Guide

ISO 45001 certification guide

ISO 45001 is the international standard for occupational health and safety (OH&S) management systems. It helps you prevent work related injury and ill health, and shows clients, insurers and tender panels that safety is managed systematically. This guide covers what the standard requires and how certification works.

• Requirements explained clause by clause
• The certification route from gap analysis to surveillance
• Built on the same structure as ISO 9001 and ISO 14001

What ISO 45001 requires

• Context, interested parties and a defined OH&S management system scope (clause 4)
• Leadership commitment, an OH&S policy and, distinctively, consultation and participation of workers (clause 5)
• Hazard identification, assessment of OH&S risks and opportunities, legal requirements and objectives (clause 6)
• Resources, competence, awareness, communication and documented information (clause 7)
• Operational control using the hierarchy of controls, management of change, contractors, procurement and emergency preparedness (clause 8)
• Monitoring, evaluation of compliance, internal audit and management review (clause 9)
• Incident investigation, nonconformity, corrective action and continual improvement (clause 10)

What makes ISO 45001 different

Worker participation is a requirement, not a nice to have. Auditors will talk to non-managerial workers about how they report hazards and take part in decisions.

Legal compliance is evaluated, not assumed. You need a register of applicable legal requirements and evidence you check compliance against it.

The certification route

Certification is a two stage audit by an accredited certification body. Stage 1 reviews your documentation and readiness. Stage 2 tests whether the system is implemented and effective. Certificates last three years, with surveillance audits in between.

Next steps

1. Gap analysis. Compare current safety arrangements with each requirement, starting with risk assessments and legal compliance.
2. Implement and operate. Close gaps, consult workers and run the system long enough to produce records.
3. Audit and certify. Complete an internal audit and management review, then Stage 1 and Stage 2.

Frequently asked questions

How long does ISO 45001 certification take?

Typically three to six months for a small or mid-sized organisation, depending on how mature your existing risk assessments and safety procedures are.

Does ISO 45001 replace our legal duties?

No. It helps you meet and evidence them. Your duties under health and safety law apply whether or not you are certified.

Can ISO 45001 be integrated with ISO 9001 and ISO 14001?

Yes. All three share the same high level structure, so policies, document control, audits and management review can be run as one integrated system.

Related guides

• ISO 45001 checklist, A requirement by requirement self-assessment for your OH&S management system.
• ISO 45001 vs OHSAS 18001, What changed when ISO 45001 replaced OHSAS 18001, and what that means today.
• ISO 45001 overview, Who needs the standard and how our packages support it.
• ISO 9001 requirements guide, Every requirement of ISO 9001, what it means in practice and the evidence auditors expect.
• ISO 27001 requirements guide, What the ISO/IEC 27001 standard requires, how Annex A works and how certification runs.

Manage your OH&S system with evidence

Keep hazards, risk assessments, incidents and legal registers in one ISO 45001 register with independent approval and review dates.