OHSAS 18001: Occupational health and safety management systems - Specification Karen Lawrence

OHSAS 18001 vs HSG 65 OHSAS 18001: HSG 65: Policy – Planning – Both have Plan Do Check Act as basic principles. Both cover largely the same territory, such as having a policy, assessing risks, allocating responsibility and resources But 18001 gives a concise list of parts for a conforming management system, whereas HSG 65 also gives descriptions of them, what they aim to achieve and why. See thickness! OHSAS 18001: Policy – Planning – Implement & Operate – Check & Correct – Man. Review – Continual Improvement HSG 65: Policy – Organisation – Plan & Implement – Measure Perf. - Review Perf. - Audit

1. Scope This OHSAS specification gives requirements for an occupational health and safety (OH&S) management system, to enable an organisation to control its OH&S risks and improve its performance It does not state specific OH&S performance criteria, not does it give detailed specifications for the design of a management system

This OHSAS Specification is applicable to any organization that wishes to: establish an OH&S management system implement, maintain and continually improve an OH&S management system assure itself of its conformance with its O&HS policy demonstrate such conformance to others seek certification by an external organization make a self-determination and declaration of conformance

Policy (4.2) Authorised by top management Overall objectives clearly stated Commitment to continual improvement of H&S performance clearly stated Legal compliance as a minimum Relevant and appropriate Communicated with intent to make all employees aware of their responsibilities Documented, implemented and maintained Available to interested parties Reviewed

Planning 4.3 Planning Inputs Planning Outputs Hazard identification (4.3.1) Risk assessment (4.3.1) Meets legal and other requirements (4.3.2) Planning Outputs Risk control measures (4.3.1) H&S Objectives (4.3.3) H&S management programme (4.3.4) The risk assessment must: Be proactive rather than reactive Classify risks and identify those to be eliminated or controlled by measures in objectives and management programme Include routine and non-routine activities. Include the activities of all personnel accessing the workplace. Include the facilities at the workplace, regardless of who provided them.

Implementation and Operation (4.4) Structure and Responsibility (4.4.1) Define, document and communicate roles and responsibilities which effect H&S Responsibility rests with top management Training, Awareness and Competence (4.4.2) Training should take account of levels of responsibility, ability, literacy and risk Procedures should ensure H&S awareness and competence at all levels One senior manager should ensure H&S man. Sys. Is implemented and functioning correctly – reports to others.

Consultation and Communication (4.4.3) Procedures in place to communicate pertinent info to and from employees and others The procedures should be documented Employees consulted on arrangements, changes, review of policies etc Employees should know who their H&S rep(s) and who the H&S management appointee is Employee involvement and consultation arrangements must be documented

Document and Data Control (4.4.5) Documentation (4.4.4) Maintained and stored in a suitable medium Describes management system Directs to other documentation and how to use it Document and Data Control (4.4.5) Procedures will be in place to ensure all documents can be found and are reviewed Current versions should be available where needed and obsolete versions removed

Operational Control (4.4.6) Plan to control operations and activities associated with identified risks Procedures where required which stipulate operating criteria Procedures related to risks of goods and services and for communication with suppliers Procedures for workplace and process design in order to eliminate or reduce risks at source Documented procedures required where their absence could lead to deviations from H&S policy and objectives

Emergency Preparedness and Response (4.4.7) Plans and procedures to identify the potential for, and responses to, incidents and emergency situations, and for preventing and mitigating the likely illness and injury that may be associated with them They shall be reviewed, particularly after incidents They shall be tested periodically where practicable

Checking and Corrective Action (4.5) Performance measurement & monitoring (4.5.1) Procedures should be in place to monitor how well H&S objectives are met Quantitative and Qualitative Proactive (compliance with law, man sys etc) Reactive (accident, ill health etc) Equipment required for monitoring should be maintained and calibrated

Accidents, incidents, non-conformances and preventative action (4.5.2) Procedures, responsibilities and authority for: handling & investigating accidents, incidents and non-conformances taking action to mitigate consequences ensuring prevent / correct actions are taken confirming the effectiveness of the actions

Records and Record Management (4.5.3) Procedures should identify & maintain H&S records H&S records should be legible, identifiable, traceable and stored in a retrievable way

Audit (4.5.4) Audit programme should determine; if the H&S system conforms to planned arrangements & the std. if it has been implemented and maintained properly If it is effective in meeting policy and objectives It should review the results of previous audits It should provide information to management It should be based on previous audit and risk assessment results If possible, the auditor should be independent of the audited activity

4.6 Management Review Senior management should regularly review the H&S management system Review should determine if the system delivers policy, objectives and operational control Review should determine if the system works for the company. It was suggested that adding the subject to ongoing management meetings is the best way.

Simplified Model of OHSAS 18001 Challenges in OHSAS 18001 Top management involvement Proper use of risk assessment as proactive measure Focus on system performance and improvement, not just legal compliance A coherent interconnected system