ISO 45001 Occupational Health & Safety Standard Guide
Download the Smithers ISO 45001 Occupational Health & Safety Standard Guide to improve your knowledge base around ISO 45001, its structure, key elements, and its most important clauses.
ISO 45001 Clauses: What it Means to Support Clause 7
ISO 45001 is a globally recognized occupational health and safety management system standard developed to provide organizations with a framework to improve the safety and well-being of their employees. Clause 7 of the ISO 45001 standard covers the different support that is required by an organization to ensure effective implementation of the system. This clause is aimed at ensuring resources are appropriately allocated to the system, as well as establishing communication systems to enhance information flow within the organization. In this article, we’ll look at the different aspects of ISO 45001 Clauses, particularly Clause 7 and its subclauses.
Clause 7.1 Resources
Clause 7.1, of the ISO 45001 clauses, requires an organization to provide the necessary resources to establish, implement, maintain, and improve the Occupational Health and Safety Management System (OHSMS. For effective implementation, an organization must dedicate personnel, technology, and infrastructure resources to the system. Resources such as time, funding, and expertise will ensure the system’s effectiveness, compliance, and continual improvement. Quality managers must ensure that the OHSMS has sufficient resources for effective implementation and ongoing maintenance.
Clause 7.2 Competence
Of the ISO 45001 clauses, Clause 7.2, calls for a company to determine, maintain and provide the necessary knowledge and competency for employees to carry out their work safely. This includes identifying training needs, providing staff with health and safety information, and ensuring all relevant personnel possess the required knowledge and competence to work safely. To achieve this, the organization needs to prepare a training and competence plan, identifying relevant training requirements and ensuring they are met within specified timelines. quality managers should ensure that their staff receives the necessary training and understanding of health and safety procedures.
Clause 7.3 Awareness
Clause 7.3 highlights the need for an organization to ensure that all employees are aware of the OHSMS policy, their roles, and responsibilities within the system. By doing so, employees will be able to identify and report hazards and take sufficient measures to eliminate or minimize risks. The organization should provide information and reminders on OHSMS matters, such as posters, briefings, and training sessions. Quality managers should ensure that employees receive the required information and training to understand their roles and responsibilities.
Clause 7.4 Communication
Clause 7.4 of ISO 45001 states that the organization should establish communication processes related to the system’s effectiveness and OHS issues. How this is communicated should be defined in policy and the procedures mentioned in other OHS clauses. The processes should address the exchange of information with both internal and external stakeholders relevant to the organization's OHSMS. This communication should include how the OHSMS is performing, who is accountable (internal and external), shared goals, objectives, and progress. Quality managers should create effective processes for communicating information and feedback, both inside and outside the organization.
Clause 7.5 Documented Information
Clause 7.5 emphasizes the need for an organization to maintain documentation related to the OHSMS. Of the ISO 45001 clauses, Clause 7.5 requires an organization to ensure that the information related to the OHSMS performing is appropriately recorded, maintained, and retained. The organization must invest in technology to support the creation, control, and retention of the required documentation. Quality managers should ensure that the documentation is properly handled, and controlled to avoid errors, confusion, or duplication.
ISO 45001 Clauses – Support Is Key
ISO 45001 Clause 7 is an important part of the ISO 45001 clauses. It mandates that organization dedicate resources, establish communication, maintain documented information, ensure employee competence, and foster awareness to maintain a robust health and safety program within an organization. By following Clause 7’s recommendations, quality managers and health and safety experts can be confident that their organization will maintain awareness of hazards, manage risks effectively and ensure that all employees work safely within the organization.
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