety at work effectively promotes a safe and healthy working environment by providing a framework that allows your organisation to identify and control the risks to health and safety, reduce the risk of accidents, legal support and improve the overall performance compliance.
The most important aspect of an OH & S management system is the obligation to identify hazards in the workplace that could adversely affect the health and safety of employees in the organisation and / or others who may be affected by the activities of the organisation.
Companies who are currently certified to BS OHSAS 18001 will have three years to transition to ISO 45001:2018, the deadline for the transition period is set as the 12th March 2021
Publication of the final standard has now been published and is already being implemented in businesses worldwide.
OHSAS 18001 will be withdrawn on publication of ISO 45001 and organisations currently certified to OHSAS 18001 will have a three year period to upgrade to ISO 45001.
The Occupational Health and Safety Assessment Series, OHSAS 18000, has been developed to help organisations control and minimise occupational health and safety risks. OHSAS 18001 is a specific standard for occupational health and safety management systems designed to eliminate or minimise the risk to employees and other interested parties who may be exposed to occupational health and safety risks associated with the business’ activities. OHSAS 18001 is compatible with ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 management systems. OHSAS 18001 represents a progression of a management system, from quality to environmentally fit, continuing to occupational health and safety.
OHSAS 18001 was developed to bridge the gap where no international standard existed for occupational health and safety. It sets out the minimum requirements for occupational health and safety management best practice and its structure is very similar to the ISO 14001 standard for Environmental Management Systems (EMS). A main driver for this standard is to try and remove confusion in the workplace from the proliferation of certifiable occupational health and safety. Since OHSAS 18001 was published in 1999, it has had a hugely successful adoption.
A key feature of OHSAS 18001 is the need for organisations to ensure employee participation in specific areas of the management system. Involvement should include participation in the hazard/risk and determining controls process, incident investigations, and development and review of policies and objectives. In addition, employees must be consulted on any changes that affect their OH&S as well as representation on OH&S matters. Additionally, consultation with contractors is required where changes may affect their OH&S.
The 18001 standard requires risk reduction considerations according to a 5 step hierarchy: elimination, substitution, engineering controls, signage/warnings and/or administrative controls and lastly, personal protective equipment
Health and Safety Executive (HSE) statistics showed that 180 people were killed and 131,895 people were injured at work.
Organisations now face an enormous amount of regulation and legislation to wade through to ensure that they remain within the law. They also want to reduce their chances of hurting someone to as low as is reasonably practicable.
The Corporate Manslaughter Act introduced in April 2008, makes it easier to prosecute a corporate body. If “the way in which its activities are managed or organised, causes a person’s death and amounts to a gross breach of a relevant duty of care owed by the organisation to the deceased” then they can be prosecuted.
The HSE brought over 900 prosecutions under all health and safety legislation in 2008/2009 and secured a conviction in 83% of cases.
BS OHSAS 18001 is the internationally recognised standard enabling businesses to measure and demonstrate their commitment to occupational safety and health. This is a good way forward. It has positive benefits as well as reassurance including:
- Confidence that you proactively manage Health and Safety
- Confidence that you exercise due diligence
- You have a system that ensures you plan, implement, assess and review your H&S systems regularly and maintain continuous improvement
- You have systems and procedures that identify, reduce , mitigate and control health and safety concerns within the business
- Systems can be integrated with compliance to other standards such as ISO 9001 and ISO 14001.
- People within your company have clear communication about the part they play in the development of their company safety.
- Insurers may lower premiums.
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