OHSAS 18001 is an internationally recognized standard for health and safety management system. It provides a framework to identify, control and decrease the risks associated with health and safety within your company. Certification to the standard demonstrates that the organization has considered how they will identify, manage and control health and safety risks.

The standard is based on the ‘plan – do – check – act’ management process, and it has been designed to be compatible with ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 standards. Furthermore the particular standard it has been developed to be compatible with ISO 9001:2015 (Quality) and ISO 14001:2015 (Environmental) management systems standards, in order to facilitate the integration of quality, environmental and occupational health and safety management systems by organizations that they wish to do so.

Principle 1 – Customer focus

Organizations depend on their customers and for this reason they should strive to understand their current and future needs, meet these requirements and strive to exceed their expectations.

Principle 2 – Leadership

Leaders establish the purpose and direction of an organization and they should create and maintain the internal environment in which people is encouraged to become fully involved in achieving the organization’s objectives.

Principle 3 – Involvement of people

Organizations are as good as its people, nothing more nothing less. For this reason the full involvement of the staff is required at all levels. People’s full involvement guarantees that individuals’ abilities are fully used to benefit the organisation.

Principle 4 – Process approach

The process approach decrees that desired results are achieved more efficiently when activities and resources are managed as process.

Principle 5 – System approach to management

Identifying, understanding and managing interrelated process as a system contributes to the organization’s effectiveness & efficiency in achieving objectives.

Principle 6 – Continual improvement

A permanent objective of the organisation should be the continual improvement of the organisation’s overall performance.

Principle 7 – Factual approach to decision making

Effective decisions are based on the analysis of clear and correct data and information.

Principle 8 – Mutually beneficial supplier relationships

The organization and its suppliers depend upon each other and a mutually beneficial relationship creates value for both parties.

An organization and its suppliers are interdependent but at the same time both of them are depended on the end user. Having a mutually beneficial relationship enhances the ability of both to create value on their product and services.