ISO 45001

Who needs it

Construction, manufacturing, facilities management, logistics and anyone whose workforce faces physical risk. In Dubai it is routinely required by main contractors of their subcontractors, and it is scored on most UAE government tenders.

What the standard requires

Hazard identification and risk assessment

Systematic identification of hazards, including psychosocial and organizational hazards alongside physical ones, and assessment of the risk each presents.

Worker consultation and participation

This is the biggest change from OHSAS 18001. You must consult non-managerial workers on hazard identification and control, and auditors interview them directly.

Hierarchy of controls

Elimination first, then substitution, engineering controls, administrative controls, and personal protective equipment last. We raise a finding where a system reaches for PPE first.

Contractor and procurement control

You are responsible for the safety of work done on your behalf. Subcontractor selection and control is audited.

Incident investigation

Investigation that reaches the organizational root cause behind an incident, and corrective action that demonstrably prevents recurrence. An investigation that closes at operator error has more work to do.

Why organizations certify

• Meets subcontractor prequalification requirements for UAE main contractors
• Reduces lost-time incidents, and with them insurance and replacement-labor cost
• Demonstrates due diligence to regulators and to clients after an incident

What drives the fee

Audit duration under our accreditation is set by defined criteria, not by negotiation. These are the factors that move it, so you can see where your quote comes from:

• Risk profile of the work. Working at height, confined spaces and hot works all extend audit time
• Number of employees including labor supplied by third parties
• Number and dispersal of sites, including active project sites that must be visited while work is underway
• Shift patterns, since auditors need to see night shifts where they carry different risk

How the audit runs

1. 01

   Certification

   Stage 1 and Stage 2

   Two stages. Stage 1 is a document review and information gathering exercise; Stage 2 is the audit that determines certification.

2. 02

   1st Annual Surveillance

   First follow-up audit

   A follow-up audit in the first year of the cycle, confirming the system is still operating and that corrective actions were effective.

3. 03

   2nd Annual Surveillance

   Second follow-up audit

   The second follow-up audit, in the final year before recertification, covering the parts of the system not sampled in year one.

4. 04

   Recertification

   Renewal audit for the next cycle

   A renewal audit before the certificate expires, assessing the whole management system and its performance across the full three years.

Questions we are asked