UNI EN ISO 45001 : 2018

Background

An organization is responsible for the health and safety at work (OSH) of workers and others who may be influenced by its activities. This responsibility includes the promotion and protection of their physical and mental health. The adoption of an OSH management system is intended to enable an organization to set up safe and healthy workplaces, prevent work-related injuries and illnesses, and continuously improve its OSH performance.

Purpose of a management system for occupational health and safety

The purpose of an OSH management system is to provide a framework for managing risks and opportunities for OSH. The aim and expected results of the OSH management system are to prevent work-related injuries and illnesses and to provide safe and healthy workplaces;consequently it is of crucial importance for the organization to eliminate the dangers and minimize the risks for OSH, adopting effective preventive and protective measures. When these measures are applied by the organization through its management system for SSL, they improve its performance in terms of SSL. An SSL management system can be more effective and efficient when taking timely action to take advantage of SSL performance improvement opportunities. The implementation of an OSH management system compliant with this document allows an organization to manage its OSH risks and improve its OSH performance. An OSH management system can help the organization meet its legal requirements and other requirements.

Success factors

The implementation of an OSH management system is a strategic and operational decision of the organization. The success of the OSH management system depends on leadership, commitment and participation by all levels and all functions of the organization. The implementation and maintenance of an OSH management system, its effectiveness and its ability to achieve the expected results depend on a series of key factors that may include:

1. leadership, commitment, responsibility and obligation to report to senior management;
2. development, guidance and promotion by the top management of a culture in the organization that supports the achievement of the expected results of the OSH management system;
3. communication;
4. consultation and participation of workers and, where established, workers’ representatives;
5. allocation of the resources necessary to maintain it;
6. OSH policies, which are compatible with global strategic objectives and the organization’s guidelines;
7. effective processes to identify hazards, control OSH risks and exploit OSH opportunities;
8. continuous evaluation of the performance and monitoring of the OSH management system to improve OSH performance;
9. integration of the OSH management system into the organization’s business processes;
10. OSH objectives aligned with the OSH policy and taking into account the dangers, risks and opportunities for the organization’s OSH;
11. compliance with legal requirements and other requirements.