What is ISO 45001?
ISO 45001 is an international standard for setting up an occupational health and safety management system. It helps organisations to manage and prevent risks of work-related injury, illness and unsafe situations.
ISO 45001 = working systematically on a safe and healthy work environment.
The standard is applicable to all types of organisations, particularly in sectors with physical risks such as industry, construction, logistics and energy.
🎯 What does ISO 45001 cover?
| Component | Description |
|---|---|
| Policy & involvement | Leadership actively demonstrates commitment to safety and health |
| Risk inventory | Systematic assessment of workplace hazards |
| Control measures | Implementation of technical and organisational measures |
| Training & awareness | Employees are instructed and know how to act in risk situations |
| Incident registration | Accidents, near misses and deviations are investigated and followed up |
| Continuous improvement | PDCA cycle aimed at reducing OHS risks (Occupational Health & Safety) |
🏭 Examples in OT/production environments
| Application | ISO 45001 relevance |
|---|---|
| Lockout/Tagout during maintenance | Preventing unintended energising of machines during work |
| Working with hazardous substances | Control via instructions, ventilation, monitoring and PPE |
| Machine safety | SCADA interlocks, fail-safe PLC programs, emergency procedures |
| Risk inventory & evaluation | Digital recording and follow-up of safety risks |
| Training via HMI or e-learning | Built-in operator instructions for critical actions |
🔄 ISO 45001 vs. other standards
| Standard | Focus |
|---|---|
| ISO 9001 | Quality management |
| ISO 14001 | Environmental management |
| ISO 45001 | Occupational health and safety |
| ISO 50001 | Energy management |
These standards can be combined modularly within a single integrated management system (IMS).
📋 Certification
- Certification by an independent body
- Valid for 3 years, with annual surveillance audits
- A prerequisite for many tenders, audits or international collaborations
📌 In summary
ISO 45001 helps organisations to work systematically and demonstrably on a safe, healthy and legally compliant working environment. In an industrial context, it supports risk management, Compliance and employee wellbeing.