Making sure your organisation meets all ISO 45001 requirements can be a challenge. With so many elements to consider, it’s important to ensure that you have the right digital EHS platform at your fingertips to streamline the process.
With several options in the market, there are key functionalities you need to be aware of to help drive your organisation towards success. The digital EHS platform you choose must enable you to meet ISO 45001 requirements with ease and align with all clauses to help you achieve and maintain certification. So, what capabilities should you be on the lookout for in an EHS safety solution? Let’s dive in!
ISO 45001 Requirements a Digital EHS Solution Can Help Simplify
There are several ISO 45001 requirements which must be fulfilled in order to achieve ISO 45001 certification. Organisations find it difficult to find robust EHS solutions to adhere to the four requirements we’re going to focus on. We’ll highlight the functionalities you should consider when browsing EHS platforms.
1. Worker participation
Section 5.0 of ISO 45001 is focused on leadership and worker participation. Clause 5.4 discusses consultation and participation of workers. It outlines the employer’s responsibility to implement methods to enhance worker participation and remove any barriers which may interfere with employee engagement.
An EHS platform can help align with this requirement with specific capabilities including a user-friendly mobile option. Placing safety quite literally within the workforce’s hands with a mobile app, will help increase worker participation, as they can complete tasks no matter where they are in a few simple clicks. Having an offline capability is an added bonus, as workers can continue collecting data even if they are in remote locations.
With an EHS platform you can also drive worker safety through active participation in regular inspections and task-based risk assessments. The solution you choose should also give you the ability to access incident reports, incident investigation templates and corrective action workflows. The Read and Acknowledge functionality found in certain EHS platforms, ensures all your employees have read certain documents and policies.
It’s important all feedback from employees is taken into consideration to help boost their participation. Some EHS platforms allow you to distribute surveys or provide an opportunity for anonymous feedback. This can help enhance worker participation and empower your workers because they know their voice is heard and their concerns are being considered by management.
2. Competence
Section 7.0 is another ISO 45001 requirement which centres around support. More specifically, section 7.2 of this clause highlights the competence of workers.
The employer must ensure all workers are able to conduct their job tasks safely and maintain their competence with training. They must also be able to prove all workers are competent and have received the proper training through documentation.
For this reason, it’s important to choose an EHS platform with a training management system so you can keep track of all employee training profiles and any gaps in knowledge or skills which may exist. This functionality can also act as a repository for all certifications so employers can prove worker competency. An eLearning functionality with an extensive library and the ability to upload your own custom courses is another feature you should be on the lookout for to fulfil this ISO 45001 requirement.
3. Contractor safety
Contractor safety is mentioned within certain ISO 45001 clauses. It’s important to not only consider full-time workers and management when it comes to the context of the organisation but also external factors such as contractors. These individuals play a huge role in the safety or your organisation and the proper execution of activities.
The employer is responsible for the safety of all contractors and for providing them with the necessary tools needed to meet the organisation’s safety standards. This includes training, access to important policies and documents, software systems and more. The EHS platform you choose should enable you to include external contractors within the system and manage all their documentation, activities, etc.
4. Hazard identification
Hazard identification, mentioned as part of clause 6 which discusses planning, is an important ISO 45001 requirement. The foundation of any good safety program is having the right processes and procedures needed to properly identify hazards, as well as the necessary control methods outlined. This includes a 360-degree view of where hazards may arise such as equipment, individuals, processes, etc. as well as the proper tools to identify hazards.
It's critical that your EHS platform can streamline your hazard identification and corrective and preventative action (CAPA) processes. It should also contain a functionality to conduct hazard inspections and risk assessments. Once the proper hazards and risks are identified, the EHS solution should allow key stakeholders to create and track hazard reports and implement control measures to reduce risks and control hazards.
With complete transparency into any deficiencies or gaps across individual or multiple sites, key members can work to prioritise areas of concern, creating a safer work environment for all. A digital EHS platform can also serve as a repository for all documentation related to these procedures so you can prove that you have met the necessary ISO 45001 requirements to an external auditor.
Next Steps
Now that you know the important ISO 45001 requirements a digital EHS platform can help you simplify, it’s time to start looking for software solutions that can satisfy these elements. EcoOnline’s EHS platform can help do all of the above and more! From hazard identification to contractor safety, our robust solution can help you meet ISO 45001 certification requirements and streamline your processes.
Ready to check out our dynamic EHS platform? Find out how we can help simplify your ISO 45001 certification process now.