What is Safety Management System and What are the Benefits (AS/NZS 4801 & ISO 45001)
What is a Safety Management System?
A Safety Management System consists of policies and procedures that provide a formal framework describing the way an organisation mange safety and meets the requirements of the standards. Think of a safety system as a business manual.
A key component in safety management is the system used to record, manage and analyse safety-related data. With an effective system, everyone can see exactly where accidents and unsafe situations are occurring and take proactive steps to eliminate them.
In order to achieve Certification to ISO 45001 or AS/NZS 4801 an organisation has to develop a Management System.
AS/NZS 4801 and ISO 45001 Safety Standards
AS/NZS 4801 and ISO 45001 are standards that set out the requirements an organisation to systematically manage OH&S in the workplace. The AS/NZS 4801 was developed by Joint Accreditation Australia and for many years was the standard used by most Australian organisations. ISO 45001 is an international safety management standard developed by the International Organisation for Standardisation.
AS/NZS 4801 has been superseded by ISO 45001
If you are currently certified to AS/ANZ 4801 , you will need to transition your system and certification to ISO 45001. The timeline for certified organisations to transition from AS/NZS 4801 to ISO 45001:2018 has been extended to 13 July 2023.
Read more about ISO 45001
What is the Purpose of a Safety Management System?
The main objective of a AS/NZS 4801 and ISO 45001 safety management system is reducing e workplace illness and injury. The implementation of such a system can also help your business to deal with the legal imperatives, ethical concerns, industrial relations considerations relating to workplace safety, and to improve its financial performance.
Benefits of a Safety Management System
Implementing an ISO 45001 Safety Management System (SMS) can bring numerous benefits to your business, especially if safety is a significant concern in your industry. ISO 45001 is an internationally recognized standard for occupational health and safety management systems. Here are some of the key benefits of having an ISO 45001 SMS:
- Identifying and minimizing hazards associated with your organisation’s business
- Reducing incidents, accidents and injuries in the workplace
- Reducing risks of legal action for worker’s compensation and liability claims
- Providing due diligence evidence should an incident or accident occur
- Achieving better regulatory compliance.
An effective Safety Management System protects employers, customers, suppliers, and other members of the public who may be impacted by the work environment.
Implementing a Safety Management System communicates the organisation’s commitment to best practice.
What does Having a Safety Management System Mean for your Business?
- Your operations will be reviewed and assessed to identify safety hazards;
- Controls to mitigate risks will be put into place
- Procedures for continuously identifying, recording, managing and analysing safety-related data will be implemented
- Controls will be put into place to prevent accidents and incidents and ensure that hazards, incidents, and accidents are identified, investigated
- and addressed.
100% success – Certification is guaranteed!
