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ISO to release final draft of ISO 45001 – Occupational Health & Safety

Start preparing for the migration from OHSAS 18001 to ISO 45001. We can support you every step of the way.

The ISO 45001 Final Draft International Standard (FDIS) was released for review on 30th November 2017. With a 2-month review period, the final release of the standard is expected in February 2018. After the final standard is released, OHSAS 18001 will be withdrawn, and companies certified to this standard will have a three-year migration period. With the release of the FDIS, you can start preparing already now.  


Main changes in ISO 45001 

ISO 45001 applies the ISO High Level Structure (HLS), common for all ISO standards.   With ISO 45001 becoming an ISO standard, it is accepted as an international standard. As it follows the same structure as other widely applied ISO standards, such as ISO 9001 and ISO 14001, it will be easier to integrate with other management systems.   Users familiar with OHSAS 18001 will r        ecognize that most of the requirements of OHSAS are continued in ISO 45001. However, there are some new and revised requirements. Some of the changes are induced by the HLS, but in addition there are some that are specific for Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S).   

Are companies prepared for ISO 45001?  

DNV GL’s ViewPoint Espresso Surveys have set out to understand companies’ readiness in specific areas where there are changes in the new ISO standards. The surveys indicate that many are taking action already, but not unexpectedly, there are great variations. Most have gaps that must be closed before migrating. Here’s a peak into what current OHSAS 18001 certified companies say: 
  • 5.1: Leadership and commitment – This new clause requires top management to demonstrate leadership and commitment to the company’s management system. In our survey, 39% say that they are compliant, while 46% are somewhat compliant. Only 4% indicate that they have no/very low level of compliance.  
  • Communication – This clause requires the organization to determine the internal and external communications relevant to the company’s management system, including what, when, how, with whom and who will communicate. 21% say that they are compliant, 51 are somewhat compliant, while 11% have no/very low level of compliance. 
Click here to see what your peers say and where they see themselves with regards to ISO 45001.  


Get started on your migration process  

Our auditors are prepared and have a full overview of the changes and what is required to migrate from OHSAS 18001 to ISO 45001. We can support you in all phases of the migration, so that you can start preparing, assess your level of readiness and efficiently complete that migration.   We can support you with:
  • Self-study material, including webinars, e-learning, migration guidance, self-assessment checklists and classroom training courses, tailored to your needs 
  • Gap analysis of your current state of readiness
  • Migration audits and benchmarking tools