What is ISO 45001?
ISO 45001 sets out the requirements for an occupational health and safety (OH&S) management system. Its purpose is to provide safe and healthy workplaces, prevent work-related injury and ill health, and continually improve OH&S performance.
Published in 2018, it replaced OHSAS 18001. It applies to any organisation, whatever its size, sector or activity.
Which companies is it for?
- High-risk companies: energy, construction, industry, transport, maintenance.
- Subcontractors whose clients require a certified OH&S system.
- Any organisation that wants to structure prevention and prove it to interested parties.
The structure of the standard
ISO 45001 follows the common structure of ISO management standards, which makes it easy to integrate with ISO 9001 and ISO 14001. Clauses 1 to 3 set the framework; clauses 4 to 10 contain the requirements.
| Clause | Content | PDCA |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | Context of the organisation: issues, needs of workers and other interested parties, scope | Plan |
| 5 | Leadership and worker participation: management commitment, OH&S policy, consultation | Plan |
| 6 | Planning: hazard identification, assessment of risks and opportunities, legal requirements, objectives | Plan |
| 7 | Support: resources, competence, awareness, communication, documented information | Do |
| 8 | Operation: risk control, management of change, procurement and contractors, emergencies | Do |
| 9 | Performance evaluation: monitoring, evaluation of compliance, internal audit, management review | Check |
| 10 | Improvement: incidents, nonconformities, corrective action, continual improvement | Act |
What changes compared with OHSAS 18001
Leadership
Top management is directly responsible for OH&S rather than delegating it to the HSE department alone.
Worker participation
Consultation and participation of non-managerial workers at every step of the system.
Risk-based approach
Risks and opportunities for OH&S, and for the system itself.
Contractors
Stronger control of providers and outsourced activities.
In 2024, an amendment common to ISO management standards added consideration of climate change to the analysis of context.
ISO 45001 and Algerian regulations
Certification does not replace the law: clause 6 requires you to identify your legal requirements and check that you meet them. In Algeria, the foundation is Law No. 88-07 on occupational hygiene, safety and medicine, supplemented by sector-specific texts.
[To be completed by HDAPEX: examples of obligations often found in audits.]
The steps to ISO 45001 certification
OH&S assessment
Gaps with the standard and applicable regulations.
Risk assessment
Hazard identification job by job, and ranking.
Building the system
Policy, objectives, useful procedures, emergency and contractor management.
Training and participation
Staff awareness and involvement of worker representatives.
Internal audit and management review
Checks before the certification body.
Certification audit
Stage 1 (document review) then stage 2 (on-site assessment).
Frequently asked questions
Is ISO 45001 mandatory in Algeria?
No, certification is voluntary. It is, however, often required by main contractors, especially in energy and construction, and OH&S regulations apply in every case.
Is an OHSAS 18001 certificate still valid?
No. OHSAS 18001 was withdrawn and certificates had to migrate to ISO 45001 at the end of the transition period.
Can this standard be combined with the other two?
Yes. ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 share the same structure, so they can form one integrated QHSE system audited in a single visit.
How long does certification take?
It depends on your starting point and company size. The system also needs to run for a few months before the audit. [Typical range to be confirmed by HDAPEX.]