What does ISO 45001 cover?
ISO 45001 addresses how an organization manages occupational health and safety. Leadership, worker participation and hazard control work together: a documented risk assessment is useful only when the controls are understood and used.
Who it is for
Organizations seeking a systematic approach to risks affecting employees, contractors and other workers.
Key areas to understand
Start with these areas. Identify which requirements apply to your activities and who is responsible for them.
- 1Identify hazards in routine work and during change.
- 2Involve workers in decisions affecting their safety.
- 3Investigate incidents and evaluate whether controls remain effective.
Evidence to prepare
This list is a starting point. Check the standard for all required documents. For each item, record who is responsible, the activity or site it relates to, and a recent example showing how it works.
- Task risk assessments and control decisions
- Worker consultation records
- Competence and contractor induction records
- Incident investigations
- Emergency exercises and inspection actions
Keep records that explain what was checked, which requirement was used and who checked it. Include any action taken when a requirement was not met. Link each record to the work it supports.
An internal audit example
Suggested checks from 4Auditee
Observe a maintenance task and compare it with the approved method. Ask a worker how they stop unsafe work and report a near miss. Select a previous incident involving similar work and check whether the resulting action changed the task in practice.
Choose a sample that suits your activities and risks. If you find a gap, record the requirement, the evidence and what was missing. Check more examples if the first results suggest a wider problem.
A common problem to check
Counting training attendance does not show that a hazardous task can be performed safely. Look for demonstrated competence and control use.
Prepare for assessment
The assessment type for this guide is management-system certification. Confirm the requirements, what will be assessed and how the assessment will work with the responsible body or customer. These steps help you prepare. You must also follow the scheme’s official rules.
- Define what is covered. List the products, services, activities and sites. Record the standard edition, additional scheme rules and customer requirements.
- Find what is missing. Compare the requirements with current work. Prioritise gaps by risk. Assign someone responsible and a completion date.
- Keep records of everyday work. Check a sample of actual records and speak with the people involved. Make sure they understand their responsibilities.
- Check the results. Complete internal reviews and audits. Check that corrective actions worked before closing problems.
From one site to many
Make it easy to find who is responsible at each site. Keep company policies separate from records of local work. Link each site’s records to its activities, risks and requirements so you can spot gaps at individual sites.
Sites that share a management system do not automatically qualify for one certificate or assessment. Confirm which sites can be included and how they will be checked with the assessment body.
About this guide and its sources
4Auditee wrote this guide using the public source below. The evidence list, audit example and preparation steps are our suggestions. Read the official standard and scheme rules for the full requirements. This guide does not include the standard’s full text or provide certification.
DNV: ISO 45001 reference information