The differences between ISO 45001 and OHSAS 18001

OHSAS 18001 was officially recognized to become a safety and occupational health management system (OH & SMS) The ISO standards 45001:2018 were established  to replace with OHSAS 18001 after  19 years.

The ISO 45001 standard was established by ISO Project Committee, ISO 45001:2018 has now taken effect and published since March, 2018. It is easy to see that some noticeable differences between ISO 45001 and OHSAS 18001.

The first one is the structures of two set of standards.  Unlike OHSAS 18001, ISO 45001 is based on Instruction ISO 83 ("SL Appendix") to define the structures, documents, popular terminologies and definitions of management systems such as ISO 9001, ISO 14001, etc.  This structure aims at facilitating implementation process and integration with other management systems in a harmonious, structural and effective manner.  The structure is as follows:

1. The scope
2. Cited documents
3. Terminologies and definitions
4. Organization's context
5. Leadership
6. Plan
7. Support
8. Administration
9. Result assessment
10.  Innovation

ISO 45001 usually concentrates on organization's context. Organizations need more consideration of health and occupational safety matters and carefully consider what enterprises are expected from these problems.

Some organizations apply OHSAS 18001 and delegate monitoring responsibility of labour health and safety to managers, which is safer than integrating system with organizations' activities.   ISO 45001 requests the combination of factors in terms of health and safety of the organization's overal management system so senior managers have stronger roles in OH & S management systems.

• ISO 45001 focuses on identifying and controlling risks rather than hazards because it is required in OHSAS 18001.
• ISO requires organizations to care about the ways suppliers and contractors are measuring risks for them.

Definitions of ISO 45001 have changes namely risks, workers and workplace.  In addition, there are new ones concerning terminologies like supervision, measurement, effectiveness, performance and OH & S process.

Some terminologies like "document" and "dossier" were replaced with a new terminology "recorded information in writing" in ISO 45001. The standard also stated that information must be maintained at the necessary level so that we can proudly say that procedures were followed as the project. Although there are changes among two standards, the general purpose of ISO 45001 is still like OHSAS 18001, which aims to reduce risks and ensure the safety and welfare of participants in an organization's activities.

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