ISO 45001:2018 – Occupational Health & Safety

Overview

ISO 45001:2018 is the international standard for Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems, replacing OHSAS 18001:2007. It provides a framework to proactively identify and control OH&S risks, prevent work-related injuries, illnesses, and fatalities, and continually improve occupational health and safety performance. ISO 45001 requires active worker participation, integration with organisational strategy, and stronger leadership commitment than its predecessor.

Key differences from OHSAS 18001: Annex SL structure (integrates with ISO 9001 and 14001), explicit worker participation in OH&S decisions, context analysis (external/internal factors and stakeholder expectations), opportunity identification (not just risks), and stronger emphasis on the hierarchy of controls (elimination and substitution before PPE).

Benefits: Reduces workplace accidents and occupational diseases, legal compliance framework (Factories Act, Building and Other Construction Workers Act, Mines Act, state labour laws), supply chain requirement for international buyers and construction clients, worker morale improvement, potential insurance premium reduction, and mandatory for many Central/State government infrastructure tenders.

MFiling implementation support: from Rs.29,999 (exclusive of certification body fees).

Key Benefits

Systematic Hazard Identification and Control

All workplace hazards identified, assessed, and controlled — significant reduction in workplace accidents and occupational diseases.

Legal Compliance Framework — Factories Act, Labour Laws

Legal register of all applicable safety regulations maintained — Factories Act, BOCW Act, state labour laws all systematically monitored.

Mandatory for Government Infrastructure Tenders

Many Central and State government infrastructure, construction, and power sector tenders require ISO 45001 certification.

Worker Participation Builds Safety Culture

ISO 45001's explicit worker consultation requirement creates a participatory safety culture — workers identify hazards management misses.

Potential Insurance Premium Reduction

Demonstrating systematic risk management through ISO 45001 can support negotiations for lower workers' compensation and liability premiums.

Replaces OHSAS 18001 with Stronger Requirements

Organisations holding OHSAS 18001 must transition to ISO 45001 — MFiling manages the transition gap analysis and upgrade.

Documents Required

Company Profile and Organisational Chart with Job Roles and Reporting Lines

List of All Business Processes and Process Flowcharts (existing or to be developed)

List of Products and Services Offered with Key Customer and Supplier Information

Management Commitment Letter from Top Management (CEO/MD) Supporting Certification

Existing Quality/Management Procedures and Work Instructions (if any)

Previous Audit Reports or Non-Conformance Records (if any)

List of All Workplace Hazards — Physical, Chemical, Biological, Ergonomic, and Psychosocial

Accident/Incident Register and Near-Miss Reports for the Last 3 Years

How it Works

Gap Analysis (2–4 weeks)

MFiling auditor assesses current processes against the standard requirements — identifies gaps, non-conformities, and implementation priorities.

Documentation Development (4–8 weeks)

Prepare the Quality/Management Manual, process procedures, work instructions, forms, and records as required by the standard.

Employee Training and Awareness (2–4 weeks)

Train all relevant staff on the new management system — roles, responsibilities, procedures, and objectives.

Implementation and Operational Control (4–8 weeks)

Deploy the documented processes across all departments — monitor compliance and address practical implementation issues.

Internal Audit (2–3 weeks)

MFiling conducts a full internal audit against the standard requirements — identifies non-conformities before certification body audit.

Management Review (1 week)

Top management reviews audit results, performance data, objectives, and approves the management system for Stage 1 audit.

Stage 1 Audit (Certification Body) (1–2 days)

Accredited certification body reviews documentation and assesses readiness for Stage 2 audit — any major gaps addressed.

Stage 2 Audit and Certificate Issuance (2–5 days audit + 2–4 weeks processing)

Certification body conducts on-site audit of actual implementation — Certificate issued within 2–4 weeks if no major non-conformities.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the hierarchy of controls in ISO 45001 and why is it important?

The hierarchy of controls is the prescribed order for addressing workplace hazards from most to least effective: (1) Elimination — physically remove the hazard; (2) Substitution — replace with a less hazardous material/process; (3) Engineering Controls — isolate people from the hazard (guards, ventilation); (4) Administrative Controls — change how people work (procedures, training, rotation); (5) Personal Protective Equipment — protect workers when other controls are insufficient. ISO 45001 requires that organisations work through the hierarchy from the top — not jump straight to PPE. MFiling guides hazard control planning to ensure controls are implemented at the highest possible level.

Does my company need ISO 45001 if we already comply with the Factories Act?

Factories Act compliance and ISO 45001 are different. Factories Act compliance is the minimum legal requirement — it prescribes specific regulations for facilities, machinery guarding, PPE, and reporting. ISO 45001 goes beyond legal compliance to establish a proactive, systematic OH&S management system — hazard identification before incidents, worker participation, objective-setting, performance monitoring, and continual improvement. Many enterprises and international buyers require ISO 45001 specifically because it demonstrates a proactive safety culture beyond minimum statutory compliance. For businesses bidding on MNC contracts or government infrastructure tenders, ISO 45001 is typically required in addition to Factories Act compliance.

Service Price

₹29,999

Starting price · GST extra

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Systematic Hazard Identification and Control

All workplace hazards identified, assessed, and controlled — significant reduction in workplace accidents and occupational diseases.

Legal Compliance Framework — Factories Act, Labour Laws

Legal register of all applicable safety regulations maintained — Factories Act, BOCW Act, state labour laws all systematically monitored.

Mandatory for Government Infrastructure Tenders

Many Central and State government infrastructure, construction, and power sector tenders require ISO 45001 certification.

Worker Participation Builds Safety Culture

ISO 45001's explicit worker consultation requirement creates a participatory safety culture — workers identify hazards management misses.

Potential Insurance Premium Reduction

Demonstrating systematic risk management through ISO 45001 can support negotiations for lower workers' compensation and liability premiums.

Replaces OHSAS 18001 with Stronger Requirements

Organisations holding OHSAS 18001 must transition to ISO 45001 — MFiling manages the transition gap analysis and upgrade.

ISO 45001:2018 – Occupational Health & Safety

Overview

Key Benefits

Documents Required

How it Works

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Services

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ISO 45001:2018 – Occupational Health & Safety

Overview

Key Benefits

Documents Required

How it Works

Frequently Asked Questions

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