What is ISO 45001 certification?
ISO 45001 is the internationally recognised standard for occupational health and safety and exists to protect visitors and employees from work-related accidents. Worldwide, around 340 million occupational accidents happen annually. Obtaining ISO 45001 certification not only signals to customers, suppliers, and other stakeholders that your organisation is compliant with legislation but also indicates that you are a trustworthy company to work with. However, obtaining ISO 45001 certification comes at a cost just like other accreditations. Cost is one of many questions that are typically on a decision maker’s mind. Another common one is ‘does my organisation really need it?’. These are two key questions we will cover in this article.
Does my organisation need ISO 45001 certification?
Although ISO 45001 certification is not a legal requirement, having the accreditation ensures a structured framework that ensures a safe working environment. ISO 45001 certification can also be achieved by businesses of any size, which means it is suitable regardless of whether you have a few employees or a few thousand.
A great place to start when deciding whether your organisation needs ISO 45001 certification is to think about the following questions. Do you want to improve risk management? Do you want to protect your company’s reputation? Is an increase in productivity and more opportunities something your organisation will benefit from? If the answer is yes to one or more of these questions, it is worth your organisation obtaining ISO 45001 certification.
What are some common industries that have ISO 45001 certification?
Whilst ISO 45001 certification is applicable to many organisations in different industries, there are some which reap the benefits of the accreditation more. This is due to a number of reasons, for example industries such as construction may frequently tender for work.
Here are a few of the many industries in that ISO 45001 certification is most popular:
- Construction
- Basic metal and other fabricated products
- Electrical and optical equipment
- Engineering
- Manufacturing
- Commercial cleaning
Higher-risk industries particularly benefit from ISO 45001 certification as due to the nature of their work being carried out, it is more likely that incidents could happen. The standard focusses on risk mitigation to ensure accidents are prevented rather than investigated!
Other things to consider about ISO 45001 certification?
Having buy-in from top management is extremely important to get the most out of your ISO 45001 certification. Making sure that the CEO/managing director and/or members of the board are fully invested and committed to achieving the standard sets your organisation up for success. With this buy-in, managing health and safety in the workplace becomes more than just a delegated tick-box exercise. Rather, it becomes a core aspect of the company and its operational strategy.
What are the benefits of ISO 45001 certification?
The advantages of ISO 45001 certification are clear. Most importantly, at the top of that list of benefits is the protection of workers, but there are commercial benefits too. For instance, preventing disruption to business as usual due to health and safety incidents.
Some other key benefits include:
- The ability to win more tenders and contracts
- Boosted productivity and productivity as well as greater employee morale
- Compliance with legal requirements
- Reduce employee absenteeism
- Improve company reputation
- Achieve higher customer satisfaction
What does it cost to get ISO 45001 certification?
Whether your organisation is in the public or private sector, spending any money tends to need prior approval and justification. ISO certification is certainly no exception, and in the early stages of research, the cost can be something that isn’t always clear cut which can lead to confusion and put up a barrier.
The cost of achieving ISO 45001 certification varies hugely depending on your organisation’s size, location, number of sites, and industry. These are just a few factors that can affect the overall cost.
A major benefit of third-party certification is the impartiality and expertise a third-party auditor can bring to your business. The result? Your organisation will be issued with a report highlighting the areas it can improve upon and can utilise a fresh pair of eyes.
How long does it take to gain ISO 45001 certification?
As well as cost, time is another consideration for organisations, and some are keen to obtain their ISO 45001 certification sooner than others.
The process of becoming ISO 45001 certified should take between six to twelve months, although this could be sooner depending on both parties – your auditor, organisation, and any other relevant personnel need to work together efficiently in order to speed the process up. The auditors here at Swift Certification ensure your audits are carried out both thoroughly and promptly to make sure that you are able to attain your certification as soon as possible. Read what our clients say about our service here.
Once issued with a report highlighting areas for improvement, your organisation should act quickly to rectify these so that you do not face delays. As tempting as it may be to revisit the report and take action at a later date, this only slows the process down. Therefore, it is paramount that everyone involved works together in a productive manner.
Why choose Swift Certification?
Audits should not be stressful, and we strive to ensure they run as smoothly as possible. Our expert team is specially trained to ensure that you understand what is happening throughout the process, answer any questions and ensure the highest standard of ongoing support and aftercare.
Our specialist auditors use 21st-century methods to help you achieve and maintain your certification, whilst providing excellent customer service.
We know that expertise is crucial to delivering a world-class service, and all our auditors have 15+ years of experience in a broad range of industries, giving you the reassurance that you are in safe hands. We recognise that time is valuable and always conduct our audits within the specified timeframe.
Questions? Contact one of the friendly team at Swift Certification to discuss your requirements today. We are available to reach on 0161 470 5352 or info@swiftcertification.co.uk. Alternatively, use the form below to submit your details and one of our experts will be in touch soon! Learn more about ISO 45001 certification here.