ISO Management System Certification

ISO 45001:2018 - Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems

ISO 45001:2018 specifies requirements for an Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) Management System to enable organizations to provide safe and healthy workplaces by preventing work-related injury, ill health, and proactively improving OH&S performance.

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Standard ISO 45001:2018
Certified worldwide 542,527
Certificate validity 3 years
Surveillance Annual

Overview

What ISO 45001:2018 is — and why it matters

ISO 45001:2018 specifies requirements for an Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) Management System to enable organizations to provide safe and healthy workplaces by preventing work-related injury, ill health, and proactively improving OH&S performance.

It emphasizes worker participation, leadership commitment, and a systematic approach to hazard identification, risk assessment, and control.

The Standard

What the standard requires

Built on the common ISO “Annex SL” structure, the requirements map to these clauses:

Clause 4

Context – OH&S opportunities/risks, worker needs, scope definition.

Clause 5

Leadership – Policy, roles, worker consultation/participation.

Clause 6

Planning – Hazard identification, risk/opportunity assessment, legal requirements, OH&S objectives.

Clause 7

Support – Resources, competence, awareness, communication, documented info.

Clause 8

Operation – Hazard controls, emergency preparedness/response.

Clause 9

Performance evaluation – Monitoring, compliance audit, management review.

Clause 10

Improvement – Incident investigation, nonconformity/CAPA, continual improvement.

Getting Ready

What you’ll need to get certified

  • Establish documented OH&S policy, objectives, and programs aligned with risks; hazard register with controls for significant risks (e.g., hierarchy of controls).
  • Evidence of worker participation mechanisms (e.g., safety committees, consultations); competence training records, communication plans, and procurement controls for contractors.
  • Legal compliance register with evaluation evidence; emergency drills/logs; incident reporting/investigation processes with root cause analysis.
  • Performance indicators (e.g., LTIR, near-miss rates) monitored and reviewed; internal audits covering all clauses.

The Audit

How ACS-GP certifies your management system

Our audits follow ISO/IEC 17021-1 (requirements for certification bodies) and ISO 19011 (guidelines for auditing management systems).

  1. ACSGP audits align with ISO/IEC 17021-1 for certification body requirements and ISO 19011 for audit execution, ensuring ethical, competent, and risk-focused assessments.

  2. Process: Stage 1 review of OH&S manual and risk assessments; Stage 2 on-site verification of implementation via worker interviews, site tours, and record reviews; surveillance emphasizing incident trends and worker feedback.

  3. Auditors hold OH&S-specific qualifications (e.g., NEBOSH, IOSH); findings follow ISO 19011 grading, with certification granted post-resolution of major nonconformities by impartial review.

Value Addition Auditing. We assess both efficiency and effectiveness — so your management system becomes a genuine business asset, not just a certificate on the wall — while upholding impartiality, competence and evidence-based findings.

The Payoff

The benefits of certification

What the standard delivers

  • Significantly reduces workplace incidents and injuries, with certified organizations seeing 40-50% drops in lost-time rates.
  • Builds a proactive safety culture, boosting employee morale, retention, and productivity through inclusive participation.
  • Ensures legal and regulatory compliance, avoiding fines and disruptions while enhancing insurer premiums reductions (up to 20%).
  • Minimizes operational downtime from accidents, supporting business continuity and cost savings estimated at 5-10% of payroll.
  • Improves stakeholder confidence, including suppliers and communities, fostering sustainable operations.

Why certify with ACS-GP

  • IASCB-accredited certification ensures international validity, with ACSGP's network spanning 50+ countries for seamless recognition.
  • Integrated audit options with other standards (e.g., ISO 9001) to reduce time and costs by 30%.
  • Expert guidance on OH&S tools, like digital hazard tracking, and free annual compliance check-ins.
  • Customized training for auditors and workers, enhancing internal capabilities post-certification.
  • Access to ACSGP's global benchmark reports for benchmarking safety performance.

Questions

ISO 45001:2018 certification — FAQs

Who should get ISO 45001:2018 certified?
Any organisation that wants independent proof its management system meets the standard — to win and reassure customers, satisfy regulators, reduce risk and improve day-to-day performance. It suits businesses of any size, in any sector.
How long does certification take?
It depends on how ready your management system is. Once your documented system is implemented and running, we complete a two-stage initial audit (readiness review, then the certification audit). We’ll give you a clear timeline after understanding your scope and sites.
How long is the certificate valid?
The certificate is valid for three years. Each year we carry out a surveillance audit to confirm your system stays effective, and in year three a recertification audit renews the cycle.
How much does ISO 45001:2018 certification cost?
Audit time — and therefore cost — depends on your organisation’s size, the number of sites, and the complexity and risk of your processes. Request a quote and we’ll prepare a clear, no-obligation proposal.

Ready to certify to ISO 45001:2018?

Talk to ACS-GP about certifying your organisation — or explore the other standards we certify against.

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