Transition to ISO 45001 OH&S standards ASAP to demonstrate a commitment to safety.
Have you noticed how the Apps on your smartphone constantly need ‘updating’? This often requires users to manually log into the App through the Play or Apple Store, then press the ‘update’ button. The reason why Apps continually need updating is that their developers are constantly working to identify potential glitches, how to streamline its operating system, and how to ensure that the App gives users the best, most efficient service possible. The opposite side of this is that users who do not regularly update their App are running an inefficient version of it that may be prone to viruses, software bugs, and convoluted processes. You could say that App updates are a form of system auditing, to ensure that potential weak points are identified and mitigated, that the system is safeguarded against glitches, and that everything is running as smoothly as possible.
The same principle applies to business management systems. They should be periodically audited to ensure that they are providing organisations with the most efficient business management system, which works with the specific requirements of the business, and tailors its service to ensure the management system helps the business maximise its performance. The Workplace Health and Safety standards for business’ used to be covered in the Australian AS/NZS 4801 standards and the international OHSAS 18001 standards¸ but they have recently been phased out in favour of a more efficient, streamlined standard. These standards offered nationally and internationally certified, demonstrably successful, occupational health and safety solutions and guidelines for business’, providing companies with clear, easy-to-implement WHS solutions to help them strengthen their operations, streamline performance, and uphold staff and customer morale, by providing guidelines on how to obtain a certified safe, compliant workplace.
However, these standards have been phased out in favour of a more efficient, tailored WHS solution for business’, the International Organization for Standardization’s ISO 45001:2018 Occupational Health and Safety standards. One of the central benefits of the ISO 45001 standards is they build upon the WHS solutions offered in the previous standards, but streamline its guidelines and solutions in a more accessible manner, meaning that business’ who implement these new standards are able to receive additional, business-friendly, benefits, including:
- A structural alignment with other ISO standards, including ISO 9001 Quality Management Systems and ISO 14001 Environmental Management Systems. This not only ensures a level of cohesion amongst the management systems within your organisation, it also enables for easier integration of other ISO standards to help your business streamline its management processes. As different standards can have areas of crossover in relation to the business, such as the ISO 45001 and the ISO 14001 standards addressing a number of similar workplace concerns through different perspectives, the cross compatibility of the ISO standards ensures that your business’ management systems are as streamlined and cohesive as possible.
- A focus on risk-based analysis and thinking. This proactive approach ensures that companies are actively auditing their workplace for potential OH&S risks, and taking preventative measures to ensure that they don’t become a safety issue. This forward-thinking approach differs from some of the guidelines in the previous standards, as business’ are now advised to analyse their entire operations for potential risks, take active steps to mitigate their impact on operations, and employ an organisational wide preventative approach, to ensure that potential OH&S risks are mitigated before they have a chance to impact operations. This proactive approach has less impact on business operations, compared to working to mitigate the effects of an OH&S issue after it occurs.
- Offering the same regulatory compliance that the previous standards did, but through a heightened, stronger framework. This means that the processes and guidelines within the previous standards have been audited and assessed, to ascertain what parts were most effective, and which parts were not. The demonstrably effective OH&S principles remain in place, while the ones that could have been streamlined for more efficient performance have been, thus ensuring that these standards provide your business with the most effective, efficient OH&S solutions possible.
Companies change their practices to remain competitive and these standards can help achieve that goal
When altering their existing operating procedures, business’ must take into consideration factors such as what their existing system lacks that the new management system offers, how the new management system will complement their existing procedures, how staff will be able to adapt to the new system, and so on.
It can sometimes seem confronting to implement a new system, even if it offers a more streamlined service, because you may operate on the “if it isn’t broken, then don’t fix it” principle. However, one of the central benefits of the ISO 45001 Occupational Health and Safety Standards is that by building upon the strengths of already existing WHS standards, they can be implemented in an easy, accessible manner.
Business’ will be required to conduct a gap analysis of their existing systems to ascertain what OH&S processes they currently have implemented, and whether they meet the ISO 45001 standards. If they do not they will be provided with an easy to follow guideline of how to become ISO 45001 certified. By achieving certification to these standards, you are demonstrating to your staff, clients and customers that your organisation takes its occupational health and safety commitments seriously, and is taking proactive steps to ensure it meets industry compliance. This kind of reassurance goes a long way towards developing your business’ reputation, and upholding it.
Contact us to find out how your company can benefit from these standards
The ways in which the ISO 45001 standards can benefit companies are numerous. They work at identifying potential OH&S risks and curbing them before they have an impact on operations, ensuring that existing OH&S processes are compliant and effective, and acting as an auditing process to ensure that business’ don’t inadvertently overlook a potential issue. This kind of reassurance goes a long way towards developing client and customer relations, and improving staff morale.
If you would like to know how these standards could be applied to the specific requirements of your organisation, then please give Anitech Group’s consultants a call today on 1300 802 163. After giving them a brief overview of your business’ operations and structure, they will be able to explain how the standards could be applied to help strengthen its operations, keep it industry compliant, and uphold its reputation. These standards can help your business stand out from its competition, and wouldn’t it be nice to get the edge?
Please click here to read about how an effective Occupational Health and Safety management system can strengthen your business by improving staff morale.