What is ISO 45001?

Achieving ISO 45001 demonstrates that your business takes a strong stance towards its occupational health and safety practices and is pulling out all the stops to keep its staff, customers and stakeholders free from harm.

As the best-regarded international standard for health and safety systems, it’s designed to prevent work-related injuries, illnesses, and accidents while promoting a safe, positive working environment for everyone.

Why invest in ISO 45001?

ISO 45001 certification will help you:

Comply with health and safety legislation

The UK has some of the most stringent health and safety regulations in the world, particularly those that fall under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. ISO 45001 provides a comprehensive framework that will help you meet your legal obligations and avoid fines and other disruptive legal actions.

Reduce workplace injuries and illnesses

One of the primary objectives of ISO 45001 is to reduce workplace accidents, injuries, and illnesses. By implementing effective health and safety policies, identifying potential hazards, and putting controls in place to mitigate risks, you can significantly improve the safety of your workforce.

Reduce costs associated with incidents

Direct costs relating to accidents, injuries and illnesses may include medical expenses, compensation claims, and fines, while indirect costs can involve lost productivity, increased insurance premiums, and damage to company reputation. ISO 45001 helps you proactively reduce and manage these expenses.

Gain a reputation for being responsible

Becoming ISO 45001 certified demonstrates that you are committed to running a safe working environment – so naturally, your customers, employees and stakeholders will feel like they are in the best hands when they partner with you. Being known for a strict approach to health and safety can also help to attract and retain new staff.

Adopt a systematic approach to risk management

Having better systems in place will help you reduce disruptions caused by any accidents or health-related issues and avoid the downtime and reduced productivity that often goes hand in hand with these challenges. If you’re in a particularly high-risk sector, such as the construction or manufacturing industry, managing risk more robustly will quickly become a competitive advantage.

Mitigate risk

Under ISO 45001, you need to conduct risk assessments, implement preventive measures, and regularly review and improve your safety procedures. Doing so demonstrates your due diligence and compliance with best practices, which can sometimes help to mitigate against any legal liabilities.

Stay accountable

ISO 45001 promotes a cycle of continual improvement which keeps you on top of your health and safety performance as a business. If health and safety regulations evolve, perhaps due to new technologies or changing working environments, you’ll be able to adapt to them quickly and confidently.

Improve in-house safety initiatives

ISO 45001 asks that you promote a culture of safety throughout the organisation, which usually involves engaging employees at all levels in health and safety initiatives, improving communication, and ensuring that everyone understands their roles and responsibilities in maintaining a safe workplace.

Access more opportunities

If you’ve got one eye on growth, ISO 45001 certification can help you meet global health and safety expectations, ensuring that your operations adhere to high standards regardless of where your business activities are taking place.