Adoption of ISO 45001

The adoption of ISO 45001, Occupational health and safety management systems - Requirements, as a joint Australian and New Zealand standard has been formally accepted, announced Catherine Dunkerley, Senior Stakeholder Engagement Manager, Standards Australia, during the National Safety Conference, part of SAFETYconnect in August.

The decision to adopt the standard comes after an extensive consultation period with the Standards Australia safety technical committee SF1, industry, government and the public.

“It will be a voluntary standard in Australia until such date as it is specified in the regulation,” said Dunkerley who also stressed the importance for organisations to remember that their legal requirements remain their key requirement.

Currently, AS/NZS 4801:2001 remains cited in the Asbestos Regulations under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 and will continue to be cited until the government decides to review the legislation.

A team of four experts from Australia will also be attending the ISO committee meeting in the UK this month with the aim to endorse a work program for further enhancement to ISO 45001. The program has proposed the inclusion of accident and incident reporting as well as mental health and wellbeing.

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/Daniel Berkmann