BS 18000 Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems
Introduction
BS 18000 is the latest certification specification for Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems. It is based on published criteria such as BS 8800 and the Management Regulations 1992. BS 18000 is an audit/certification specification, not a legislative requirement or a guide to implementation.
Registration to BS 18001 by an independent, third party certification body demonstrates a commitment to implement, maintain and improve the way in which you manage your Health and Safety system.
Organisations registered to BS 18001 can be more confident about meeting the requirements of Health and Safety legislation. The setting of targets through the Health and Safety policy, together with the ongoing measurement against it ensures a process of continual improvement.
What is the BS 18000 Specification
BS 18000 is an international occupational health and safety management system specification. It comprises two parts, 18001 and 18002 and embraces a number of other publications.
For the record, the following other documents, amongst others, were used in the creation process:
OHSAS 18001 is an Occupation Health and Safety Assessment Series for health and safety management systems. It is intended to help an organisation to control occupational health and safety risks. It was developed in response to widespread demand for a recognised standard against which to be certified and assessed.
Benefits
The benefits of BS 18001 Certification are:
· Potential reduction in the number of accidents;
· Potential reduction in downtime and associated costs;
· Demonstration of legal and regulatory compliance;
· Demonstration to stakeholders of your commitment to health and safety;
· Demonstration of an innovative and forward thinking approach;
· Increased access to new customers and business partners;
· Better management of health and safety risks, now and in the future; and
· Potential reduced public liability insurance costs.
In a competitive marketplace, your customers are looking for more than just keen pricing from their suppliers. Companies need to demonstrate that their businesses are managed efficiently and responsibly and that they can provide a reliable service without excessive downtime caused by work-related accidents and incidents.
An effective Health and Safety Management System can help minimise your liability and waste; improve business efficiency and achieve cost savings whilst having a positive impact on your Company image. In addition, it provides a framework to ensure compliance with all regualtory requirements.
Impartiality and Independence
DAS Certification (AS/NZ) is authorised to conduct Third Party Certification of BS 18001 Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems.
Service Tailored to Your Business
We provide a certification service to satisfy your business by:
Enquiry and Free Estimate
Following your enquiry and completion of our application and questionnaire, we review that information and provide you with a free quote for services. There are no fees until you accept the quote and return the signed contract that includes the conditions for certification. We contact you to start the certification process and agree dates for the Stage 1 Audit and assign an Auditor who will liaise directly with you to finalise the audit arrangements.
Stage 1 Audit
The Stage 1 Audit (part of which is generally conducted on-site) provides a focus for planning the Main Audit. We review documentation specific to your business and work with your staff to quickly resolve any problems.
Main Audit Visit
The Main Audit measures the effectiveness of the Health and Safety Management System in managing your Health and Safety aspects, performance criteria, products, processes and services.
The audit is carried out alongside your own people, with results and findings openly discussed and reviewed. At the end of the audit, a report is prepared for acknowledgement and acceptance by your Company Representative. Any corrective actions arising from the audit are discussed and any forward plan of work agreed, including a follow-up visit if needed.
Certification Approval and Surveillance Programme
When your Health and Safety Management System complies with BS 18001, a certificate of approval is issued which is valid for three years, subject to satisfactory on-going maintenance of your Health and Safety Management System.
Verification is through an audit programme that is carried out by yearly surveillance visits organised to fit in with your business requirements.
Three-yearly Reassessment Visit
Every three years, your Health and Safety Management System needs to be reassessed.
Following satisfactory reassessment, your certificate is reissued for a further three years.
Figure 1: Your Route to Certification
