BSI publishes second draft of its standard on occupational health and safety

London, United Kingdom: BSI, the business standards company, has published the second draft of ‘ISO 45001 Occupational health and safety management systems – Requirements.’ In a press release available on its website, the company said that the yet-to-be launched international standard specifies requirements for an occupational health and safety (OH&S) management system, with guidance for its use, to enable an organisation to provide safe and healthy working conditions for the prevention of work-related injury and ill health. ISO 45001, the press release revealed, includes the development and implementation of an OH&S policy and objectives which takes into account applicable legal requirements and other requirements to which the organisation subscribes. According to the press release, it has been developed using a collaborative, consensus-based approach, while considering the views of large and small organisations, government bodies, trades unions and worker representative organisations. The international standard, the press release further said, will help provide a single, clear framework for organisations of all types and sizes who wish to improve their OH&S performance and protect those working on their behalf or who may be affected by the organisation’s activities. BSI said that the benefits of ISO 45001 include:

• A single internationally-agreed standard suitable for all organisations worldwide
• Alignment with other key management system standards
• Requirements which direct organisations to design a management system uniquely suited to each organisation’s occupational health and safety needs

The company further mentioned that the standard will eventually replace OHSAS 18001, an existing standard which sets out the minimum requirements for occupational health and safety management best practice. Anne Hayes, Head of Governance and Resilience at BSI, who has engaged with BSI’s core markets regarding ISO 45001, said: “It is important that ISO 45001 works in alignment with other management system standards, such as ISO 9001 and ISO 14001. Therefore the common text and structure in which ISO 45001 is written will ensure these management system standards are broadly aligned." To be opened for formal public comment from May 19, the publication of the standard is expected towards the end of 2017, said the company.