What’s New With ISO 45001?

Welcome to the ISO 45001 updates and revisions page, where you can find out more about the most recent changes to this standard.

ISO 45001:2018 is the global standard for occupational health and safety. It was created to help organisations of all sizes and industries protect the health of their employees by specifying requirements for implementing an efficient Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) Management System.

Here, you can stay informed about the latest ISO 45001 news, updates, and best practices to help protect your employees from unnecessary risks and occupational hazards.

• Learn how ISO 45001 could help systematically protect your organisation’s staff.
• Explore our online occupational health and safety training courses.
• Gain the ultimate insight into ISO 45001 with our comprehensive guide.

Over 120 workers were killed in work-related accidents in 2024/2025, while more than 33 million working days were lost in the UK due to work-related illnesses and injuries in 2023/24.

These statistics highlight a global challenge, and there is widespread demand for evolving best practice standards to aid improvements in health and safety, and to demonstrate ethical business behaviour.

Whether an ISO standard is being created or revised, it goes through several stages before being formally published. Working groups involved in reviewing the drafts often include trade bodies and direct users to collate holistic feedback. The designated Working Group then reviews votes and comments and makes changes as necessary. Once all parties are in agreement and the final vote has been cast, the standard is published.

Amendment 1 published – climate action changes

In alignment with ISO’s initiative to integrate climate action across all management system standards, an amendment to ISO 45001 was issued in early 2024. This amendment requires organisations to consider whether climate change impacts their OH&S Management System and consider the requirements of any interested parties.

Key updates are as follows:

• Clause 4.1 adds a new requirement: Organisations must now evaluate how climate change impacts their ability to achieve the intended outcomes of the OH&S Management System. This includes identifying climate-related risks and opportunities that may affect workplace safety and health.
• A corresponding note added to Clause 4.2: This highlights the significance of acknowledging climate-related expectations and concerns from stakeholders, including employees, regulatory bodies and the local community. This approach helps climate action align with the goals and practices of an organisation’s OH&S Management System.

OHSAS 18001 to ISO 45001 transition deadline

All OHSAS 18001 certifications must be transitioned to ISO 45001, as they will no longer be valid.

The deadline was originally set for March 2018, coinciding with the launch of ISO 45001, but was pushed back until 11th September 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

ISO 45001:2018 launched

OHSAS 18001 has become a popular way for organisations to demonstrate their management of occupational health and safety risks.

However, with 40 international versions in play, there wasn’t continuity in its use, unlike with an internationally recognised ISO standard.

The new ISO 45001 standard was developed with input from more than 50 countries. In addition to ISO, the International Labour Organization (ILO) was also involved in its creation.

The new ISO 45001 does not state specific criteria for OH&S performance, nor is it prescriptive about the design of an OH&S Management System. An organisation’s OH&S Management System should be specific to meeting its unique needs in preventing workplace injuries and ill-health.

Read our full guide to ISO 45001 for comprehensive insights into workplace safety management. It provides essential information for achieving this certification.

ISO 45001 was introduced to replace the widely used OHSAS 18001 standard, bringing occupational health and safety management in line with other globally recognised ISO management system standards. Organisations previously certified to OHSAS 18001 were given a three-year transition period to adopt ISO 45001, with all OHSAS 18001 certifications expiring on 11 September 2021.

ISO 45001 requires organisations to look beyond their immediate health and safety issues and take into account wider society’s expectations. They will have to think about their contractors and suppliers, as well as the effects their activities have on neighbouring communities.

This standard provides requirements for formal, systematic risk analysis and management, regulatory compliance management, promotion of safer work practices, and evaluation of occupational health and safety performance. This approach can help reduce incidents and disruption.

ISO 45001 has adopted the Annex SL structure, which improves compatibility with all Management System Standards.

This shared framework enables organisations to integrate ISO 45001 more seamlessly with multiple other standards, such as ISO 9001 (quality management) and ISO 14001 (environmental management), fostering a holistic approach to organisational management systems and improving efficiency.

The standard also establishes a stronger role for top management when implementing ISO 45001, improving buy-in and organisation-wide engagement.

Context of the organisation

With ISO 45001 using Annex SL, there is a much stronger focus on the context of an organisation.

Organisations should consider not only what health and safety issues directly impact them, but also take into account wider society and how their work may impact surrounding communities.

Leadership and worker participation

With ISO 45001, health and safety do not become the sole responsibility of the Health and Safety Manager. The standard expects OH&S aspects to be integrated into an organisation’s structure, requiring buy-in from top management and greater employee contribution.

More emphasis on risk management

ISO 45001 places greater emphasis on identifying both risks and opportunities within OH&S management. This supports organisations in enhancing their management system by acting on improvement opportunities identified through hazard identification, risk assessment and other activities.