An Insight Into ISO Standard 18001

Posted under environment by Dot Gray

When it comes to occupational health and safety ISO standard 18001 is the certification that most businesses acquire. The certification is designed specifically to ensure companies are adhering to rules and regulations set forth by legislature. The system is not a requirement and should not be used as a guide for implementing new procedures because it is based off of existing publications.

When a company becomes certified in this area they are demonstrating their commitment for implementing, maintaining and managing their health and safety systems. When an organization is certified with this certification they will become more confident when meeting health and safety regulations and guidelines. Additionally it becomes easier to set targets through health and safety policies and form ongoing measurements to constantly improve the procedures.

If a company has other certifications such as the 9001 and 14001 models they can easily integrate this new certification into their existing system. This integration will help to monitor the implantation and adherence of environmental, health, safety, quality and occupational system standards. The certification is part an occupational health and safety assessment series and is used to enforce the safety requirements in a management system.

There are many benefits to implementing this system into an organization that has other systems in place or no systems at all. Some of these benefits include ways to minimize or eliminate risk to employees and other individuals who may be exposed to risks associated with company activities. Also companies have the added implementation options to maintain and improve the current system.

In order to start the process of becoming certified, the first step is the evaluation process which includes the safety of all personnel entering and leaving the building. Along with the evaluation, risk assessments also need to be conducted so plans can be created should an accident occur and also plans can be created to negate the risks entirely. Once the evaluations and assessments are complete they are then compiled into documentation format.

Upon creating the documentation regarding the new policies and procedures a company will have to undergo an audit process. The process begins with an internal auditing of the documentation which ensures the policies are effectively working. In addition the process will also be used to ensure the policies are adhering to legislative guidelines that are already put in place.

Upon completion of the internal audit processes the next phase is to call in an external company that will perform additional audits. The external audit will again review the documentation regarding policies and procedures and also review the system while it is in effect. In order to receive a proper external audit, the third party company must be accredited and licensed to perform such inspections.

If the company passes the external audit they are granted their ISO standard 18001 certification. At this time they can add it to existing certifications or if there are none they can proudly display it as their first. Having a certification such as this proves that a company will go the extra mile to protect employees and visitors from harm.

Further reading OHSAS 18001 and OHSAS 18001