Checklist

ISO 45001 checklist

Use this checklist to self-assess your occupational health and safety management system against ISO 45001 before your certification audit, or as the backbone of your internal audit. Each line names the evidence an auditor is likely to ask for.

• Clauses 4 to 10 with expected evidence
• Covers worker participation and legal compliance
• Usable as an internal audit checklist

Context and leadership (clauses 4 and 5)

• Issues and interested parties identified, including workers and regulators
• A written OH&S scope
• An approved OH&S policy committing to eliminate hazards and reduce risks
• Records of worker consultation and participation, for example safety committee minutes

Planning (clause 6)

• Hazard identification covering routine and non-routine activities, contractors and visitors
• Risk assessments with controls chosen using the hierarchy of controls
• A legal register with evidence of compliance evaluation
• Measurable OH&S objectives with plans and owners

Support (clause 7)

• Competence records for safety critical roles
• Induction and awareness records
• Communication arrangements, internal and external
• Controlled documents and retained records

Operation (clause 8)

• Safe systems of work and permits where needed
• Management of change records
• Contractor selection and monitoring
• Emergency plans with drill records

Performance and improvement (clauses 9 and 10)

• Monitoring data, such as inspections and health surveillance
• Internal audit programme and reports
• Management review minutes
• Incident investigations with root cause, corrective action and effectiveness checks

Next steps

1. Score each line. Mark conforming, partial or nonconforming, and note the record that supports it.
2. Prioritise. Fix gaps in risk assessment, legal compliance and incident handling first.
3. Re-check. Repeat the checklist after remediation and before Stage 1.

Frequently asked questions

Is there an official ISO 45001 checklist?

No. ISO publishes the standard only. Any checklist is an interpretation, so use it alongside the standard itself.

What do auditors focus on first?

Usually hazard identification and risk assessment, legal compliance evaluation and evidence of worker participation.

Related guides

• ISO 45001 certification guide, The route to ISO 45001 certification, from gap analysis to Stage 2 and surveillance.
• ISO 45001 vs OHSAS 18001, What changed when ISO 45001 replaced OHSAS 18001, and what that means today.

Turn the checklist into a live register

Track each requirement with owners, evidence and review dates, so your self-assessment stays current between audits.