The Basics of OHSAS 18001

Occupational Health & Safety Management System

What is an OHSMS?

• OHSMS: Occupational Health and Safety Management System

• OHSMS aims to continuously improve OHS performance through the effective management of OHS risks and activities in the workplace.

• It contains a set of plans, actions and procedures that assist an organisation to systematically manage health and safety risk associated with their business.

• Many organisations are implementing an OHSMS to help them manage risk, address legislation and to protect their workforce.

What is OHSAS 18001?

• It is not an ISO standard, but integrates well withISO 9001 (quality) and ISO 14001 (environment), and applies to any organisation.

• OHSAS 18001 does not state specific occupational health and safety (OH&S) performance criteria. It sets a baseline and implements continuous improvement.

Why become OHSAS 18001 registered?

• Competent health & safety practices helps identify, eliminate or minimise injury, illness or disease in the workplace.

• Reduces the number and severity of injuries and claims by systematically and effectively managing OHS risk – often reducing costs.

• Gives a structured approach to managing OH&S• Increased regulatory compliance• Top management involvement• Increased employee awareness & involvement• Positive image with customers and other stakeholders

Key OH&S Definitions

• Hazard – Anything with the potential to cause harm, injury, illness or loss.

• Risk – A description of the likelihood and consequence of a hazard causing injury or illness.

• Risk assessment – The process of determining the likelihood and consequence of injury, disease or illness or damage arising from exposure to a hazard.

• Risk control – Measures that eliminate or reduce the risks associated with hazards.

Overview of the Requirements

of the OHSAS 18001 Standard

Plan – Do – Check – Act

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OHSMS Risk Management Principles

1. Identify health and safety hazards in the workplace that persons may be exposed to

2. Assess the hazards to determine the risk (likelihood and consequence of injury or harm to a person) resulting from such hazards

3. Control the hazard by considering means by which the risk can be reduced and implement method to eliminate or control that risk

4. Regularly review controls to make sure they remain effective.

Requirements: Summary

Key Requirements of OHSAS 18001:• OH&S Policy Statement• Planning• Document, implement and maintain the

system.• Checking and Corrective Action• Management Review• Continual Improvement• OHSAS 18001 parallels ISO 14001 very

closely

Requirements: General

Follow a Plan-Do-Check-Act approach.• Plan - Establish the objectives and processes needed to deliver the

results (in line with the OHSMS).• Do - Implement the needed processes of the OHSMS.• Check - Check the processes against the policy, objectives, targets,

regulations, and report the results. (Auditing)• Act - Take actions that will continually improve the OHSMS.

PLANDO

CHECK

ACT

Requirements (Plan): Management

• Top Management must be committed to and involved in the design and implementation of the OHSMS.

• They will write the Health & Safety Policy and be responsible for making sure it is communicated and implemented.

• Many specific responsibilities are assigned to Top Management to ensure their input and participation.

• After implementation Management will conduct management review to ensure continued effectiveness of the system.

Requirements (Plan): Resources

• The OHSMS must clarify what resources, human and physical are required to create safe working environment & products or services.

• During development of the system you will determine how to ensure competent personnel, identify training that is required, and identify the infrastructure and work environment required

Requirements (Plan): Form OHSMS

• Your organisation will need to plan all of the processes that go into making your product to ensure safe conditions.

• You will need to state of scope of the OHSMS and clearly identify the products and define the locations or sites that are part of the OHSMS.

Requirements (Do):Safety & Health Review

• An initial OH&S review will be needed.• Perform an assessment of hazards and risks; as

well as their Impacts.• Regulatory, legal and other requirements will

need to be identified.

Requirements (Do): Create OHSMS

• OH&S programmes with targets and objectives will need to be established, implemented and evaluated on an ongoing basis.

• Perform risk assessments suitable and create action plans based upon results, including:– Actions to be taken to maintain existing control measures– Actions to introduce new control measures – Actions to minimize risks that cannot be controlled.

• Emergency preparedness procedures will be required to address potential accidents and emergencies.

Requirements (Do): Create OHSMS

• A process will be needed for the Safety Team to evaluate compliance to legal and other requirements.

• Measuring and monitoring equipment will need to be controlled and calibrated.

• Monitoring the achievement of objectives• Records to facilitate corrective and preventive actions• Measuring and monitoring of product and process

characteristics that can have an impact on safety.– qualitative and quantitative aspects

Requirements (Check):Control Nonconformities

• Emergency response procedures should address – identifying potential for incidents and emergencies– preventing and mitigating resultant illnesses and injuries– responding to incidents and emergencies when they occur.

• Establish and document a system for controlling nonconformities.– When specified process limits are exceeded potentially unsafe

conditions must be identified, assessed, controlled and dispositioned appropriately.

– Identify corrections and corrective actions to mitigate health & safety risks and to eliminate the nonconformity and its cause.

Requirements (Check): Audit System and Control Records

• Establish the internal audit process. - Identify auditors, and plan internal audits to establish an audit program that will determine if the OHSMS is effective and current.

• Control the records associated with the OHSMS.

• Conduct regular management reviews to ensure effectiveness of the OHSMS.

Requirements (Act): Improve your OHSMS

• Continually improve the OHSMS through the use of:– Management reviews– Internal audits– Corrective actions– Analysis of data / results– Update the OHSMS

OHSAS 18001 Implementation Steps

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Implementation Timeline

• You will need to develop an implementation plan that covers:1. Learn about the OHSAS 18001 Standard2. Perform an OHSAS 18001 hazard/risk review &

gap analysis3. OHSAS 18001 project timetable4. Train your organisation on OHSAS 180015. Document your OHSMS according to 18001 6. Implement your OHSMS and conduct business7. Audit your OHSMS8. Registration Audit

Implementation: Conduct the OH&S Gap Analysis

1. You must determine your position with regards to Health & Safety:– Are there GAPS that need to be bridged? – What are they and where are they located?– How can they be improved?– Who will be taking corrective / preventive actions?

2. Your OH&S position needs to be analysed so that the GAPS can be bridged / closed.

Implementation: Conduct the OH&S Gap Analysis

3. Conduct a Gap Analysis – Complete a series of assessments in the following order:– Perform Initial Hazard Analysis– Perform Risk Assessment – Aspects/Impacts– Identify Legal and Other Requirements– Identify Health & Safety programs with objectives &

targets

4. Based on the results of the assessments, implement Improvement actions.

Implementation: Audit

• Use information / results from internal audits and management review to make improvements to the OHSMS.

• Run your system long enough to generate records for the Registrar to audit.

• Have a Registrar conduct your Registration Audit.