a systems‐thinking perspective and the iceberg model presented in Figure 1, inclusion of OH&S opportunities into the OHSMS vernacular with ISO 45001:2018 is a significant advancement as it nudges industrial hygienists and OH&S professionals to think more broadly than simply in terms of hazards and risks, and their immediate control. That is, as seen in Table 1, the idea of “opportunities” promotes actions like increased worker participation, as well as integration of OH&S activities with an organization's business processes. Over time, distinctions, ideas, etc. like this (opportunity and opportunities) impact mental models, and hence actions.
FIGURE 3 Risk matrix example.
TABLE 1 Examples of opportunities to improve OH&S performance in ISO 45001:2018.
| “Inspection and auditing functions;Job hazard analysis (job safety analysis) and task‐related assessments;Improving OH&S performance by alleviating monotonous work or work at a potentially hazardous predetermined work rate;Permit to work and other recognition and control methods;Incident or nonconformity investigations and corrective actions;Ergonomic and other injury prevention‐related assessments. |
| Examples other opportunities to improve OH&S performance: |
| Integrating occupational health and safety requirements at the earliest stage in the life cycle of facilities, equipment or process planning for facilities relocation, process re‐design or replacement of machinery and plant;Integrating occupational health and safety requirements at the earliest stage of planning for facilities relocation, process re‐design or replacement of machinery and plant;Using new technologies to improve OH&S performance;Improving the occupational health and safety culture, such as by extending competence related to occupational health and safety beyond requirements or encouraging workers to report incidents in a timely manner;Improving the visibility of top management's support for the OH&S management system;Enhancing the incident investigation process(es);Improving the process(es) for worker consultation and participation;Benchmarking, including consideration of the organization's own past performance and that of other organizations;Collaborating in forums that focus on topics dealing with occupational health and safety (37). |
More on OH&S opportunities follows below when addressing aspects of ISO 45001:2015 in Section 5.
4.4 Process Focus
While the notion of process or processes was inherent in early MS approaches, it wasn't explicitly included in an MS until ISO 9001:2000 (38). It was first explicitly included in an OHSMS with ANSI Z10:2012 (39). Early approaches (quality, environment, OHSMS, etc.) were heavy in requirements to have procedures that defined and described processes. In practical terms, procedures remain valuable for numerous reasons, they just are not required, for instance as in ISO 45001:2018. The focus in newer MSs is on identifying processes, as opposed to having procedures for them. ISO 45001:2018 defines process (3.25) as a “set of interrelated or interacting activities which transforms inputs into outputs” (40).
Two examples follow from ISO 45001:2018 with requirements related to process(es). Prior to the shift to a process(es) focus, the word “procedure” would have been used.
6.1.2.2 Assessment of OHS risks and other risks to the OHSMS
“…establish, implement, and maintain a process(es) to assess OHS risks from the identified hazards, while taking into account the effectiveness of existing controls; and, determine and assess the other risks related to the establishment, implementation, operation, and maintenance of the OHSMS” (41).
6.1.2.3 Assessment of OHS opportunities and other opportunities for the OHSMS.
“…establish, implement, and maintain a process(es) to OHS opportunities to assess OH&S opportunities to enhance OHS performance, while taking into account planned changes to the organization, its policies, its processes or its activities and: opportunities to adapt work, work organization and work environment to workers; and opportunities to eliminate hazards and reduce OHS risk” (41).
4.5 Industrial Hygiene Practice and OHSMSs
Industrial hygienists and OH&S professionals address risk‐related issues both the local level (single plant, shop floor, etc.), and at the enterprise level (numerous business units and plants, etc.). OHSMS approaches provide a framework that supports industrial hygienists and OH&S professionals in performing workplace risk assessments. As described in ANSI Z690.3‐2011, “Risk Assessment Techniques” (42) the purpose of a risk assessment is to “provide evidence‐based information and analysis to make informed decisions on how to treat particular risks and how to select between options.” This description points to an industrial hygienists responsibility.
At the local level industrial hygienists typically collect exposure data to compare with established exposure limits. They compare a substance's hazard to the exposure potential. This approach is directly comparable to the OHSMS risk analysis process with a focus on exposure assessment rather than a broad focus on the risk to the management system as a whole.
At the enterprise level industrial hygienists focus on risk management. They evaluate risk events in terms of severity and likelihood, but define these elements in terms of harm to the enterprise over the enterprise's life. These comparisons are often not to established standards, but to more subjective, internally established standards based on the organizations risk tolerance.
FIGURE 4 Relationship between health and enterprise risk assessments.
Figure 4 depicts the relationship between the traditional IH worker health risk assessment and its potential to impact the organization as a whole. An industrial hygienist evaluates exposure risks; when that risk has the potential for severe harm or to affect a large group of individuals it has the potential to adversely impact the organization.
5 ISO 45001:2018
From the time when systems approaches began to take hold in OH&S management in the 1980s and 1990s, up to the publication of ISO 45001:2018, over 30 different OHSMS approaches were identified in an ILO study (23). The publication of ISO 45001:2018 represented a significant advancement in the OHSMS arena as it contains a bundle of distinctions that expand historic OH&S perspectives (e.g. systems thinking and mental models), and provides a robust tool for industrial hygienists and OH&S professionals to provide sustained value, increased risk resilience, and positive impact to their organizations.
As indicated, attempts to develop an ISO‐based OHSMS began in the mid‐1990s. The ISO group (PC 283) that developed it held its first meeting in October 2013. The group's membership included key liaison organizations and representatives from over 70 countries with a 93% vote in favor of accepting the committee's final document.
ISO's high‐level MSS dictated ISO 45001's overall structure and many of the distinctions and requirements contained with it. A summary of how the high‐level MSS's 10 sections, excluding §2 “normative