SPOTLIGHT
RoSPA LOOKING AHEAD TO LAUNCH OF ISO 45001
RoSPA is preparing to welcome the first global standard for occupational health and safety management systems .
ISO 45001 – which is due for launch later this month – will aim to proactively improve employee safety , reduce workplace risks and create better , safer working conditions . It will replace the current BS OHSAS 18001 , and organisations holding the existing standard will have a period of three years in which to migrate to the new one .
RoSPA participated in the UK committee brought together by BSI to contribute to shaping the new voluntary standard , which will be applicable to any organisation regardless of size , type and activities , and it will be hosting a seminar in Birmingham on March 19 to help organisations prepare for ISO 45001 .
Dr Karen McDonnell , RoSPA ’ s occupational health and safety policy adviser and head of RoSPA Scotland , said :
“ The purpose of occupational health and safety management systems is to underpin the creation of safe and healthy workplaces , allowing workers to return home unharmed by what they do for a living , and to provide a mechanism for organisations to continually improve their occupational health and safety performance .
“ The really good news is that 45001 adopts a management approach founded on the universally applied ‘ Plan , Do , Check , Act ’ model , which provides a basis for common understanding of how to apply the standard . There is a much stronger emphasis on organisational context , meaning organisations will have to look beyond their boundaries to consider the impact of how they do health and safety on society as a whole . The role of the ‘ leader ’ is also more prominent , with a requirement for organisations to demonstrate that the occupational health and safety management system is driven from the highest level .”
Nathan Davies , RoSPA ’ s head of consultancy , said :
“ RoSPA welcomes ISO 45001 ’ s focus on identifying and controlling risks , compared to 18001 ’ s focus on hazards , and how the importance of supply-chain relationships is highlighted , with a need to confirm that the organisation has considered how suppliers and contractors are managing the risks within their sphere of activity .”
To further help organisations prepare for ISO 45001 , RoSPA has developed various support services : interim support , helping organisations review their current system and conduct a high-level gap analysis ; in-depth support , involving detailed evaluation and full compliance ; and transitioning support , helping to move current systems to ISO 45001 .
More information is available at : www . rospa . com / safety-consultants / work / safety-audits / iso-45001 / RoSPA ’ s ISO 45001 Seminar will take place from 8.30-11am on March 19 at Aston Villa Football Club , Birmingham . Visit www . rospa . com / events / iso-45001 / for more information and to book online .
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