Ian Richardson

ISO 45001, the world’s first global standard for managing occupational health and safety (OH&S), has been approved to publish in March.

This has been a challenging project for all involved and it is a tremendous achievement to gain over 90% approval from participating countries at the final ballot. BSI’s proposal for a new international standard was approved in 2013. Since then hundreds of delegates from around 70 countries have sat down together on four continents over the course of nine week-long committee meetings. 

Over the last four and a half years everyone involved has learned a lot about how differently we understand OH&S and the wide variations in legislation and working practices in our different cultures. Whether debates were around differing interpretations of outsourcing or how best to ensure the new standard could be used by smaller organisations, one central point kept everyone on track: a passion for writing a standard that would genuinely lead to better protection for everyone who works. 

It has been a real privilege for the UK to lead this work, to forge new relationships and build on those which have stood the test of time since the original publication of ISO 45001’s predecessor, OHSAS 18001, back in 1999. To celebrate our joint success BSI will be holding a launch conference on 15th March in central London. 

The day will centre on a series of interactive workshops led by experts who have industry experience and also been involved in writing the standard. The aim is to give users as much insight and help as possible as they set out on their journeys to implement the standard – whether they are moving from OHSAS 18001 or tackling OH&S management for the very first time. Recognising that owners of small businesses can’t always afford to give up a day’s work there will also be a free to attend breakfast briefing specifically for SMEs before the conference begins. 

The conference is not where this story ends, however. The experts on the UK’s national committee are already drafting a series of short accessible guidance documents to help you manage incident investigation, risks and opportunities, and occupational health – an often neglected part of OH&S. With these due to publish later in 2018 and a ballot currently underway to establish a full OH&S technical committee in ISO the work has only just begun!

To find out more contact sally.swingewood@bsigroup.com

Ian Richardson, board director, BSIF and standards publishing manager, BSI

Ian.Richardson@bsigroup.com