The proposed ISO 45001 is significantly different from OHSAS 18001

In a ISO TMB 09/2014 “policy issues” document of ISO/TMB N 12 (2014-01-06) it was mentioned that the “concept of the fast-track” had been discussed. There was the question why “in key cases such as the recent ISO 45001 (OHSAS 18001)” with its 3 year time frame the development of that standard was not put on fast track. It was recommended to clarify and promote the fast-track as it is not well known or understood. “It was however felt that it was not suitable for controversial subjects.”
Adctually, it is clear that ISO 45001 is controversial. However, the “ISO 45001 (OHSAS 18001)” could imply that there is no big difference between OHSAS 18001 and ISO 45001. But the standards are quite different. Interestingly, some elements of OHSAs 18001 which are missing in ISO 45001 did not enter the controversy yet. Didn’t anybody notice that there is no definition like “Ill health: Identifiable, adverse physical or mental condition arising from and/or made worse by a work activity and/or work-related situation” in the ISO 45001 Committee Draft anymore? And in the definition of “incident”, the “(regardless of severity)” in “ill health (regardless of severity)” is gone.
 
http://www.prlog.org/12297585-the-definitive-guide-to-iso-450012016-published-by-fms.html

[…] ISO 45001 is to be based upon the OHSAS 18001 standard. The current version – OHSAS 18001:2007 is used as the basis for occupational health and safety management systems in thousands of companies around the world. The proposed standard is significantly different from OHSAS 18001; the structure, format and terminology of the new standard will be substantially altered. […]

PS: There already was a The Definitive Guide to ISO 45001:2016 (Issue one – January 2014, £30.00, http://www.fedms.org/store/p158/Definitive_Guide_to_ISO_45001%3A2016_%28PDF%29.html). The guide still may be helpful to understand the history of the coming ISO 45001.
 


2015-03: The 2nd committee draft still is significantly different from OHSAS 18001:2007. The high level structure (HLS) may be seen by formalists as an improvement compared to what OHSAS 18001 offers. But from the employees’ point of view, the content gives them less enforcable protection.

ISO 45001 draft cannot be viewed anymore

All comments have been collected. That is fine, but sadly, the draft as well as all the comments to it cannot be viewed anymore free of charge (http://drafts.bsigroup.com/Home/Expired/53407). There has been controversy, but now it is hidden from the public although many employees will be affected by the standard.
My comments focused on the disappearance from ISO 45001 of what is the definition of “ill health” in OHSAS 18001, clause 3.8. OHSAS 18001 defines “ill health” as “identifiable, adverse physical or mental condition arising from and/or made worse by a work activity and/or work-related situation.”
Also in what is the definition of “incident” in clause 3.9 of OHSAS 18001, “(regardless of severity)” disappeared from “ill health (regardless of severity)”.
In my opinion, OHSAS 18001 is better for employees than ISO 45001. Perhaps that is the reason why OHSAS 18001 has to go.
I hope, that BSI will make the comments available for research. This is a matter of public interest.
Regrettably, personalized copies of the Committee Draft now only are available for 38 Swizz Francs.

Preventive Action is back in ISO 45001

http://www.iqms.co.uk/blog/2014/06/new-developments-to-the-international-occupational-health-and-safety-management-system-standard/ on ISO 45001:

Preventive Action
The term ‘preventative action’ has been removed from the draft version of the existing standard [OHSAS 18001]. The main purpose of the management system is to reduce and prevent OHS incidents, so it is argued that there is no need to include preventive action for this standard, with the same logic being applied to the draft ISO 14001 environmental standard.

However, now the definition of “ill health” has been removed from the draft version of ISO 45001, the want-to-be OHSAS 18001 successor – although he main purpose of the management system is to reduce and prevent OHS incidents, with “ill health” being one of these incidents.

Employee Participation: ISO 45001 vs. OHSAS 18001

From the first draft of ISO 45001:

7.4.2 Participation, consultation and representation
[…]

Only for a limited time it was possible to read and discuss the first draft of ISO 45001 can be read free of charge: http://drafts.bsigroup.com/Home/View/3311629?pos=3311629
 
From OHSAS 18001:2007:

  • 4.4.3.2 Participation and consultation
    The organization shall establish, implement and maintain a procedure(s) for
    the participation of workers by their:

    • appropriate involvement in hazard identification, risk assessments and determination of controls;
    • appropriate involvement in incident investigation;
    • involvement in the development and review of OH&S policies and objectives;
    • consultation where there are any changes that effect their OH&S;
    • representation on OH&S matters.

    Workers shall be informed about their participation arrangements, including who is their representative(s) on OH&S matters.

  •  
    In the ISO 45001 draft, for employee participation more words have been spent than in OHSAS 18001. But these words also are used to limit employee participation stronger than in OHSAS 18001.
    In OHSAS 18001 at least the term “consultation” was used to describe, what “participation” could mean. In the ISO 45001 draft, “consultation” was moved to the footnote NOTE 3, which limits consultation to “an exchange of relevant information and advice as part of the decision making process”. Perhaps especially German Employers wanted to avoid, that consultation can be interpreted as “co-determination” (“Mitbestimmung”) as in case of the German version of OHSAS 18001, where “consultation” has been translated by “Absprache”.
    In clause 7.4.2 (among other clauses), you find the important requirements in the footnotes: “NOTE 1 – Obstacles or barriers include lack of response to employee input or suggestions, reprisals (supervisory and peer), or any policy, practice or program that penalizes or discourages participation.”
    To ISO 45001, requirements concerning the participation of employee representatives in all the various kinds of audits of OH&S management systems should be added. How about learning from the SCCM?


    2015-04: No improvements in the 3nd CD.

    Your comment on the OH&S standard ISO 45001!

     
    BSI closed the comment pages.
     


    Have your say on the planned OH&S standard ISO 45001:

    • First draft: http://drafts.bsigroup.com/Home/Details/53407
      • For “3.19A Incident” goto http://drafts.bsigroup.com/Home/View/3311599
      • For “7.4.2 Participation, consultation and representation” goto http://drafts.bsigroup.com/Home/View/3311629?pos=3311629.
    • About BSI: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BSI_Group

     


    My comment on the term “Incident”, which presently is defined as “Occurrence arising out of or in the course of work that could or does result in death, injury or ill health”, contains this remedy proposal:

    “Occurrence arising out of or in the course of work that could or does result in ill health (regardless of severity), injury or death” would reach the level of OHSAS 18001:2007. 
    The terms “ill health” and “injury” should be defined.
    OHSAS 18001 defines “ill health” as “identifiable, adverse physical or mental condition arising from and/or made worse by a work activity and/or work-related situation.”

    ISO 45001 is already in ill health

    This is about the terms “ill health” and “incident” in the first draft of ISO 45001.
    (See also clauses 3.8 and 3.9 in OHSAS 18001:2007.)

    • Ill health
      • ISO 45001: The first draft of ISO 45001 explains in line 322, that the overall objective of the OH&S management system is to prevent injury or ill health arising out of, linked with or occurring in the course of work. But there is no definition of “ill health”. (In clause 3.09 the draft states, that “occupational diseases are a type of ill health”, but that doesn’t define “ill health”.)
      • OHSAS 18001: In clause 3.8 of OHSAS 18001:2007 “ill health” is defined as “Identifiable, adverse physical or mental condition arising from and/or made worse by a work activity and/or work-related situation.”
    • Incident
      • ISO 45001: In clause 3.19A of the ISO 45001 draft, “incident” is defined as “occurrence arising out of or in the course of work that could or does result in death, injury or ill health”.
      • OHSAS 18001: In clause 3.9 of OHSAS 18001:2007, “incident” is defined as “Work-related event(s) in which an injury or ill health (regardless of severity) or fatality occurred, or could have occurred.” In ISO 45001 there is no “(regardless of severity)”.

     
    Even though ISO 45001 claims that the overall objective of the OH&S management system is to prevent injury or ill health, the important terms “ill health” and “injury” are not defined in “3 Terms and definitions”. How strange! In OHSAS 18001:2007 there is a definition at least for “Ill health”. Without that good and important definition, ISO 45001 already is in ill health.
    The word “mental” only appears once in the ISO 45001 draft. “An organization is responsible for ensuring its people are able to work in a manner that is safe and which protects their physical and mental health.” But that is not part of the standard. You find it in the introduction only (clause “0.1 Background”). So there is no mentioning of mental health in the standard, although this is a very hot topic in these days.
    The omission of “(regardless of severity)” is interesting. I know of a large OHSAS 18001 certified European company where the OH&S manual had been upgraded from OHSAS 18001:1999 to OHSAS 18001:2007. Seemingly “(regardless of severity)” didn’t suit them too well, so they just dropped it from the definition of the term “incident” in their OH&S manual. The CAB didn’t mind, but an employee addressed that to the works council. The employer could be convinced to use the complete definition as it can be found in clause 3.9 of OHSAS 18001:2007. A mentioning of “Ill health” in the definition of “Incident” in ISO 45001 without “”(regardless of severity)” makes it easier for employers to avoid the registration and investigation of an “incident” which could or does result in ill health. Especially if mental ill health regardless of severity could have been caused by an incident, the employer may not want to have such incidents to be mentioned in his OH&S reports.
     
    Clause 3.19A (Definition von “incident”) in the first draft of ISO 45001: http://drafts.bsigroup.com/Home/View/3311599 (not online anymore)