OHSAS 18001 Occupational Health & Safety Management Systems

The importance of managing Occupational Health and Safety is recognised by all interested parties: employers, employees, customers, suppliers, insurers, shareholders, the community, contractors, and regulatory agencies. OHSAS 18001 has been developed in response to an urgent customer demand for an internationally recognised Occupational Health, Welfare and Safety Management Specification, against which their management systems could be assessed and certified.

OHSAS 18001 is an occupational health, Welfare and safety management system, designed to assist companies to make their companies safer and comply with their legal obligations. A systems approach to workplace health and safety management contributes to company success and reduced accidents and ill health costs, which are often hidden and underestimated. OHSAS offers a structured approach to developing, implementing, maintaining and continually improving occupational health, welfare and safety and can be used as a management tool, to eliminate or minimise risk to employees and other interested parties.

The emphasis is placed on practices being pro-active and preventive, by the identification of hazards and the evaluation and control of work related risks. OHSAS 18001 can be used by organisation of all sizes regardless of the nature of their activities or location. Organisations can now achieve third party certification for their Occupational Health and Safety management system.