Key changes to the OHSAS 18001 - Key changes and transition process

OHSAS 18001:2007
Key changes and transition process
DNV Industry, Global Products Products and Solutions
July 2007

© Det Norske Veritas AS. All rights reserved Slide 2
27 March 2025
Overview
◼ OHSAS Project Group established early 2006 to perform strategic review
to revise OHSAS
- DNV represented in the Project group
◼ Revised OHSAS 18001 published early July 2007.
◼ OHSAS 18001:2007 refers to itself as a standard and not a specification,
or document, as in the earlier edition.
- Reflects the increasing adoption of OHSAS 18001 as the basis for national
standards on occupational health and safety management systems.
◼ Process to revise OHSAS 18002 (the guideline) started July 2007
◼ 2 years transition period determined by the OHSAS Project Group (Final
date: July 1st 2009)

27 March 2025
Some highlighted changes
1. Major alignment with ISO 14001
2. Health is more clearly addressed and emphasized, as this was
more diminshed in the ’99-edition. Clearer focus on health is
mainly substantaited by:
1. the new definition of “Ill health” and revised definitions for
“incident” and “risk”
2. new clause b) in ch. 4.2 OH&S policy
3. new clause c) in ch. 4.5.1 Performance measurement and
monitoring
3. Management of Change clearly
addressed as part of 4.3.1 and 4.4.6

27 March 2025
Key Changes:
Scope and Definitions
Scope (1)
◼ Property damage and damage to the workplace environment are no
longer part of the scope for OHSAS (also reflected in revised
definition of “Hazard”).
Definitions (3)
◼ Related to OH&S these changes in Definitions are considered most
substantial :
- New definitions for “Ill health” and “workplace”.
- Revised definitions for “hazard”, “incident” and “risk”
◼ 6 new terms are defined in OHSAS:2007 to harmonise with common
terminology in ISO 14001 and ISO 9001: Document, procedure,
record, correcive action, preventive action and OH&S policy.
◼ “Tolerable risk” replaced by “acceptable risk” in new edition.

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Key Changes:
General Requirements and OH&S policy
General Requirements (4.1)
OHSAS:2007 more explicit on:
◼ Continual improvement of the OHSMS.
◼ Need for the organization to define and document
the scope for the OHSMS.
OH&S Policy (4.2):
◼ OH&S Policy (4.2) more explicit to require communication of policy to “all
persons working under the control of the organization” and not only to
“employees” as in previous edition.
◼ New clause b) to include a “commitment to prevention of injury and ill
health and …”.

27 March 2025
Key Changes:
Planning
Hazard identification, risk assessment and determining controls (4.3.1)
◼ OHSAS:2007 improved to clarify the process steps: Hazard
Identification → Risk assessment → Determination of controls
◼ OHSAS:2007 more explicitly addresses Management of change
◼ Introduced new paragraph considering the hierarchy of controls as part
of OH&S plannng
Legal and other requirements (4.3.2)
◼ OHSAS:2007 explicit to require that applicable legal requirements and
other requirements to which the organization subscribes are taken into
account in establishing, implementing and maintaining its OH&S
management system
Objectives and programme(s) (4.3.3)
◼ Former 4.3.4 merged into this clause

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Key Changes:
Implementation and operation
Resources, roles, responsibility, accountability and authority (4.4.1)
OHSAS:2007 more explicit to require:
◼ Ensurance by the organisation that persons in the workplace in general
take responsibility for aspects of OH&S over which they have control
and adhers to applicable OH&S requirements.
◼ Commitment from top management on OH&S management.
Competence, training and awareness (4.4.2)
OHSAS:2007 more explicit on:
◼ Addressing awareness training for “persons working under its control”
and not limited to employees as in previous edition.
◼ Retaining records of relevant training, education and experience

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Key Changes:
Implementation and operation, continued ….
Communication, participation and consultation (4.4.3)
◼ OHSAS:2007 more explicit on addressing communication to contractors and
other visitors to the workplace with regard to the OH&S hazards and
consultation with contractors when there are changes affecting their OH&S
◼ New ch. 4.4.3.2 requires appropriate involvement from workers in hazard
identification, risk assessment and derermination of controls and within incident
investigation and development of OH&S policies and objectives.
Control of documents (4.4.5)
◼ OHSAS:2007 explicitly requires control of documents of external origin.
Operational control (4.4.6)
◼ OHSAS:2007 explicitly refers that operations and activities related to
management of change shall be considered for needed operational controls.

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Key Changes:
Checking
Performance measurement and monitoring (4.5.1)
◼ OHSAS:2007 includes new clause c) for monitoring the effectiveness of
controls and stating explicitly that this shall be done for health as well as
for safety.
Evaluation of compliance (4.5.2)
◼ New clause in OHSAS:2007, requirements fully aligned to ISO 14001
Incident investigation, nonconformity, corrective action and
preventive action (4.5.3)
◼ OHSAS:2007 includes new ch 4.5.3.1 on Incident investigation.
Although partly covered in previous edtion more emphasis have been
put on this issue.

27 March 2025
Key Changes:
Management review
Management review (4.6)
OHSAS:2007 largely aligned with ISO 14001. Compared to previous edition
OHSAS:2007 lists the following required input to Management review:
1. results of internal audits and evaluations of compliance with applicable legal
requirements and with other requirements to which the organization
subscribes,
2. the results of participation and consultation (see 4.4.3)
3. relevant communication(s) from external interested parties, including
complaints,
4. the OH&S performance of the organization,
5. the extent to which objectives have been met,
6. status of incident investigations, corrective actions and preventive actions,
7. follow-up actions from previous management reviews,
8. changing circumstances, including developments in legal and other
requirements related to OH&S, and
9. recommendations for improvement.

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Transition process - Timetable
◼ A transition period of 2 years have been decided by the OHSAS Project
Group. No certificates according to OHSAS 18001:1999 will be valid
after July 1st 2009.
◼ DNV has established an OHSAS 18001:2007 Tansition policy for a
consistent transition process. A a two phase transition has been decided:
- Phase 1 (10 months) (July 1 2007 – May 1 2008):
This period is intended for preparation. During this period audits and
certification can be performed to either old or new versions of the
standard. However, a certificate issued against OHSAS 18001:1999
for the standard three year period will need to be transitioned to
OHSAS 18001:2007 not later than July 1 2009.
- Phase 2 (14 months) (May 1 2008 – July 1 2009):
All audits shall be carried out according to the new standard and all
existing certificates must be transitioned to new standard.

27 March 2025
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