ISO 45001:2018 Health & Safety Management
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Occupational Health & Safety Management System Manual
Section 6.1.2 — Hazard identification and risk assessment
6.1.2.1 Hazard identification
The organization establishes and maintains an ongoing, proactive process to identify hazards arising from work activities, the work environment, equipment, materials and people. The process considers routine and non-routine activities, the conduct and capabilities of people, past incidents, emergency situations and how work is actually performed.
6.1.2.2 Assessment of OH&S risks
Identified hazards are assessed by combining the likelihood of harm with the severity of the consequence, using defined criteria so that results are consistent and comparable. Each risk is ranked to set priority for control.
Hierarchy of controls
Controls are selected from the top of the hierarchy down, choosing the most effective option that is reasonably practicable before relying on lower levels.
- Eliminate the hazard.
- Substitute with a less hazardous material, process or equipment.
- Apply engineering controls and reorganise the work.
- Use administrative controls, including training and procedures.
- Provide personal protective equipment.
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ISO 45001 Checklist
Complete audit checklist for all clauses
OH&S Manual
Professional OH&S manual template
Document Templates
35+ ISO 45001 document templates
Procedures
All OH&S procedures and work instructions
Risk Assessment
Hazard identification & risk assessment
Gap Analysis
Identify gaps in your OH&S system
ISO 45001:2018 Clauses
ISO 45001:2018 replaces OHSAS 18001 and follows the High Level Structure for easy integration.
| Clause | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Clause 4 | Context of the Organization | Understanding your organisation and worker needs |
| Clause 5 | Leadership & Worker Participation | OH&S policy, roles, consultation and participation |
| Clause 6 | Planning | Hazard identification, risk assessment, legal requirements |
| Clause 7 | Support | Resources, competence, awareness, communication |
| Clause 8 | Operation | Operational planning, emergency preparedness |
| Clause 9 | Performance Evaluation | Monitoring, internal audit, management review |
| Clause 10 | Improvement | Incident investigation, nonconformity, continual improvement |
Why ISO 45001 Matters
Workplace injuries and occupational illnesses affect millions of workers every year and cost organisations billions in lost productivity, compensation claims, and regulatory penalties. ISO 45001:2018 provides a globally recognised framework for proactively managing occupational health and safety risks, rather than simply reacting to incidents after they occur.
Legal compliance is a fundamental driver for many organisations. Health and safety legislation in most jurisdictions places a duty of care on employers to provide a safe working environment. An ISO 45001-certified management system demonstrates that your organisation has taken a systematic approach to identifying hazards, assessing risks, and implementing controls. This can be a significant factor in defending against enforcement action and reducing insurance premiums.
Beyond compliance, ISO 45001 places a strong emphasis on worker consultation and participation. The standard requires organisations to involve workers at all levels in the development and ongoing improvement of the OH&S management system. This collaborative approach leads to better hazard identification, more practical controls, and a safety culture where every employee feels empowered to speak up about risks.
Organisations that implement ISO 45001 typically see measurable reductions in workplace accidents, near-misses, and days lost to injury. The standard's Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle drives continual improvement, helping you move from a reactive safety culture to one that anticipates and prevents incidents. For organisations transitioning from the now-withdrawn OHSAS 18001, ISO 45001 offers a modern, internationally aligned replacement that integrates easily with ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 thanks to the shared High Level Structure.
Core OH&S Management Activities
- Systematic hazard identification across all work activities, including routine tasks, non-routine tasks, and emergency situations.
- Risk assessment and hierarchy of controls: elimination, substitution, engineering controls, administrative controls, and personal protective equipment.
- Legal compliance tracking for all applicable occupational health and safety regulations, codes of practice, and industry standards.
- Worker consultation and participation mechanisms, ensuring employees have a genuine voice in safety decisions.
- Incident investigation procedures that identify root causes, not just immediate triggers, and feed corrective actions back into the system.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does ISO 45001 certification take?
For most small and mid-sized organisations, ISO 45001 certification takes three to six months when working from ready-made OH&S templates. The timeline depends on the maturity of your existing health and safety arrangements and how quickly you can complete hazard identification, implement controls, consult your workers, and run a full cycle of internal audit and management review.
What is the difference between ISO 45001 and OHSAS 18001?
ISO 45001:2018 replaced the older OHSAS 18001 standard, and organisations were required to migrate by 2021. ISO 45001 follows the common Annex SL high-level structure, places much stronger emphasis on leadership and the consultation and participation of workers, and adopts a risk-and-opportunity-based approach to occupational health and safety.
Does ISO 45001 require worker consultation?
Yes. Clause 5.4 specifically requires organisations to establish processes for the consultation and participation of workers (and, where they exist, workers’ representatives) at all applicable levels. This is one of the defining features of ISO 45001 and is closely examined during certification audits.
Is ISO 45001 certification mandatory?
ISO 45001 is not a legal requirement, but it is increasingly expected in tenders and supply-chain qualification, particularly in higher-risk sectors. Certification demonstrates that you systematically manage workplace risks and helps reduce incidents, absence and associated costs.
Related Resources
Complete clause-by-clause audit checklist for ISO 45001:2018
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ISO 45001 ProceduresAll OH&S procedures and work instructions
OH&S ManualProfessional OH&S manual template ready to customise
ISO 45001 Clause 4Context of the organisation for health and safety
ISO 9001 vs ISO 45001Key differences between quality and OH&S standards