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What are the pros and cons of the new QHSMS ISO 45001, and what are the main elements that would be differ from OHSAS 18001?

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Question added by Abdelkader Boukhris , Qhse Manager , TASSILI.SPA
Date Posted: 2016/09/22
Abdulla Faisal Al Khalaqi
by Abdulla Faisal Al Khalaqi , Sr. Specialist Crisis Management; Business Continuity , DEWA

The Pros of QHSMS ISO 45001:

The standard controls Occupational health and safety management systems - Requirements. Employers and economy in whole getting significant losses from occupational injuries and diseases which resulted in early retirements, employees absence, sick leaves and raising of insurance expenses.

Therefore, new standard more specific in capturing all the areas affected and will help companies to reduce loses via improved employee safety, and will help to create safer working environment within the organizations.

 

The Cons:

New standard is intended to replace OHSAS 18001, and provide a single framework for companies of all sizes, while it might be complicated for small companies to comply with all requirements. In other hand restructuring of existing management system will add complexity during company's ongoing process.

 

What is the main difference between 45001 & 18001:

ISO 45001  focuses on identifying and controlling risks rather than hazards;

ISO 45001 has more specific approach, instead of general concepts like Risk, Worker & Workplace; new standard enhanced to such definitions as Monitoring, Measurement, Effectiveness, Performance and Process;

ISO 45001 requires "documented information" to have proven evidence of organizational OHS activities was planned.

 

Ahmed Hosny
by Ahmed Hosny , Hse Manager , Dubco construction L.L.C / DDA Approved

The ISO system certification has penetrated our lives throughout. It has its advocates as well as adversaries. Today, there is hardly any manager in the Czech Republic who would not know about ISO 9001, ISO 14001, OHSAS 18001 and other management systems. Certification has become enormous business both for consulting companies and, in particular, certification firms. The question, nonetheless, remains whether it gives company owners, managers and workers any added value at all. Formerly, it used to be the greatest argument for entering selection procedures for government contracts. This argument has been gradually losing ground in the face of the many corruption scandals that have transpired so far. The argument that only an ISO-certified company is really representing quality no longer holds true; the reason is that every company that pays will get the certificate. This is why it is more than appropriate, after all those years of the certification-and-ISO madness, to ask the following fundamental questions: 

  • Do the benefits of ISO, AS, TS and other standards prevail in practice? 
  • Has the ISO certification already lost the added value for companies?
  • On what conditions does the ISO really bring the benefit?  
  • ...

In the world so diverse, nothing can be generalized. You would always have to go case by case and, it also needs to be considered whether companies have only themselves to blame for the approach consulting and certification firms have adopted. The managers do not think of their companies´ future when arranging for the management system at the very last moment; mostly as late as when they already face problems or when the customer insists on the certificate. Then they come to place senseless orders such as - "I need you to introduce the ISO 9001 system within 7 days. All I want is the paper document (meant to be the certification) to be put on the wall." On top of it, they force the consultant´s price down to the range of CZK10 ÷ 20.000. In that case, all they can get is a copy of another company´s system.  

Hemant Chalke
by Hemant Chalke , Group Head of Estates & Fleet Assets , Initial Saudi Group

I apologize, i would not be able to answer that.

Abdelkader Boukhris
by Abdelkader Boukhris , Qhse Manager , TASSILI.SPA

The publication might be delyed as the CD1 and CD2 members have not agreed yet on some topics about the new standards, anyway we will wait and see when that standard will be publiched and how will it improve the QSMS.

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