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ISO45001 published in Australia

A

Wednesday 17 October 2018

SISA thanks Stephen Thomas, a member of the Standards Australia technical committee SF-001 for the following information:

What is ISO 45001?
ISO 45001 is a global standard for occupational health and safety management systems that provides practical solutions for worker safety. It can help create a global foundation of worker safety standards and inspections that can be used by all global supply chains, for all industries and cover contractors and subcontractors in every country that supply products into these supply chains.

What will ISO 45001 do?
This standard will provide a framework from which OHS objectives can be effectively managed. For example, it can serve the needs of those who manage, use or benefit from global supply chains. Just as ISO 9000 and ISO 14000 have provided consensus solutions to questions of quality management and environmental protection in the global marketplace, ISO 45001 will help drive solutions for improving worker safety across the globe.

Standards Australia Involvement
Standards Australia, through its technical committee SF-001, Occupational Health and Safety Management, has been and remains an active contributor to the international technical committee ISO/PC 283, Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems, responsible for developing ISO 45001.

The Australian technical committee initially submitted a negative vote to the ISO/DIS 45001 as it considered it necessary for the ISO Committee to work further on the draft and address key issues.

In reviewing a large number of comments received through the consultation process, the committee identified areas that needed to be addressed prior to approving the standard.  

These included:

  • the definition of OH&S risk
  • how consultation is addressed; and
  • greater emphasis on applying known controls rather than unnecessary risk assessment

Organisations contributing to Australia’s position on the international standard have included:

  • Association of Accredited Certification Bodies
  • Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry
  • Australian Council of Trade Unions
  • Australian Industry Group
  • Bureau of Steel Manufacturers of Australia
  • Department of Natural Resources and Mines, QLD
  • Energy Networks Australia
  • Engineers Australia
  • Joint Accreditation System of Australia and New Zealand
  • Master Builders Australia
  • New Zealand Institute of Safety Management
  • Responsible Care New Zealand
  • Safe Work Australia
  • Safety Institute of Australia
  • Australian Certification Interests (SAI Global)
  • University of New South Wales

Developments Since Mid 2017
In late June 2017, the SF-001 committee within Standards Australia voted on recommendations to improve the 2nd draft of the OH&S management system standard - ISO 45001.2 (second draft).  Over 70 recommendations by participating members of SF-001 (e.g. SIA, ACTU, Master Builders, Australian Industry Group, etc.) had been accepted by SF-001; SIA’s two recommendations were amongst those accepted.

In the earlier ballot of ISO 4500.1 (first draft) in 2016, various recommendations were accepted by the ISO/PC283 committee and reflected in the latest ISO 45001.2 revision.
Further recommendations to the ISO 45001.2 by Australia and other participating member countries and organisations had been conveyed to the ISO/ PC283 committee. The committee convened from the 18th – 23rd September 2017 in Melaka, Malaysia and attracted over 100 delegates.

On the 26th Oct 2017, Standards Australia released a statement to inform the progress of the ISO 45001 standard. The statement identified the contributing organisations to Australia’s position on the draft international standard, the status of AS/NZS 4801:2001 and planned release of the ISO 45001 Final Draft International Standard (FDIS) in the first quarter of 2018.

ISO 45001 was finally published in Australia as AS/NZS 45001 on 17/10/18.

Status of AS/NZS 4801:2001
The voluntary Australian Standard AS/NZS 4801:2001, Occupational health and safety management systems - Specification with guidance for use has not changed and remains a current publication while Standards Australia considers its status.

Standards Australia is now considering what further guidance for users of the new standard it can provide.

Standards Australia Contacts:
Catherine Dunkerley
Stakeholder Engagement Manager
E: catherine.dunkerley@standards.org.au

Alison Scotland
Program Manager
E: alison.scotland@standards.org.au

You can also access the following documents provided by Stephen:

Short presentation on ISO45001 requirements

Comparison of AS4801, OHSAS18001 and ISO45001