OHSAS 18001
OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH & SAFETY

WHAT IS OHSAS 18001?

OHSAS is the management systems specification for the management of an organisations health & safety responsibilities. OHSAS has not been published as a British Standard, but has been produced to meet market demand for a recognisable and auditable standard, to which companies can be assessed and certificated.

The specification has been developed to be compatible with other management systems standards such as ISO 9000 for Quality Management Systems and ISO 14001 for Environmental Management Systems.

HOW TO IMPLEMENT OHSAS 18001?

As for other management system standards, ISO 18001 is intended to be used as a model or framework for organisations to use when developing their management system, that is relevant to an organisations processes and personnel policies. Below are some of the key elements, essential to the implementation of an effective environmental management system:

An health & Safety policy
Review of applicable legislation and regulations
The identification and evaluation of risk, including historical information and existing procedures
Documented procedures and documentation control
Effective methods of communication and training
Planning for accidents and responses
Corrective and preventive action and continuous improvement

ASSESSMENT AND CERTIFICATION

Once a company has completed the implementation of an OHSAS 18001 environmental management system which has been running for at least 4-6 months and completed a full systems internal audit and management review process, they are ready to begin making enquiries into choosing a Certification Body that can undertake the third party assessment and certification services that will complete the process of obtaining registration to OHSAS 18001.

AMTAC TRAINING DIVISION

AMTAC Certification Services, Training Division has developed a series of training courses and workshops that are available on a nationwide basis. The courses are designed to facilitate a practical approach to implementing and auditing to this standard. For further details please refer to our training pages.

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WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF IMPLEMENTING OHSAS 18001?

ISO 18001 aims to facilitate organisations in meeting their legal and regulatory requirements, whilst also providing tangible commercial benefits through the effective implementation, ongoing maintenance and continuous improvement of a documented management system. The aim of the OHSAS 18001 specification is to prevent, control and reduce hazards and risks within the working environment.

As with other management systems standards such as ISO 14001, implementation, assessment and certification of an Occupational health & Safety management system, that meets the requirements of OHSAS 18001, will support organisations in producing evidence of meeting their legal responsibilities with regard to the health & safety of employees and due diligence. Other major benefits include, reducing waste and increasing efficiency by

Increasing access to insurance cover at a reduced cost by having a management system that includes risk minimisation and planning.
The enhancement of an organisations commercial image, marketability and competitive edge through the achievement of a recognised management system certification.
An increase in staff motivation and communications by active participation in the processes of continuous improvement and hazard reduction.
Improve relations with industry and regulators through the implementation and management of a system that is designed to ensure that legal and regulatory issues are addressed and hazards, accidents and risks managed and where possible reduced by objectives and targets setting.

WHY CHOOSE AMTAC AS YOUR CERTIFICATION BODY?

AMTAC clearly focuses on providing a service, which combines a high level of commitment to client satisfaction, with a consistent and non-bureaucratic approach to management certification and registration.

AMTAC operates on a global basis, supported by strategically placed offices and assessors to provide companies with a service that is designed to work in partnership with clients and facilitate the improvement and maximisation of business opportunities, through the effective use of the assessment and ongoing surveillance processes.