W.Howard UK has announced that it has successfully completed the switch from OHSAS 18001 accreditation to the new ISO 45001 standard – a full year ahead of the deadline.
OHSAS 18001 is the existing health and safety standard for the ISO suite of accreditations but is now being superseded by ISO 45001. The new standard introduces a framework that can be used throughout supply chains to create a culture of health and safety that will continually improve occupational health and safety performance.
It also means that risks can be identified and controlled earlier on in the management process than is required by OHSAS 18001, which focuses more on identifying hazards.
ISO 45001 provides eight headline changes and improvements, including:
- Context of the Organisation
- Needs and Expectations of Workers and Other Interested Parties
- Determination of Risk and Opportunities
- Objectives of the Organisation
- Reduction of OH&S Risks and Eliminating Hazard
- Leadership and Worker Participation
- Information and Communication
- Preventative Actions in ISO 45001 vs OHSAS 18001
Timely in its introduction given the COVID-19 pandemic, ISO 45001 places a far greater emphasis on risk assessments and significantly greater levels of employee engagement and communication, along with as many as 43 more detailed improvements.
Graham Williams, Group Managing Director of W.Howard, said: “I’m delighted that W.Howard has achieved ISO 45001 accreditation, particularly considering the recent challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. I’d like to express my congratulations to all those involved, and in particular our Health & Safety Coordinator UK Joseph Rylance and our accreditations partner Neil Wilkinson from www.qebm.co.uk for achieving the standard with zero non-conformances or recommendations for improvement. This is an extremely rare achievement at the best of times, and rarer still when you consider the demanding new scope that ISO 45001 places on business.”
