Draft standard for ISO 45001 made available

The draft standard of ISO 45001, due to be officially released in October, has been made available for interested businesses to read, SHP Online claims. The Draft International Standard (DIS) will replace BS OHSAS 18001 when it is released.

The new standard is said to place a greater emphasis on leadership, worker involvement and context and documented information. When it is launched in October, it will be the first internationally agreed health and safety management systems standard to apply to organizations all over the globe.

It is reported on the ISO website that over 6,300 people die every day from work-related accidents or diseases. As a result of this incredibly high figure, ISO 45001 is being produced to help organizations improve safety standards by introducing a framework for employee safety that will reduce risks and create overall safer working environments.

The standard will follow from ISO 14001 and ISO 9001 – other workplace management system standards already in use by many businesses. It will also take international standards, such as OHSAS 18001 and ILO-OSH Guidelines, into account.

Having reached the DIS stage, ISO 45001 will now be open to public consultation. It also represents the last point at which OSH professionals will be able to pass comment on the new standard. IOSH members can send any comments they may have regarding ISO 45001 to the body by 4 March.

The Head of Policy and Public Affairs for the IOSH, Richard Jones, said: "It's fantastic that we've reached the advanced drafting stage of this important health and safety management systems standard and that everyone has a chance to see it and comment".