# 11 - ISO 45001:2015 - Context of the organization (Clause 4)

# 11
ISO 45001:2015 - Context of the organization (Clause 4)

(4.1) Understanding the organization and its context

Requirements

Determine: External and internal issues: (i) relevant to organization's purpose, (ii) effecting organization's ability to achieve organization's OH&S management intended outcomes.

Comments

- Issues (external and internal) can be positive or negative.
- Issues can include conditions, characteristics or changing circumstances that can affect the occupational health and safety management system of the organization.
- No specific methodology, for determining external and internal issues, is mentioned in the standard. It is for the organization to apply its own suitable method. One such method to determine the internal and external issues may consists following steps - (i) The top management of the organization should constitute a team of identified persons, who are well-versed with organization and its processes, (ii) The team members should think individually as well as collectively and identify positive/negative factors and conditions that are relevant and that can affect achievement of organization's goals/objectives, (iii) All such identified issues should be summed-up.
- The author of this literature has designed formats for determining the external and internal issues. Format will be posted in the forthcoming post.

(4.2) Understanding the needs and expectations of workers and other interested parties

Requirements

Determine: (i) Other interested parties that are relevant to organization's OH&S management, (ii) requirements (needs and expectations) of workers, (iii) requirements (needs and expectations) of other interested parties, (iv) which determined requirements (needs and expectations) are or could become legal or other requirements.

Comments

- In addition to workers, other interested parties can include legal and regulatory authorities that can be local, state, national or international authorities (such as Municipal Corporation, Government health department, Government Fire Brigade, State Government bodies, Central government bodies etc.), parent organization, suppliers, contractors, subcontractors, workers' or trade union representatives, trade unions, employers' organizations, owners, shareholders, customers, clients, visitors, local community, neighbours, general public, medical services, other community services, media, academia, business organizations and associations, NGOs etc.
- Needs and expectations (requirements) of legal and regulatory authorities are mandatory, so it is necessary to determine all such requirements.
- No specific methodology, for determining the needs and expectations (requirements) of workers and interested parties, is mentioned in the standard. It is for the organization to apply its own suitable method. One such method to determine the internal and external issues may consists following steps - (i) The top management of the organization should constitute a team of identified persons, who are well-versed with organization and its processes, (ii) The team members should think individually as well as collectively and identify relevant interested parties and their needs and expectations. (iii) All such identified interested parties and their requirements should be summed-up.

(4.3) Determining the scope of the OH&S management system

Requirements

Consider: Determined external and internal issues

Take into account: (i) Determined requirements of workers and other interested parties, and (ii) planned / performed work-related activities.

Determine: Scope (boundaries and applicability) of the organization's OH&S management system

OH&S MS must include: Activities, products and services that are under organization's control or can influence / impact the organization's OH&S performance.

Maintain, retain and make available documented information: Determined scope.

Comments

Scope = boundaries and applicability of the management system

There is freedom for an organization to determine and define the scope of its OH&S management system. The scope of the OH&S management system may include the whole organization or a specific department or specific departments. While determining the scope of organization's OH&S management system for a specific department or specific departments, it should be ensured that such specific department's or departments' top management should have its own functions, responsibilities and authorities for establishing an OH&S management system.

The scope of the OH&S management system must include activities, products and services that have or can impact the organization's OH&S performance. The scope of the OH&S management system should not exclude activities, products and services to escape or avoid organization's legal requirements and other requirements.

The scope is an accurate and demonstrative description of the organization's processes that are included within the organization's OH&S management system boundaries. The scope should not mislead or misguide interested parties.

While determining the scope of an organization's OH&S management system, please ensure to have all activities included in the scope that have or may create health and/or safety hazards. You may exclude specific activity or function from the scope that does not have or may not create any health and safety hazards.

(4.4) OH&S management system

Requirements

Establish, implement, maintain and continually improve: OH&S management system including processes and their interactions as per ISO 45001:2018 standard's requirements.

Comments

The standard requires the organization to establish, implement, maintain and continually improve the organization's OH&S management system, including the processes needed and their interactions. Requirements of ISO 45001:2018 OH&S standard should be considered and fulfilled while establishing, implementing, maintaining and continually improving the occupational health and safety management system in the organization.

The organization's OH&S management system should be aligned and united with business processes of the organization to ensure that OH&S performance is in line with OH&S policy of the organization.

ISO 45001:2018 standard can be implemented for a specific part or parts of an organization subject to the scope of the organization's OH&S management system.

Elizabeth Gasiorowski-Denis says, "In order for an OH&S to be strong and healthy, everyone in the organization must feel that he or she shares some responsibility for maintaining a safe environment. This includes employees all the way up to executives." (ISOfocus #127)

*Courtesy Source*
- ISO 45001:2018
- ISO Website
- ISOfocus #127

- Keshav Ram Singhal

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