The ISO 45000 OHS (Occupational Health and Safety) Family of Standards was developed to support organisations in upholding their responsibility to provide a safe working environment for all personnel. These standards relate to the development, implementation, and maintenance of Safety Management Systems (SMS).
Also referred to in Australia as the ISO 45000 WHS (Work Health and Safety) Standard, this Family of Standards provides a framework for preventing risks of work-related injury and illness. This includes developing processes for effective risk identification and mitigation (i.e. identifying, assessing and controlling workplace hazards).
This Family of Standards has been designed for universal applicability, ensuring that organisations of any size, scope, or industry can use the ISO 45001 framework to effectively develop and implement systems, policies, processes, and procedures that promote a safer and healthier workplace, and compliance to WH&S legislation.
Below, our ISO consultants at S & J Auditing & Consulting have prepared an overview of the ISO 45000 OHS Family of Standards, outlining all the individual Standards that comprise the series and how each of these Standards aids in establishing Safety Management Systems.
Overview of the ISO 45000 OHS Family of Standards
ISO 45000 Series Explained
The ISO 45000 Family of Standards includes a selection of ISO Standards that pertain to different aspects of SMS development and implementation. Here are the current standards that fall within the ISO 45000 Family.
ISO 45001:2018: Occupational health and safety management systems – Requirements with guidance for use
The flagship standard for the ISO 45000 Family, ISO 45001:2018 outlines the requirements for a Safety Management System as well as internationally recognised frameworks for ensuring continuous improvements and thus, maintaining ISO compliance. ISO 45001:2018 outlines criteria for OHS/WHS policies, establishing organisational objectives, as well as development, implementation, and ongoing monitoring for a Safety Management System.
Note that organisations can only be certified to ISO 45001:2018 and that all other ISO 45000 OHS Standards simply provide frameworks for optimising your SMS further. The ISO 45001:2018 Standard was developed to replace the original OHSAS 18001 Occupational Health and Safety Standard and ASNZS 4801:2001. This means that if you’re still using the OHSAS 18001 or ASNZS 4801:2001 framework, your SMS is no longer compliant and you will need to migrate to the ISO 45001:2018 framework.
ISO 45002:2023: Occupational health and safety management systems – General guidelines for the implementation of ISO 45001:2018
The ISO 45002:2023 Standard was designed to provide additional guidance and resources for understanding and meeting the requirements outlined in ISO 45001:2018. Developed by the technical committee of ISO/TC 283, this standard also aids current users of OHSAS 18001 and ASNZS 4801:2001to migrate to the ISO 45001 standard.
ISO 45002:2023 also describes the intent of each clause detailed in ISO 45001, guiding on the implementation of an SMS to ensure full conformance with ISO 45001:2018 requirements.
ISO 45002:2023 outlines the following specific ISO guidelines, each of which also includes working examples, explanations, and activities that aid in organisational goal-setting and staff and stakeholder engagement:
- General guidelines for the implementation of ISO 45001:2018
- Managing occupational health
- Managing risks and opportunities
- Accident and incident investigation
Using these detailed guidelines, ISO 45002:2023 describes and supports the establishment of occupational health objectives, accident and incident investigation processes, and the general responsibilities of top leaders and staff in managing OHS/WHS risks across all facets of the organisation and its operations.
ISO 45003:2021: Occupational health and safety management – Psychological health and safety at work – Guidelines for managing psychosocial risks
The ISO 45003:2021 Standard has been in the spotlight over the past few years, with workplace mental health risks becoming a growing concern worldwide. This standard addresses the many facets that can impact a worker’s mental health, including poor communication, workplace pressures, ineffective leadership, and negative organisational cultures.
With the rise of working from home and remote work models, ISO 45003:2021 has grown increasingly relevant. This is due to its frameworks for identifying primary risk factors (across working conditions, workflows, roles, and demands) that may be detrimental to a worker’s psychological health and wellbeing. With decentralised work environments, ISO 45003:2021 aids in kickstarting conversations between top leaders and their teams, helping teams maintain communication and thus, improving the chances of identifying all perceptible and less perceptible risks.
ISO 45004:2024: Occupational health and safety management – Guidelines on performance evaluation
The ISO 45004:2024 Standard offers guidance for organisations looking to improve how they monitor, measure, and evaluate the performance of their Safety Management Systems.
Continual improvements are essential to ensuring your Safety Management System stays fully compliant with ISO 45001:2018. And the key to continuous improvements is performance monitoring. That’s why understanding the guidelines outlined in ISO 45004:2024 are essential for developing and implementing a robust Safety Management System.
ISO/PAS 45005:2020: Occupational health and safety management – General guidelines for safe working during the COVID-19 pandemic
A unique standard, the ISO/PAS 45005:2020 framework provides specific guidelines for ensuring safe working conditions and practices relating to risks surrounding COVID-19. This standard outlines risk management in the workplace (both remote and on-site).
ISO/PAS 45005:2020 also provides resources for managing COVID-19 cases in the workplace, including guidelines for preparing action plans, procedures and equipment for detecting, confirming, and reporting illnesses.
Whilst this framework was developed expressly for operating safely during the COVID-19 pandemic, ISO is yet to withdraw the ISO/PAS 45005:2020 Standard. It’s likely this standard will continue to serve as a blueprint and case study for emergency preparedness planning in the face of a global pandemic.
Understanding Safety Management Systems (SMS)
In 2023, the International Labour Organization reported that nearly 3 million people die every year due to work-related accidents and diseases. Circulatory and respiratory diseases as well as malignant cancers resulting from environmental hazards are amongst the most common types of work-related illnesses. As a result, fatalities caused by work-related illnesses and injuries are likely higher than recorded.
The ISO 45000 Family of Standards was developed to reduce these negative health effects, ensuring worker experiences worldwide are safer and maintain minimal impact to working professionals and their families. Safety Management Systems provide a systemic and sustainable approach to mitigating health risks in the workplace.
An OHS/WHS Management System that’s fully compliant with the ISO 45001:2018 Standard should cover the following key areas:
- Leadership commitment and worker participation
- Hazard identification and risk assessment
- Legal and regulatory compliance
- Emergency planning
- Incident investigation protocols
- Continual improvement processes
With these areas covered, you can ensure your OHS/WHS Management System is fully compliant with ISO 45001:2018, and equipped with the necessary infrastructure (i.e. monitoring and performance management processes) to facilitate continuous improvements as your workplace risks and hazards evolve.
Benefits of Understanding the ISO 45000 OHS Standards
As you’d expect, the primary benefit of ISO 45001:2018 Certification is ensuring you have a Safety Management System that actively safeguards your staff and mitigates health risks in your workplace.
But why engage with all the other standards that make up the ISO 45000 OHS Family of Standards? Here are just some of the key benefits of engaging with all the frameworks and guidelines outlined in this series.
Frameworks for systemic management of WHS risks
Establishing WHS policies and procedures helps organisations maintain a focused approach to risk mitigation. This helps strengthen the likelihood of all identified risks being fully addressed and resolved.
Reduced workplace incidents and injuries
By providing frameworks for hazard identification and risk mitigation planning, implementing an SMS that’s fully compliant with ISO 45001:2018 helps ensure that your organisation enjoys reduced risks of experiencing workplace incidents and injuries over the long term.
Demonstrated commitment to worker health and safety
An organisation that maintains ISO 45001:2018 Certification demonstrates a genuine commitment to keeping their worksites hazard-free and their workers safe from risks. This is why ISO 45001:2018 Certification is a potent trust signal, communicating to prospective employees and business partners that your organisation is future-oriented, maintains a realistic approach to risk management (and is thus a safe partnership), and is invested in supporting their staff.
Ensured compliance with OH&S regulations
The performance evaluation frameworks provided in both ISO 45004:2024 and ISO 45001:2018 support organisations in maintaining monitoring processes that aid in conducting both internal ISO audits as well as preparing for external Certification and Surveillance Audits.
Increased organisational resilience
By outlining emergency preparedness and response protocols, ISO 45001:2018 aids in improving an organisation’s resilience against its identified risks. In this regard, an investment in ISO 45001:2018 Certification is an investment in the longevity and robustness of your organisation.
Continual improvement of OH&S performance
Like ISO 9001 and other ISO Standards, ISO 45001:2018 utilises the PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act) methodology to systematically manage workplace health and safety risks. Using this methodology aids in developing continual improvements for your OHS/WHS Management System, ensuring your internal processes continue to keep staff safe from evolving workplace hazards and dynamic health risks.
Implement your own ISO 45001 Safety Management System with S&J
With the advent of the digital industrial age, workplace hazards have been evolving rapidly, which has in turn, made Safety Management Systems a vital investment for organisations across all industries and sectors.
If you’d like to reap the benefits of developing and implementing a Safety Management System that has been tailored to fit the risk management needs of your organisation, our consultants at S & J Auditing & Consulting are here to help. Using our extensive understanding of ISO 45001:2018 requirements, our consultants can provide the expert assistance and ISO coaching you need to ensure a streamlined and successful Certification process.
Our ISO 45001 consultants utilise a 10-step Certification process to guarantee a thorough and fully compliant SMS implementation for your organisation. Get in touch with our consultants to get started on your ISO 45001:2018 Certification journey today.
