Occupational health and safety (OHS): definition, standards, and FAQs

What is occupational health and safety (OHS)?

The field of occupational health and safety (OHS) is heavily regulated. It also involves various employee representative bodies (IRPs). In addition to the laws and decrees codified in the Labor Code, several voluntary standards—such as those published by AFNOR, ISO, or CEN—directly address OHS and provide operational definitions of it. This is the case with ISO 45001, for example, which specifies in its terminology section that an “OSH policy” is a “policy aimed at preventing work-related injuries and illnesses among workers and providing safe and healthy workplaces.” Another definition, which gets to the heart of the matter: “occupational health and safety risk,” which is the “combination of the probability of occurrence of work-related hazardous event(s) or exposure(s), and the severity of injuries and illnesses that may be caused by such event(s) or exposure(s).”

Why and how should you get training in occupational safety and health?

The ILO estimates that worldwide, more than 2.3 million people die each year as a result of workplace accidents or occupational diseases. According to the ILO, the human cost of poor occupational safety and health practices amounts to 4% of gross domestic product annually. This is why workplace health and safety is a fundamental concern for most companies.

When it comes to occupational health and safety (OHS) training, the new ISO 45001 standard is now essential. It provides guidance on how to implement an OHS approach within an organization through a management system focused on continuous improvement. AFNOR Compétences also offers more specialized training courses on electrical work certification and ATEX compliance, as well as industrial risk prevention.

What is an occupational safety and health management system?

A management system is a type of organizational structure established within a company or an organization in the broader sense. When applied to occupational health and safety (OHS), a management system is a set of interrelated or interacting elements within an organization that are used to establish OHS policies, objectives, and processes designed to achieve those objectives.

An occupational health and safety management system aims to achieve three objectives: continuous improvement in occupational health and safety performance (i.e., measured results), compliance with legal requirements and any other requirements established by the organization, and the achievement of occupational health and safety objectives.

A company is not required to implement an occupational health and safety management system. It is a voluntary initiative that allows a company to integrate a project into the core of its operations using the PDCA cycle—Plan, Do, Check, Act—which involves planning, implementing, verifying, and improving. All ISO management system standards adopt this approach.

AFNOR Compétences offers training to help you master the PDCA cycle

How can we anticipate occupational health and safety issues?

Management system standards such as ISO 9001 (quality), ISO 14001 (environment), ISO 50001 (energy), and of course ISO 45001 (occupational health and safety), prompt organizations to reflect on the broader context in which they operate, beyond the strict production of goods or services, whether the organization is a business, a local government, or another type of entity.

The objective is twofold: first, to determine the internal and external contextual factors that could impact its QSE objectives. Second, to identify the relevant stakeholders—that is, the parties on whom the successful execution of activities depends. Forcing oneself to ask these kinds of questions fosters awareness. It is a preventive approach, not a reactive one. Previous versions of management system standards could lead to waiting until an event had occurred before drawing conclusions and making improvements. Now, by asking these questions, we anticipate major issues that will—or could—impact expected results. We define priorities from the outset to inform policy and objectives, in alignment with the company’s strategy.

What is ISO 45001?

Since March 2018, occupational health and safety (OHS) management has had its own voluntary international standard: ISO 45001, the result of four years of discussions involving more than sixty countries. It charts a new course for significantly improving the prevention of workplace accidents, injuries, musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), stress-related or fatigue-related disorders… and thus helping organizations become more competitive.

Who developed ISO 45001?

Like all voluntary standards, ISO 45001 was co-developed by users from around the world. It was approved by 93% of the countries represented during a final vote on January 25, 2018. The AFNOR commission, representing France, was able to express its position and modify certain passages to advocate for its ideas. Ultimately, it notes that the text incorporates the basic principles of prevention to which it is particularly committed.

Anyone is welcome to participate in the drafting and revision of voluntary standards.

Is ISO 45001 mandatory?

Preconceived notions die hard. When people hear the word “standard,” many think of “mandatory requirements, rigidity, and uniformity.” And yet, the international standard ISO 45001 continues to prove us wrong.

As a certification body, we cannot help but note the wide variety of organizations that voluntarily adopt this standard. This ISO standard is used by security firms, public works companies, and material handling firms, as well as service providers. ISO 45001 is often combined with other standards focused on quality or the environment, depending on the organizations’ specific needs. Why? Quite simply because it does not set requirements regarding resources. By avoiding a prescriptive approach, it gives organizations the freedom to define how to implement an effective occupational health and safety system. A nice slap in the face to those who still think the standard is restrictive!

Why get certified in occupational health and safety?

There are two types of occupational safety and health certification: one for the organization and one for the individual.

For an organization, holding an occupational health and safety certification demonstrates compliance with regulations and an effective structure for growth. It is a key differentiator for gaining market share. It is also an effective way to support employees’ efforts. Certification is a reward for everyone who contributes to its success.

AFNOR Certification audits drive the continuous improvement process. They provide a straightforward way to better manage occupational risks by enhancing worker safety and reducing workplace hazards. ISO 45001 certification helps foster the sharing of best practices among employees and contributes to improving the organization’s performance by creating better working conditions.

For an individual, certification serves as proof of expertise in occupational health and safety and auditing. It is a recognized way to demonstrate one’s expertise and thus offer one’s services. This applies to the field of integrated QSE management, for companies with a multi-standard approach (ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and ISO 45001—formerly OHSAS 18001), and more specifically to occupational health and safety.

Which organizations are committed to occupational safety and health?

Organizations of all kinds are committing to occupational health and safety. Because ISO 45001 has universal applicability—as it is the result of an agreement among many countries with different experiences, practices, cultures, and laws—it is equally suited to micro-enterprises, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), mid-sized companies, large corporations, as well as public agencies and professional associations. ISO 45001 was designed to be applicable to all organizations regardless of their size, the product or service they provide, or their industry sector. The proof: those that have gone so far as to become certified represent a wide range of organizations, such as the Moroccan pharmaceutical laboratory Afric-Phar ( Read his story here ) or the electronics manufacturer Axon Cable ( Read his story here ).

Our regional offices are hosting free informational sessions to introduce this standard and explain how to implement it within your organization.

What are the occupational health and safety risks?

The AFNOR Group does not maintain an index of occupational health and safety risks, but we can share feedback from organizations that are undergoing occupational health and safety training or requesting ISO 45001 audits. Occupational health and safety risks are specific to each activity, each profession, and each context.

ISO 45001 requires organizations to conduct an analysis of occupational health and safety (OHS) risks and the resulting opportunities. What do these two concepts entail? Risk is defined as the effect of uncertainty, which implies a cause-and-effect relationship between a number of factors (legal, social, societal, etc.) and their impact on the expected outcome. Opportunities, on the other hand, encompass the efforts required in light of the expected benefits. If a company must expend significant effort and the expected gains are low, the opportunity is not worth pursuing. Conversely, if the potential benefit is substantial, then there is an opportunity to be seized, and understanding it will shape the planning of actions.

The main advantage of this approach is that it focuses on issues identified by the organization as priorities and strategic priorities. It is better to carry out fewer initiatives but target them more effectively in relation to the desired performance than to try to address everything and spread oneself too thin across too many topics.

ISO 45001 does not prescribe any specific method to guide you in assessing risks and opportunities. Very often, the concepts of frequency and severity are used because they are well-established in the field of occupational health and safety for establishing cause-and-effect relationships. For each risk in your management system, you can define an exposure frequency and the severity of the impact on the management system. Similarly, the questions used to develop the Single Document (SD) regarding the risks identified in the company and their rating will be useful for prioritizing which risks to address.

The risks-and-opportunities approach serves as a valuable decision-making tool that supports the setting of priorities. Previously, certain preventive measures might have been implemented by chance, based on a passive approach. In contrast, QSE standards, through this concept of opportunity, help organizations recognize the benefits of capitalizing on a situation.

What happens during an ISO 45001 audit?

ISO 45001 certification for a company is valid for three years and includes an annual surveillance audit, in accordance with the rules of the accrediting body and the IAF at the international level.

AFNOR Certification auditors conduct their audits and submit their reports, along with a certification recommendation (certification, maintenance, renewal, or withdrawal), to the authorized decision-makers. The decision-makers review the reports and make their decision based on the report, in accordance with the accreditation rules set forth in the 17021-x series of standards.

For ISO 45001, an annual external renewal or surveillance audit is conducted each year. Contact our team to find out the cost and get a quote.

A practical guide that is highly informative and developed by a group of experts in the field, this book provides step-by-step guidance to help readers prepare for an ISO 45001 certification audit. It covers definitions, an analysis of the standard’s requirements, pitfalls to avoid, key questions to ask, and the auditor’s approach and mindset… The illustrations and examples provide a better understanding of ISO 45001 and also help to demystify the certification audit.

How do you get started with an occupational safety and health initiative?

Don’t start from scratch! Voluntary standards are there to save you time: they provide you with proven approaches developed collaboratively and collectively by experts in the field. These are the most legitimate and widely accepted approaches.

If you would like to implement an occupational safety and health program, Purchase the ISO 45001 standard and attend a free informational workshop—it’s the easiest way to get started. Our training programs will help you build your skills and effectively lead the occupational safety and health initiative within your organization. The ISO 45001 certification is obviously a way to formalize

How do you conduct OHS monitoring?

Regulatory compliance in occupational health and safety applies to all companies, regardless of their size, geographic location, or industry. Regulatory compliance is the primary requirement in any risk management initiative related to these areas. Failure to comply can have significant consequences for your company, including administrative or even criminal penalties, quality issues, dissatisfaction among customers or stakeholders, and loss of certification…

Discover our COBAZ solution, an online tool specifically designed to help you monitor regulatory changes, as required by the NF EN ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 standards. The tool also makes it easy for you to track your compliance.