OHSAS 18001:2006

What is OHSAS 18001:2006?

British Standards Institute has developed the OHSAS 18001:2006 Assessment Series to provide guidance to organizations desiring to improve their health and safety performance and seek certification. The document is utilized as a risk assessment model to determine the level of risk an organization has concerning its’ health and safety hazards and risks, and to implement methods to continually improve the health and safety performance of the organization.

How does and organization comply with OHSAS 18001:2006?

For an organization to be conforming to the OHSAS 18001:2006 requirements it must:

1.) Determine the activities of the organization and how they impact the health and safety of its’ workforce.
2.) Determine which of these risk are intolerable.
3.) Establish objectives, measurable targets and programs for the reduction of these intolerable risks.
4.) Establish emergency preparedness programs in the event of nonconformances.
5.) Identify the health and safety legal requirements of the organization.
6.) Measure the level of compliance to legal requirements.
7.) Perform periodic assessments as to how well the organization conforms to its’ health and safety requirements.

We have never had a serious employee injury. Why do we need OHSAS 18001:2006?

OHSAS 18001:2006 is a proactive management system designed to assist an organization develop programs which actually improve their employee health and safety performance. The simple fact of having not experienced a serious accident does not mean the organizations are the best stewards of the health and safety of their workforce. OHSAS 18001:2006 assists the organization in developing a holistic approach as to how it manages its’ activities which can have a serious risk to the health and safety of its’ employees.

How does OHSAS 18002:2006 benefit my organization?
1.) By demonstrating a commitment to improving the health and safety performance of the organization. OHSAS 18001:2006 requires by design for the organization to improve its health and safety performance.

2.) By instilling a culture of prevention. By systematically evaluating the health and safety risks of the organization a real time analysis is performed and controls implemented reducing the risk of an accident.

3.) By setting the organization apart from other organizations. By establishing and certifying the organization’s health and safety management system to the OHSAS 18001:2006 standard it joins a unique group of companies who have committed their organizations to health and safety excellence.

4.) Establishes a continuous state of readiness. By implementing and maintaining an OHSAS 18001:2006 based management system the organization will be ready on a continuous basis for audits by external agencies.

5.) Improves the profitability of the organization. As the organizations reduces the safety risks of the organization many of the more expensive costs such as workers compensation claims and premiums are significantly reduced.

6.) Develops a transparent, accountable, sustainable organization. The nature of the management review, defined roles and responsibilities, and intenal assessments makes the organization more transparent, accountable and sustainable.

7.) Ensures availability of key resources. Through the management review process top management becomes more readily aware of resource requirements.

Bottm line is organizations implementing and maintaining management systems conforming to OHSAS 18001:2006 have demonstrated a higher level of committment to creating a safer work environment.