Introduction

ISO 45001 is the international standard for Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems (OHSMS). The standard helps organizations improve workplace safety, reduce risks, and adhere to health and safety regulations. ISO 45001 certification for Nepalese companies brings credibility, improves workers' well-being, and reduces workplace incidents. The article provides a step-by-step approach to attaining ISO 45001 certification in Nepal.

Step 1: Getting acquainted with ISO 45001 Requirements

Organizations should acquaint themselves with the basics of ISO 45001 before starting the certification process, e.g.,:

  • Identifying hazards in the workplace and assessing risks.
  • Creating preventive measures to reduce occurrences.
  • Developing a culture of improvement.
  • Adhering to national occupational health and safety law.

Step 2: Gap Analysis

Gap analysis allows organizations to align their existing health and safety practices with ISO 45001 requirements. This is done by:

  • Determining existing safety procedures and policies.
  • Assessing workplace hazards and controls.
  • Determining areas of improvement for compliance.

Step 3: Implementation of an Occupational Health and Safety Management System (OHSMS)

Organizations need to apply a formal OHSMS using ISO 45001. This involves:

  • Developing workplace safety policy and objectives.
  • Delegation of roles and responsibilities of safety management.
  • Development of risk assessment and hazard control procedure.
  • Commitment to workers' participation in health and safety activities.

Step 4: Employee Training and Awareness

ISO 45001 demands greater employee involvement. Organizations need to:

  • Train workers in occupational safety procedures and practices.
  • Conduct awareness programs for risk prevention and hazard identification.
  • Encourage workers to report safety concerns and engage them in decision-making.

Step 5: Implementation of the OHSMS

Following system development, organizations must apply it to day-to-day operations by:

  • Conducting regular safety inspections.
  • Applying safety procedures across all departments.
  • Measuring and monitoring safety performance in the workplace.

Step 6: Internal Auditing

Prior to the certification audit, an internal audit must be performed to assess the OHSMS's performance. Internal audits help:

  • In determining areas of improvement and non-conformities.
  • Verification of all the ISO 45001 requirements.
  • Preparation of the organization for the final certification audit.

Step 7: Management Review

Reports of internal audit will be presented to the top management and actions will be taken to:

  • Close the gaps and risks found.
  • Allocate resources for continual improvement.
  • Reinforce the organization's occupational health and safety commitment.

Step 8: Accredited Body Certification Audit

Organizations will use an accredited certification body to conduct an external audit, which consists of two stages:

Stage 1 Audit: Preliminary review of documentation and preparedness.

Stage 2 Audit: Detailed review of OHSMS implementation, with workplace tours and interviews with employees.

Upon successful completion, the organization is issued ISO 45001 certification.

Step 9: Ongoing Improvement and Surveillance Audits

ISO 45001 implementation demands continuous commitment to workplace safety. The organizations are to:

  • Carry out internal audits and periodic safety surveys.
  • Develop audit-based corrective action.
  • Be subjected to annual surveillance audits by the certifying body.

Conclusion

ISO 45001 certification in Nepal is attained through a systematic step-by-step process of planning, implementation, auditing, and continuous improvement. Companies can provide a healthy workplace, attain regulatory compliance, and boost productivity by strictly following this step-by-step procedure. ISO 45001 adoption not only saves workers but also improves the image of an organization in the competitive market.

Visit https://www.abishekadhikari.com.np/ to learn more about ISO.