Vote starts on final draft of ISO 45001 for occupational health and safety

ISO 45001, Occupational health and safety management systems – Requirements with guidance for use, will help organizations provide a safe and healthy workplace for its workers and other people, prevent deaths, work-related injury and ill health as well as continually improve occupational health and safety (OH&S) performance. It has just reached the Final Draft International Standard (FDIS) stage, meaning interested parties can once more submit feedback on the draft before its final publication expected in March 2018.

Latest estimates from the International Labour Organization (ILO) show that, each day, more than 6 300 people die as a result of work-related activities (that’s over 2.3 million a year), and over 300 million accidents occur on the job annually. The burden to employers and employees alike is immense, resulting in losses to the wider economy from early retirements, staff absence and rising insurance premiums.

Applicable in all parts of the world and across all sectors, the future ISO 45001 is intended to reduce this terrible toll. It will be the first global standard of its kind, giving organizations a universally accepted framework for improving employee health and safety, reducing workplace risks and creating healthier, safer working conditions.

www.iso.org/news/ref2249.html

Mohammad Mojtabaei