1.3Workers and Worker Participation
Employees or ‘workers’ – person performing work or work related activities that are under the control of
the organisation – are at the core of ISO 45001. Workers of all shapes and stature, from clerical to
managerial, contract to director, fall under the remit of the new ISO Health & Safety standard. This is
because the OH&S management system is all-encompassing and the requirements of the standard seek
to protect all ‘workers’ to the exclusion of none.
As is the case with other standards, ISO 45001 contains a section on Leadership. Included in that section
however, are the words “worker participation” making it unique amongst its ‘peers’. While OHSAS 18001
does contain a section on “Participation & Consultation” section, it isn’t as explicit as the requirements
under ISO 45001.
In addition, the organisation “has to determine and remove obstacles or barriers to participation and
minimise those that cannot be removed.”
This requirement which includes such impediments as language or literacy barriers, might be seen as a
challenge by some organisations. However, for those that value their staff, it will act as an extra incentive
to ensure worker buy-in and engagement. Which can only ever be a good thing.
Magnitude
ISO 45001 is of a much greater magnitude than its OH&S predecessors (7/9 pages respectively). The new
ISO standard clocks in at 18 pages of requirements; a count which excludes terms & definitions, and
guidance. In comparison with standards in other disciplines however, it is of a similar size – ISO 9001 at 17
pages, ISO 14001 at 11 pages.
Why? Because along with the updated Quality and Environmental Management System standards, ISO
45001 has to follow the format of the High Level Structure (HLS)?
High Level Structure
ISO 45001 follows the format of the HLS, containing the following ten sections:
1. Scope
2. Normative references
3. Terms and definitions
4. Context of the organisation
5. Leadership and worker participation
6. Planning
7. Communication
8. Operation
9. Performance evaluation
10. Improvement
Following the HLS format means ISO 45001 is an ‘easier read’. For those contemplating integrated
management systems, the streamlined format of the new and revised standards makes them easier to
develop and implement.
Social Hazards
The process for identifying risks or hazards now also includes taking account of social factors such as
workload, work hours, bullying and victimisation etc. While the former are already firmly embedded into
existing standards, bullying and victimisation are new, and although normally not pervasive throughout
most organisations, they do exist to varying extents within businesses across the spectrum.
Top brass are also mandated to show leadership under this requirement by developing, leading and
promoting a culture that supports the intended outcomes of the OH&S management system.
Elimination of Hazards
In addition to identification of hazards including social hazards, “elimination of hazards and reducing
OH&S risks” also fall under the remit of ISO 45001, with the focus being on ‘elimination’.
Included in previous standards although not to the same extent, the ‘risk management’ requirements of
ISO 45001 mandate “Hazard identification, risk assessment and determining controls”. This pushes
organisations to actively eliminate workplace hazards rather than relying on the staples of safety
procedures and H&S guides, and/or adding even more cumbersome PPE into the mix.
Clear & Open Two-Way Communication
“The organisation shall take into account diversity aspects (for example gender, language, culture, literacy,
disability) when considering its communication needs.”
The new OH&S standard contains a full section on communications including the above sentence which is
a crucial addition. Hopefully, this will help organisations rise to the ‘communications challenge’ and bring
an end to the days of the long-winded, rambling guidelines and policy documents.
Inter-Company, Inter-Departmental, and/or Multi-site Collaborations
Many projects are carried out by one or more departments or contractors, often making it a challenge to
manage health and safety reponsibilities and procedures.
Recognising that this is an ongoing issue, ISO 45001 has embedded the following into its requirements:
“At multi-employer workplaces, the organisation shall coordinate the relevant parts of the OH&S
management system with the other organisations.”
In response to this requirement, it is now incumbent upon organisations to ensure that their systems work
together or, to put it more simply, that they are all reading from the same procedures page!
To Conclude
Although there are several changes with new requirements being added into the mix the basic tenet of
ISO 45001 remains the same as its predecessors – promote health, ensure safety, employee well-being is
paramount.
While the standard is by its legal nature voluntary, therefore compliance is a matter of choice, it is
international which means that in countries where health and safety laws are not yet up to our global
standard, a culture of employee well-being has a strong chance of being promoted.
1.8 stragetic goals of the organization and need to ensure legal oblgations are met
https://www.osha.gov/archive/oshinfo/strategic/pg2.html