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The ISO 45001 certificate is a widely recognised document providing objective proof that a company operates in accordance with the guidelines of the ISO 45001 standard – concerning occupational health and safety. The guidance it contains facilitates the implementation of an effective occupational health and safety management system, which brings a range of tangible benefits to the company – both financial and reputational. ISO 45001 is a relatively new standard. It was published in 2018 as the first occupational health and safety standard issued by the International Organisation for Standardisation. The effectiveness of ISO 45001 is guaranteed by the fact that it draws on the OHSAS 18001 and PN-N-18001 standards, which have been in use for many years. It also has the same structure as other ISO standards, which are regarded as the most refined management systems in the world.
The ISO 45001 standard provides guidance on the systematic management of activities aimed at improving occupational health and safety within a company. It facilitates the identification of occupational health and safety risks and opportunities that may arise within the context of a given organisation. ISO 45001 also serves to develop effective operating procedures along with a system for monitoring them. In its guidelines, the ISO 45001 standard refers to applicable legal requirements.
Occupational health and safety management in accordance with ISO 45001 primarily allows for the minimisation of the risk of accidents in the workplace or the occurrence of factors that may adversely affect employees’ health. Ensuring their safety at work is, of course, one of the key tasks of a modern, properly functioning enterprise. However, the benefits of implementing the standard and obtaining ISO 45001 certification do not end there.
As ISO 45001:2018 certification is recognised worldwide, holding it is extremely important for a business in terms of its image and marketing. The occupational health and safety issues addressed in the ISO 45001 standard are now no less important a criterion for assessing a company’s reliability and credibility than, for example, its approach to environmental issues. Therefore, a company that holds ISO 45001 certification gains a competitive advantage in the market.
As a document certifying the implementation of an effective safety policy, the ISO 45001:2018 certificate:
The ISO 45001 certificate is also generally regarded as strong evidence that the organisation operates in accordance with applicable legislation on health and safety. This means that by opting for ISO 45001 certification, the company will enjoy greater trust from institutions such as the National Labour Inspectorate or the District Sanitary Inspectorate.
ISO 45001 certification marks the culmination of the process of correctly implementing ISO 45001:2018. This task can be entrusted to a company that specialises in the implementation of management systems. You can also appoint staff members to take responsibility for preparing the organisation for ISO 45001 certification. It is advisable that such individuals not only possess the relevant management skills but have also acquired extensive knowledge of ISO 45001.
Companies wishing to apply for ISO 45001 certification should first review the health and safety procedures currently in place within the organisation and assess how they relate to the standard’s requirements. This is the purpose of the preliminary ISO 45001 audit. In the subsequent steps, it is essential to analyse the various aspects of the organisation’s operations and adjust them in line with the guidelines of the ISO 45001 standard. The newly developed procedures must be reflected in the relevant documentation, which will be used for the ongoing monitoring of the health and safety management system. The implementation of ISO 45001 also requires appropriate training for staff. It is advisable to apply for ISO 45001:2018 certification after an internal audit has been carried out.
An ISO 45001 audit is an assessment of the organisation’s occupational health and safety management system to ensure it complies with the standard. Those responsible for implementing ISO 45001 should carry out such reviews regularly – not just before submitting an application for ISO 45001 certification.
An internal ISO 45001 audit increases the likelihood of a successful outcome in the certification audit (which is carried out by a body authorised by the PKA to issue the relevant certificates). Each subsequent audit is essential for maintaining the system’s effectiveness and, consequently, retaining the ISO 45001 certificate. This is because a company that obtains it is subject to annual surveillance audits by the certification body.
An ISO 45001 audit may also involve scrutiny from a potential client or business partner. This makes it all the more worthwhile to monitor the effectiveness of the health and safety management system on an ongoing basis.
As can be seen, both obtaining and maintaining ISO 45001 certification requires a significant commitment from an organisation. However, this should not be viewed in terms of the costs involved, but rather in terms of the potential benefits. Implementing ISO 45001:2018 enables the creation of a safe working culture, which translates into, amongst other things:
All the above-mentioned benefits of implementing ISO 45001 are synonymous with a reduction in operating costs, which, combined with the reputational benefits described earlier, leads to an increase in the company’s profitability.
DJB DORADZTWO
Marcin Chorąży
