1. OHSAS 18001: Occupational health and safety management systems - Specification
Karen Lawrence

2. OHSAS 18001 vs HSG 65 OHSAS 18001: HSG 65: Policy – Planning –
Both have Plan Do Check Act as basic principles.
Both cover largely the same territory, such as having a policy, assessing risks, allocating responsibility and resources
But gives a concise list of parts for a conforming management system, whereas HSG 65 also gives descriptions of them, what they aim to achieve and why. See thickness!
OHSAS 18001:
Policy – Planning –
Implement & Operate – Check & Correct – Man. Review – Continual Improvement
HSG 65:
Policy – Organisation –
Plan & Implement – Measure Perf. - Review Perf. - Audit

3. 1. Scope
This OHSAS specification gives requirements for an occupational health and safety (OH&S) management system, to enable an organisation to control its OH&S risks and improve its performance
It does not state specific OH&S performance criteria, not does it give detailed specifications for the design of a management system

4. This OHSAS Specification is applicable to any organization that wishes to:
establish an OH&S management system
implement, maintain and continually improve an OH&S management system
assure itself of its conformance with its O&HS policy
demonstrate such conformance to others
seek certification by an external organization
make a self-determination and declaration of conformance

5. Policy (4.2) Authorised by top management
Overall objectives clearly stated
Commitment to continual improvement of H&S performance clearly stated
Legal compliance as a minimum
Relevant and appropriate
Communicated with intent to make all employees aware of their responsibilities
Documented, implemented and maintained
Available to interested parties
Reviewed

6. Planning 4.3 Planning Inputs Planning Outputs
Hazard identification (4.3.1)
Risk assessment (4.3.1)
Meets legal and other requirements (4.3.2)
Planning Outputs
Risk control measures (4.3.1)
H&S Objectives (4.3.3)
H&S management programme (4.3.4)
The risk assessment must:
Be proactive rather than reactive
Classify risks and identify those to be eliminated or controlled by measures in objectives and management programme
Include routine and non-routine activities.
Include the activities of all personnel accessing the workplace.
Include the facilities at the workplace, regardless of who provided them.

7. Implementation and Operation (4.4)
Structure and Responsibility (4.4.1)
Define, document and communicate roles and responsibilities which effect H&S
Responsibility rests with top management
Training, Awareness and Competence (4.4.2)
Training should take account of levels of responsibility, ability, literacy and risk
Procedures should ensure H&S awareness and competence at all levels
One senior manager should ensure H&S man. Sys. Is implemented and functioning correctly – reports to others.

8. Consultation and Communication (4.4.3)
Procedures in place to communicate pertinent info to and from employees and others
The procedures should be documented
Employees consulted on arrangements, changes, review of policies etc
Employees should know who their H&S rep(s) and who the H&S management appointee is
Employee involvement and consultation arrangements must be documented

9. Document and Data Control (4.4.5)
Documentation (4.4.4)
Maintained and stored in a suitable medium
Describes management system
Directs to other documentation and how to use it
Document and Data Control (4.4.5)
Procedures will be in place to ensure all documents can be found and are reviewed
Current versions should be available where needed and obsolete versions removed

10. Operational Control (4.4.6)
Plan to control operations and activities associated with identified risks
Procedures where required which stipulate operating criteria
Procedures related to risks of goods and services and for communication with suppliers
Procedures for workplace and process design in order to eliminate or reduce risks at source
Documented procedures required where their absence could lead to deviations from H&S policy and objectives

11. Emergency Preparedness and Response (4.4.7)
Plans and procedures to identify the potential for, and responses to, incidents and emergency situations, and for preventing and mitigating the likely illness and injury that may be associated with them
They shall be reviewed, particularly after incidents
They shall be tested periodically where practicable

12. Checking and Corrective Action (4.5)
Performance measurement & monitoring (4.5.1)
Procedures should be in place to monitor how well H&S objectives are met
Quantitative and Qualitative
Proactive (compliance with law, man sys etc)
Reactive (accident, ill health etc)
Equipment required for monitoring should be maintained and calibrated

13. Accidents, incidents, non-conformances and preventative action (4.5.2)
Procedures, responsibilities and authority for:
handling & investigating accidents, incidents and non-conformances
taking action to mitigate consequences
ensuring prevent / correct actions are taken
confirming the effectiveness of the actions

14. Records and Record Management (4.5.3)
Procedures should identify & maintain H&S records
H&S records should be legible, identifiable, traceable and stored in a retrievable way

15. Audit (4.5.4) Audit programme should determine;
if the H&S system conforms to planned arrangements & the std.
if it has been implemented and maintained properly
If it is effective in meeting policy and objectives
It should review the results of previous audits
It should provide information to management
It should be based on previous audit and risk assessment results
If possible, the auditor should be independent of the audited activity

16. 4.6 Management Review
Senior management should regularly review the H&S management system
Review should determine if the system delivers policy, objectives and operational control
Review should determine if the system works for the company.
It was suggested that adding the subject to ongoing management meetings is the best way.

17. Simplified Model of OHSAS 18001
Challenges in OHSAS 18001
Top management involvement
Proper use of risk assessment as proactive measure
Focus on system performance and improvement, not just legal compliance
A coherent interconnected system