5 reasons why you should gain ISO 45001 certification

5 reasons why you should gain ISO 45001 certification

Occupational Health & Safety – what does it mean and how do we ensure that we get it right? What does international legislation demand and how does it impact on operational efficiency?
ISO 45001 is designed to answer these questions and more. The first truly international framework against which an organisation can benchmark its Occupational Health & Safety Management System, there are many reasons why completing an audit against ISO 45001 should be a serious consideration for your company.

Here are five.

1. Develop a culture of physical and mental wellbeing
Who wants to work for an irresponsible employer? In any industry that contains any element of risk, workers want to trust that management is doing everything within its power to keep them safe. They also want to feel that their concerns are considered and that there is an on-going, robust appraisal of their working conditions. Developing a Management System for Occupational Health & Safety that can be internationally benchmarked demonstrates a real commitment to worker wellbeing.

2. Commit to continuous improvement
Changing contexts and processes demand regular reflection on the quality of health & safety management. ISO 45001 is not an off-the-shelf badge that can be relied upon without further input. Moreover, certified organisations are required to have annual review audits, during which the effectiveness of the Management System is evaluated and the commitment to improvement explored. This ensures processes remain current and fit-for-purpose.

3. Enhance your reputation
We can all reference an example of a Health & Safety issue. The damage these can cause to an organisation, whatever the circumstances, is untold. In medium or high-risk environments, reputation is essential. ISO 45001 will enable you to put controls in place to give your people and your customers assurance that you are an ethical, caring and responsible organisation. Your organisation could be a beacon of best practice and champion of corporate social responsibility.

4. Reduce risk
Unlike former Occupational Health & Safety Standards such as OHAS 18001, ISO 45001 considers both risks and opportunities. Workers’ views are considered, ensuring that a pro-active approach to minimising risk is encouraged rather than a system focused on what to do with problems when they occur. ISO 45001 demands risk identification and mitigation, ensuring day-to-day business activities are not affected by avoidable incidents.

5. Reduce cost
Fines imposed for Health & Safety breaches, failures to implement international legislation, compensation payments and increased insurance premiums all contribute to unbudgeted – and unnecessary – expenditure. How about funding absenteeism due to work-related illness or injury and the lack of operational continuity when incidents occur? Protecting your workers from harm is not only the right thing to do but also makes sound business sense.

Imperative for organisations of any size and in any sector wanting robust Occupational Health & Safety solutions, audit and certification to ISO 45001 is one of the best choices available. Find out more here.