ISO 45001 requirements — a plain-English checklist
ISO 45001 is the international standard for occupational health and safety management. Here is what it asks of a UK business, area by area, and the evidence an assessor expects — without reproducing the standard's text (you still need your own copy of ISO 45001:2018 to certify).
The requirements, area by area
Context & interested parties
Understand your organisation, the workers and other interested parties, and the internal and external issues (now including climate) that affect health and safety, and define the scope of your system.
Leadership & worker participation
Top management must take accountability, set an OH&S policy and objectives, and — distinctively for 45001 — ensure genuine consultation and participation of workers, not just managers.
Planning: hazards, risks & legal duties
Identify hazards, assess OH&S risks and opportunities, and determine your legal and other requirements. This is where the system connects to your actual risk assessments.
Support: competence, awareness, documents
Provide the resources, competence, awareness, communication and documented information the system needs — the people are trained and the records are controlled.
Operation: controls & emergencies
Plan and control operations to eliminate hazards and reduce risks (using the hierarchy of controls), manage change, control procurement and contractors, and prepare for emergencies.
Performance evaluation
Monitor and measure, evaluate compliance with legal requirements, run internal audits, and hold management reviews that actually drive decisions.
Improvement
Investigate incidents and non-conformities, take corrective action, and continually improve the system.
The evidence behind the checklist
Each area produces records an assessor will want to see: the OH&S policy and objectives, hazard identification and risk assessments, your legal register, competence and training records, controlled documents, incident investigations, internal audits and corrective actions. Keeping that current and joined-up is what an ISO compliance system is for.
Hold the ISO 45001 evidence in one place
Policy, risk, competence, audits and actions — audit-ready, on its own or as part of an integrated management system.
ISO compliance software →FAQs
Is ISO 45001:2018 still the current version?
Yes. ISO 45001:2018 remains the current published edition. A revision is in development, but until it is published the 2018 edition is what you certify to.
Does ISO 45001 replace my legal H&S duties?
No. Certification helps you manage safety, but your legal duties apply whether or not you are certified. See our guide on ISO 45001 vs health & safety law for the distinction.
What is the biggest difference from other ISO standards?
Worker consultation and participation. ISO 45001 places unusual weight on involving workers in the system, not just documenting it from the top down.
Related: ISO 45001 vs health & safety law, ISO internal audit checklist, and preparing for a certification audit. General information, not legal or certification advice.