ISO 45001 LI key terms

The conditions and factors that affect, or could affect, the physical and mental health, safety and wellbeing of workers and other people in a workplace. It covers injury prevention, ill health, and the circumstances in which work is performed.

A set of interrelated elements an organization uses to establish OH&S policy and objectives and to achieve those objectives through planned processes and arrangements. It includes structure, roles, planning, support, operation, evaluation and improvement activities.

A source or situation with the potential to cause injury and ill health to people. Hazards may be physical, chemical, biological, ergonomic, psychosocial, or related to work organization, equipment or the environment.

The combination of the likelihood of an occurrence of a hazardous event or exposure and the severity of injury or ill health that can be caused by the event or exposure. Risk is assessed before controls are applied and again afterwards.

A circumstance or set of circumstances that can lead to improvement of OH&S performance. Opportunities can arise from hazards, from changes, or from new ideas, and are addressed alongside risks in planning.

A person performing work or work-related activities under the control of the organization, including managers, employees at all levels, contractors, agency personnel and volunteers. The term reflects that control, not the type of contract.

A person or organization that can affect, be affected by, or perceive itself to be affected by a decision or activity. In OH&S this commonly includes workers, regulators, neighbours, customers, insurers and contractors.

The combination of internal and external issues that can affect the organization's intended OH&S outcomes. Understanding it includes considering the organization's activities, culture, legal environment, and the needs of interested parties.

Top management's documented statement of overall direction and commitment to preventing injury and ill health, fulfilling compliance obligations, and continually improving the OH&S management system. It provides the framework for setting OH&S objectives.

The person or group of people who directs and controls an organization at the highest level. Top management provides leadership, approves the policy and objectives, and remains accountable even when it delegates activities.

A recurring activity to enhance OH&S performance, not a one-off corrective action. It includes improving the suitability, adequacy and effectiveness of the management system as well as reducing risk and preventing injury and ill health.

The measurable results of the organization's management of its OH&S risks and opportunities. It can be measured at organizational, process or activity level and includes both leading and lagging indicators.

The documented boundaries and applicability of the management system, based on the organization's context, compliance obligations, activities and its ability to control or influence OH&S outcomes. All activities within the scope must be covered by the system.

A structured comparison of the organization's current arrangements against the requirements of ISO 45001, used to identify what already exists and what must be developed. It is usually the first step before implementation planning.

A documented schedule of activities, responsibilities, resources and target dates for establishing the OH&S management system. It sequences work such as gap closure, documentation, training and internal audit before certification.

The senior manager who provides authority, resources and escalation support for the OH&S management system implementation. The sponsor removes barriers and links the project to broader organizational strategy.

Legislation, regulations, collective agreements, permits and other obligations the organization must comply with, including those it voluntarily subscribes to. They must be identified, accessible and considered in planning.

The information required to be established and maintained, and the evidence of results achieved. It includes the scope, policy, objectives, process descriptions and records necessary to support operation and demonstrate conformity.

Information the organization is required to control and maintain, and the medium on which it is carried. It covers both documents that guide work and records that provide evidence of results, in any format or location.

A process of recognizing hazards and understanding their characteristics, including how work is organized and how hazards interact. It must be proactive, ongoing and consider routine and non-routine activities, emergencies and change.

The process of evaluating the risk arising from identified hazards, taking existing controls into account, and deciding whether further action is needed. It uses defined criteria and is repeated when circumstances change.

The organization's defined basis for evaluating the significance of risk, such as likelihood and severity scales and acceptability thresholds. Criteria make risk decisions consistent and comparable across activities.

The risk that remains after existing controls have been applied and evaluated. It is compared against risk criteria to decide whether additional controls or other action are required.

A preferred order of control measures: eliminate the hazard, substitute, use engineering controls and work reorganization, then administrative controls, with personal protective equipment last. Higher levels generally give more reliable protection.

A measurable result to be achieved that is consistent with the OH&S policy and relevant to preventing injury and ill health. Objectives are set at relevant functions and levels, with plans for what, who, when and how results are evaluated.

The part of the management system concerned with identifying risks and opportunities, determining legal and other requirements, and setting objectives and plans to address them. Planning links context and policy to operational action.

A planned process for controlling temporary and permanent changes that affect OH&S performance, such as new processes, equipment, personnel or organizational restructuring. It assesses risks before change is implemented and considers unintended consequences.

Planned arrangements and criteria for processes needed to address OH&S risks and opportunities, applied so that work is carried out as intended. Controls include procedures, permits, physical safeguards, supervision and competence requirements.

The process of acquiring products, materials, equipment and services, in which the organization must determine and communicate OH&S requirements to suppliers. It links purchased goods and services to the organization's risk controls.

An arrangement where an external organization performs part of a function or process on the organization's behalf. Outsourced processes must be controlled or influenced, and the degree of control is defined in the management system.

An external organization or person providing services to the organization under agreed terms. Contractors and their workers must be covered by OH&S arrangements, including coordination, communication and control of their activities.

Planned processes to prepare for and respond to potential emergency situations, including first aid, evacuation, spill response and drills. Plans are tested periodically and reviewed after tests, incidents or changes.

The processes by which workers are consulted on OH&S matters and enabled to participate in decisions affecting their health and safety. It requires removing barriers such as fear of reprisal and providing necessary information and training.

The ability to apply knowledge and skills to achieve intended results, determined by education, training or experience. The organization must identify required competence, ensure workers are competent, and retain evidence.

The systematic determination of OH&S performance, including what is monitored, the methods used, when it is done and when results are analyzed. It covers both leading and lagging indicators and legal compliance evaluation.

A measurable value used to track progress toward an OH&S objective or the effectiveness of controls. Leading indicators measure preventive activity; lagging indicators measure outcomes such as incidents and ill health.

An occurrence arising out of or in the course of work that could or does result in injury or ill health. Incidents include near misses, accidents and cases of work-related ill health, and are investigated to find causes.

A failure to meet a requirement of the OH&S management system standard or of the organization's own arrangements. It may be identified by audits, inspections, monitoring or incidents and must be corrected and addressed.

Action taken to eliminate the cause of a nonconformity or incident so that it does not recur. It follows root cause analysis and is reviewed for effectiveness, with system-wide implications considered.

A systematic, independent and documented process for evaluating the OH&S management system against planned arrangements and requirements. Audits are planned by risk and importance, and auditors should not audit their own work.

Top management's periodic evaluation of the OH&S management system's suitability, adequacy and effectiveness. It considers defined inputs and produces decisions on improvement, resources and changes to the system.

An independent third-party audit to determine whether the OH&S management system conforms to ISO 45001 and is effectively implemented. It typically has stage 1 and stage 2 phases followed by surveillance audits.

The first phase of an initial certification audit, focused on readiness for stage 2. It reviews documentation, scope, context, internal audit and management review, and identifies concerns to be resolved before the next stage.

The second phase of an initial certification audit, which evaluates implementation and effectiveness of the OH&S management system. It gathers evidence of conformity and effectiveness and may result in findings and a certification decision.

The result of evaluating collected audit evidence against audit criteria, recorded as conformity or nonconformity, with nonconformities graded as major or minor. Findings are used to decide corrective action and certification.