OHSAS 18001:2007
OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH and SAFETY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
A Comprehensive International Standard for Health & Safety
Success through management excellence
Beyond OHSAS 18001: Embracing ISO 45001 for Modern Workplace Safety
The landscape of occupational health and safety management underwent a monumental shift in 2018. For years, organizations relied on OHSAS 18001 as their benchmark for workplace safety, but that standard now belongs to history. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) officially replaced OHSAS 18001 with ISO 45001:2018, creating a unified, globally recognized framework that aligns perfectly with other major management system standards. This white paper explores the complete transition from the obsolete OHSAS 18001 to the current ISO 45001, examining its advanced structure, integration capabilities, and implementation pathway. We will also demonstrate how Global Standards serves as the ideal certification partner for organizations ready to embrace this new era of worker safety and organizational health.
The End of an Era and the Birth of a New Standard
Let us state this clearly from the outset: OHSAS 18001 no longer exists. If your organization still holds OHSAS 18001 certification, you must transition to ISO 45001 to maintain valid recognition of your occupational health and safety management system. The British Standard OHSAS 18001 served its purpose well for decades, but ISO officially withdrew it upon publishing ISO 45001 in March 2018.
Why did ISO make this change? The answer lies in globalization and the need for consistency. Before 2018, organizations operating across multiple countries faced a patchwork of national and regional safety standards. ISO 45001 changed everything by providing one universal standard that speaks the same language across borders. Furthermore, this new standard follows ISO’s Annex SL framework, now called the Harmonized Structure (HS), which means it shares identical core text, terms, and structure with ISO 9001 (Quality) and ISO 14001 (Environmental).
Therefore, ISO 45001 represents not merely an update but a complete reimagining of how organizations should approach worker safety. It moves beyond hazard control to embrace proactive risk prevention, leadership engagement, and seamless integration with other management systems.
In this white paper the benefits and features have been Defined
Section 1: Understanding ISO 45001 – The Complete Replacement
1.1 What Exactly Is ISO 45001?
ISO 45001 specifies requirements for an occupational health and safety (OH&S) management system. It provides a framework that enables organizations to proactively improve employee safety, reduce workplace risks, and create better, safer working conditions. Any organization can adopt it—private businesses, public entities, large corporations, or small enterprises—regardless of their industry or activity type.
1.2 The Critical Differences from OHSAS 18001
OHSAS 18001 focused primarily on hazard control and operational procedures. ISO 45001 takes a much broader and more strategic approach. Here are the fundamental differences:
First, ISO 45001 emphasizes the context of the organization. You must consider external and internal factors that affect your OH&S performance, not just the hazards inside your facility.
Second, leadership and worker participation now take center stage. Top management must demonstrate active involvement, and workers must participate in developing, planning, and implementing the system.
Third, the new standard embeds risk-based thinking throughout every process. Rather than simply reacting to incidents, organizations must identify risks and opportunities proactively and take preventive actions before problems occur.
Fourth, ISO 45001 follows the Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle consistently across all clauses, making implementation more logical and performance measurement more effective.
1.3 The Harmonised Structure Advantage
ISO 45001 uses the Harmonised Structure (HS), formerly Annex SL, which gives it a 10-clause framework identical to other major ISO standards. These clauses are:
- Scope
- Normative references
- Terms and definitions
- Context of the organization
- Leadership
- Planning
- Support
- Operation
- Performance evaluation
- Improvement
Consequently, if you already understand ISO 9001 or ISO 14001, you already understand the structure of ISO 45001. This alignment saves tremendous time and effort during implementation.
© Global Standards. All rights reserverd for this documented information shared for reading purpose only.
White Paper - OHSAS Occupation Health and Safety Management System
Section 2: The Power of Integration with ISO 9001 and ISO 14001
2.1 Breaking Down Silos
Many organizations maintain separate management systems for quality, environment, and safety. These silos create duplication, confusion, and wasted resources. ISO 45001 eliminates this problem entirely because it shares the exact same high-level structure as ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015.
For example, Clause 5 (Leadership) in ISO 45001 requires essentially the same commitments and responsibilities as Clause 5 in ISO 9001 and ISO 14001. Clause 7 (Support) addresses resources, competence, awareness, and communication consistently across all three standards.
2.2 Building an Integrated Management System (IMS)
Therefore, organizations can build a single Integrated Management System (IMS) that covers quality, environmental, and occupational health and safety requirements simultaneously. An IMS offers tremendous benefits:
- One set of documented information instead of three
- Combined internal audits covering all requirements
- Unified management reviews addressing all performance areas
- Consistent risk assessment processes across disciplines
- Single training programs for employees
- Reduced certification costs through combined audits
Global Standards specializes in helping organizations develop and certify integrated management systems, maximizing efficiency while maintaining compliance with all individual standard requirements.
Section 3: The ISO 45001 Certification Process with Global Standards
3.1 Why Choose Global Standards?
Global Standards brings decades of collective experience in management system certification. We understand that certification represents a significant investment of time and resources. Therefore, we designed our process to be transparent, efficient, and value-adding at every step.
Our auditors combine technical competence with real-world industry experience. They speak your language—both literally and figuratively—and they understand the unique challenges your organization faces. More importantly, Global Standards holds international accreditation, ensuring your certificate gains recognition anywhere in the world.
3.2 The Four-Step Certification Pathway
Global Standards follows a structured yet flexible approach to ISO 45001 certification:
Step 1: Quote and Contract
We begin by understanding your organization, your operations, and your certification goals. We provide a clear, fair quote with no hidden fees, and we establish a dedicated point of contact who will guide you throughout the entire process.
Step 2: Planning and Audit Development
Together, we plan the audit schedule based on your organization’s size, complexity, and readiness. Our auditors review your documented information and prepare a customized audit plan.
Step 3: Two-Stage Initial Assessment
Stage 1 Audit: Our auditors evaluate your system’s completeness and readiness. We review your documentation, verify that you understand the requirements, and identify any gaps needing attention before the main audit.
Stage 2 Audit: This is the implementation verification stage. Our auditors conduct interviews, observe operations, and examine records to confirm that your system functions effectively in daily practice. We assess compliance with all ISO 45001 requirements and evaluate your system’s overall performance.
Step 4: Certification Decision and Issuance
An independent certification committee reviews the audit findings and makes the final decision. Upon approval, Global Standards issues your ISO 45001 certificate, valid for three years.
3.3 Maintaining Your Certification
Certification is not a one-time event. To maintain your certificate, you must undergo surveillance audits annually (typically two during the three-year cycle). These audits confirm that your system continues to function effectively and improves over time. Before your certificate expires, we conduct a recertification audit to renew it for another three years.
Section 4: Tangible Benefits of ISO 45001 Certification
4.1 Reducing Workplace Incidents
The most obvious benefit remains the most important: fewer workplace accidents and occupational diseases. ISO 45001 provides mechanisms to identify hazards, assess risks, and implement controls before incidents occur. Statistics from the International Labor Organization show that workplace incidents claim over 7,600 lives daily—more than 2.3 million annually. ISO 45001 offers a proven framework to reduce these tragic numbers.
4.2 Legal and Regulatory Compliance
Governments worldwide increasingly require organizations to demonstrate compliance with health and safety regulations. ISO 45001 certification provides objective evidence that you meet applicable legal requirements. Furthermore, accredited certification helps regulators and government bodies verify compliance without conducting their own extensive inspections.
4.3 Financial Performance
Workplace incidents carry both visible and invisible costs. Visible costs include hospital expenses, compensation, and legal fees. Invisible costs often exceed visible ones—labor losses, machine downtime, production interruptions, employee motivation problems, and damage to company reputation. ISO 45001 reduces all these costs by preventing incidents before they occur.
4.4 Employee Engagement and Retention
Workers want to feel safe and valued. ISO 45001 requires active worker participation and consultation, giving employees a genuine voice in safety matters. Consequently, certified organizations typically experience higher morale, lower turnover, and reduced absenteeism.
4.5 Market Access and Competitive Advantage
Many customers and tender authorities now require ISO 45001 certification from their suppliers. Having certification opens doors to new business opportunities and demonstrates your commitment to social responsibility. In global markets, accredited certification provides the trust necessary for cross-border trade.
Section 5: Implementation Guidance for Success
5.1 Top Management Commitment
ISO 45001 success starts at the top. Leaders must demonstrate active involvement, not just passive approval. They should participate in safety reviews, allocate adequate resources, and integrate OH&S objectives into overall business strategy. Global Standards encourages organizations to view certification as a leadership initiative, not merely a compliance exercise.
5.2 Worker Participation
Unlike previous standards, ISO 45001 mandates worker participation at all levels. You must consult workers when identifying hazards, determining controls, establishing objectives, and reviewing performance. This participation builds ownership and ensures practical solutions that actually work on the shop floor.
5.3 Risk-Based Thinking
Integrate risk assessment into every process. Rather than treating safety as a separate activity, embed hazard identification and risk control into daily operations, procurement decisions, contractor management, and change planning.
5.4 Documentation That Works
ISO 45001 requires documented information, but it emphasizes usability over bureaucracy. Your documentation should help people do their jobs safely, not sit in binders collecting dust. Focus on what people actually need to know and do.
5.5 Continuous Improvement
Certification marks the beginning, not the end. ISO 45001 demands ongoing evaluation and improvement. Monitor performance, investigate incidents thoroughly, conduct internal audits regularly, and act on findings. Global Standards supports your improvement journey through surveillance audits and recertification cycles.
Section 6: Common Questions About ISO 45001
6.1 Is OHSAS 18001 still valid?
No. ISO officially withdrew OHSAS 18001 upon publishing ISO 45001 in 2018. Organizations holding OHSAS 18001 certification must transition to ISO 45001 to maintain valid certification.
6.2 How long does certification take?
The timeline depends on your organization’s size, complexity, and existing systems. Organizations with established management systems typically complete the process within 3–6 months. Those starting from scratch may need 6–12 months.
6.3 Can we integrate ISO 45001 with our existing ISO 9001 system?
Absolutely. ISO 45001 shares the exact same structure as ISO 9001, making integration straightforward and highly beneficial. Global Standards strongly recommends integration for maximum efficiency.
6.4 What does Global Standards charge for certification?
We provide clear, fair pricing based on your organization’s specific characteristics. Contact us for a customized quote with no obligation.
White Paper - OHSAS Occupation Health and Safety Management System
BENEFITS OF OHSAS 18001 STANDARD
Internationally recognized and accepted standard
Easily assessed with existing management systems
Skilled auditors who are trained for various systems
Consistency in HS system stability
Duplication of similar elements of each standard is Avoided
Increase reputation for customer by taking the risk assessments against the occupational hazards of health & safety
Creditability and reliability for customer to increase job orders
Reduce the cost of nonconformities
Minimize injuries during occupation.
The Time for ISO 45001 Is Now
OHSAS 18001 has passed into history. ISO 45001 represents the present and future of occupational health and safety management. With its modern approach, alignment with other ISO standards, and emphasis on leadership and worker participation, it offers organizations an unparalleled framework for protecting their most valuable asset—their people.
Global Standards stands ready to guide you through every step of the certification journey. Our experienced auditors, transparent processes, and international recognition ensure you receive maximum value from your certification investment. Whether you are transitioning from OHSAS 18001, building an integrated management system, or implementing ISO 45001 for the first time, we provide the expertise and support you need to succeed.
Do not wait until an incident forces change. Embrace ISO 45001 now and demonstrate your commitment to safety, quality, and continuous improvement. Contact Global Standards today to begin your certification journey.
© Global Standards. All rights reserverd for this documented information shared for reading purpose only.