In June 2022, the International Labour Organization's International Labour Conference added safety and health to its "Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work", reaffirming the importance of good health and safety practices. More and more organizations are seeking evidence to support their non-financial reporting requirements (according to ESG Standard S) to demonstrate their commitment to social value.
Kate Field, Global Head of Health, Safety, and Wellbeing at the British Standards Institute (BSI), provides practical advice on preventing work-related illnesses or injuries through the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) management system.
How to prevent risks and improve current health and safety practices?
We see that organizations understand a wide range of factors that contribute to creating a happy, healthy, and resilient workplace. An effective occupational health and safety management system helps to protect and enhance the lifeline of organizations and employees, promoting business excellence. By embracing care, trust, and a positive mental health culture, you can create a future oriented enterprise with a comprehensive health and safety foundation.
What is ISO 45001 Occupational Health and Safety Management, and how does it contribute to workplace health and safety to create a true culture of trust?
ISO 45001, Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Management System, is the world's first OHS ISO standard. This standard has been proven to reduce work-related injuries and poor health conditions, and continuously improve your company's occupational health and safety performance by 20%. Organizations adopting the BSI occupational health and safety management system have reported several benefits, with 79% believing it helps comply with regulations and 64% reporting improved business risks. Its focus on leadership commitment, culture, and consultation can create an appropriate environment for high participation and trust; Improve productivity, innovation, and organizational resilience.
Who is ISO45001 suitable for?
It is applicable to any organization that wants to demonstrate their commitment to health and safety and prioritize their employees. This standard is very flexible and can be applied to manage OHS for various organizations, from large organizations and enterprises to small and medium-sized enterprises, public and non-profit organizations, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and charitable organizations. ISO 45001 is an international standard that spans geographical, political, economic, commercial, and social boundaries. This sets a single benchmark for occupational health and safety management. Therefore, if your organization operates or trades internationally, you can work according to a single standard to simplify your business OHS operations.
How to strengthen legal compliance while reducing losses?
The occupational health and safety management framework plays a crucial role in enterprises.
Smaller organizations suffer disproportionate work-related injuries and poor health, which can result in significant productivity losses in addition to labor costs. Robust health and safety management can reduce time and disruption, improve morale and productivity, reduce insurance premiums and established processes to achieve legal compliance.
Are there any other benefits to ISO45001?
Poor occupational health and safety are not only related to accidents. It may be related to conditions that lead to poor health and low morale, typically manifested as high sick leave rates, high employee turnover, and low productivity. Usually, poorly managed OHS - accompanied by a clearly bad attitude: 'Elves and safety - waste of time!' - can also have a negative impact on the reputation of the organization. When this is a small business, such a reputation is usually well-known in the local community. This may affect the opinions of customers and suppliers towards you, which may be detrimental to you. This is also likely to affect the quality of employees you can recruit and retain.
How does ISO45001 support the development goals of the United Nations?
Organizations committed to sustainable development are increasingly aligning their corporate strategies with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The accreditation and certification of ISO 45001 (International OHS Management System) demonstrates the organization's commitment to ensuring decent working conditions, health, well-being, and equal practices.
For organizations seeking to enhance their ESG image, implementing ISO 45001 and its alignment with sustainable development goals sends a strong message to shareholders and stakeholders (including employees) that they truly care about their employees.
This standard helps to achieve the following sustainable development goals: good health and well-being; Gender equality; Decent work and economic growth; Industry, innovation, and infrastructure; Reducing inequality; Sustainable cities and communities; Peace, justice, and strong institutions.
What is the most challenging part of implementing ISO45001?
You have gained a lot from complying with legislation and effective organizational governance, so this is usually not as big as many organizations imagine. If you are completely unfamiliar with ISO standards, it feels like learning a new language, but don't let it disappoint you! Complete the BSI implementation course and communicate with other organizations that have experienced the process. You can also conduct a free gap analysis with BSI to understand your position.
What are the benefits of ISO 45001 formal certification?
Generally speaking, ISO 45001 and standards provide a framework for success, actively improving efficiency, reducing costs, and standardizing risk analysis. It also gives relevant parties confidence that relevant regulations and compliance obligations are being fulfilled, all of which are beneficial for the bottom line and business continuity.
