Ensure your workers’ safety and improve their productivity
A survey conducted by Safe Work Australia revealed that there were 114,435 compensation claims for workplace-related injuries in 2018-2019. This survey further reported that the main reasons behind these claims were:
These statistics clearly show how workplace-related injuries can cost businesses millions of dollars every year. The Australian Government, in collaboration with New Zealand Government, introduced AS/NZS 4801, a standard for occupational safety management to encourage safe practices in businesses and lower the risk of workplace-related injuries.
Health and safety of workers must be a priority for organisations. A standardised health and safety management system enables you to identify the risks, control them, reduce the chances of accidental hazards, and ensure your organisation is meeting the relevant health and safety legislations.
What is an AS/NZS 4801 Safety Management System?
Workplace safety must not be overlooked in any industry, as it could result in compensation costs, drained resources, and a degraded brand reputation. AS/NZS 4801 is a popular quality standard used by Australian businesses requiring that businesses develop and maintain an effective health and safety management system. This system is based on health and safety standards and is meant for all organisations, regardless of size or industry.
Because health and safety of workers are heavy concerns in Australia, it is important for every organisation to pay attention to them. Setting up an Occupational Health and Safety Management System or an OHSMS protects your employees and enhances your organisation’s reputation as a safe partner. The standard is the benchmark of workplace safety assurance and therefore demonstrates your continued commitment to occupational safety management practices.
Difference between AS/NZS 4801 & OHSAS 18001
Many businesses confuse AS/NZS 4801 with OHSAS 18001. However, these two standards have three subtle differences that need to be understood. You can reduce the chances of workplace accidents with both standards. Our health and safety consultants can help you understand the differences between the standards so that you can decide which one is appropriate to implement for your organisation.
Here are the key differences:
OHSAS 18001 was introduced by a group of well-known certification bodies under the guidance of an existing British standard, and AS/NZS 4801 was developed by Australian and New Zealand Standard associations.
The conceptual difference between the two standards is that AS/NZS 4801 focuses on the elimination of workplace accidents, while OHSAS 18001 prioritises the prevention of workplace injuries and sickness. The former is concerned with the removal of injuries while the latter is concerned with health. These two standards have a similar end goal—creating an injury and illness free work environment, but the requirements are different for each standard.
Finally, AS/NZS 4801 has a comparatively clearer approach to the reporting process, health assessment, and the evolution of Hazard Identification, Risk Assessment, and Control (HIRAC). These aspects are not as clearly defined in the OHSAS 18001 Standard.
There are several factors to consider when debating whether to implement a AS/NZS 48001-based safety management system. Some key benefits include:
A Safe Workplace
An effective OHSMS helps to identify hazards, assess risks, and consider essential risk control measures to prevent workplace injuries.
Low Compensation Costs
When the number of workplace accidents is low, compensation costs will be automatically reduced. This standard will also help to improve insurance liability ratings.
Stakeholders’ Confidence
A neutrally evaluated OHSMS assures your stakeholders that you have fulfilled the necessary legal and regulatory requirements. This will instil the confidence in your stakeholders, inspiring them to invest in your organisation.
Brand Image
Workplace accidents have an adverse impact on your brand reputation and implementing the AS/NZS 4801 standard will help to eliminate workplace injuries, further improving your brand image.
Competency
Becoming certified implies that your employees are well-trained and competent in their assigned responsibilities. This standard requires a business to assess the health and safety management system on a regular basis, which will assist in improving the efficiency and performance of the system.
If you want all the benefits of the AS/NZS 4801 standard, you should consult with experienced and skilled health and safety consultants.
Key Industries that Need the AS/NZS 4801 Standard
This standard for occupational safety management is applicable to organisations across all industries. Some of the priority industries include:
Meet Compliancehelp- A Leading AS/NZS 4801 OHMS Consultancy
Compliancehelp is a well-known AS/NZS 4801 consultancy in Australia. We help many businesses implement the AS/NZS 4801 standard and achieve certification. We always strive to provide our clients with cost-effective solutions, and the successful certification of your health and safety management system is always our goal.
Why Choose Us?
Hiring Compliancehelp will ensure the proper implementation of the AS/NZS 4801 safety management system in your organisation. We have helped many clients over the years, reliably providing high-quality health and safety consultants to assist with the certification process.
There are many reasons to hire us, such as:
Cost-Effective Solutions: We provide end to end assistance to organisations in getting their OHSMS certified in the most cost-effective way. Our services such as gap analysis, training for implementation, internal audits, and readiness assessment are offered at competitive pricing.
Quick Service: We provide a well-planned methodical approach for the development and implementation of an OHSMS that saves your time and makes your organisation eligible for the certification.
Quality: We have specialised in guiding organisations in AS/NZS 4801 certification for years. We can assure your OHSMS is on the successful path to certification with our quality and consistent services.
Punctuality: We conduct regular reviews and look for improvements in the OHSMS after its implementation to make sure it is compliant with the standard.
Dedication: We make sure there is minimum hassle and as few disruptions as possible in the general operations of your business to help you gain certification in the smoothly.
Our team of professional consultants understands what our clients need to gain the AS/NZS 4801 certification. We organize and exercise best practices ensuring your certification is smooth and uncomplicated.
Our workflow consists of:
1. General Consultation
First, we ask for a precise description of the business, including the business nature and functions. This helps us understand what causes the injuries inside the workplace. Our consultants will arrange a meeting with top management and staff to outline the plan. In this step, the consultants will develop an understanding of what modifications the system will need to become compliant with the AS/NZS 4801 standard.
2. Gap Analysis
In this step, our experts will evaluate existing health and safety management system to find any gaps. They help you find out where the system fails to meet the requirements of AS/NZS 4801. According to the detailed gap analysis, they will suggest improvements or changes to be made in the system so that the requirements are fulfilled.
3. Planning and Implementation
A strategy to fill the identified gaps will be created and implemented to transition your existing system into a competent and compliant OHSMS. Our consultants will guide you through every stage of the implementation and make sure that you understand the principles of the standard, its specific requirements, and roles of the employees. We can also provide training to your occupational safety management executives to ensure they are skilled in implementing the OHSMS.
4. Internal Audit
An internal audit will be performed by our health and safety management consultants to ensure your system meets all requirements of the AS/NZS 4801 Standard. This is a kind of checking process from our end. We will thoroughly evaluate your OHSMS and observe whether any improvements are further required to fully ensure its compliance with the standard.
5. Certification Maintenance
Once your organisation achieves the AS/NZS 4801 certification, you must ensure to maintain its compliance as well as improve its effectiveness. We can do surveillance audits at periodic intervals. With those regular internal assessments, we help you to measure the performance or effectiveness of your OHSMS and improve it.
Compliancehelp always strives to provide the best experience to organisations in achieving their certification. We first help you to implement an effective OHSMS and then achieve its certification in the quickest time possible without exceeding your budget.
To hire our services, contact us today!
To know more about the AS/NZS 4801 standard for your OHSMS, check our FAQs section below.
An occupational health and safety management system or OHSMS is a dedicated framework with objectives, practices, and policies that aim at controlling workplace hazards/risks. The OHSMS is considered a fundamental part of the organisation’s core management strategy as it helps them to protect their employees, i.e., their most valuable assets. Ensuring the employees’ safety is vital to improve your organisation’s productivity and facilitate the retention of employees.
AS/NZS 4801, OHSAS 18001, and ISO 45001 are the standards for occupational health and safety (OHS) management. While OHSAS 18001 was earlier developed to be the UK standard for OHS, AS/NZS 4801 was developed by Australian and New Zealand Standard associations.
The ISO 45001 standard was introduced by ISO (International Organisation for Standardisation) and is based on successful standards like OHSAS 18001, ILO (International Labour Organisation) guidelines, and other national standards in the areas of OHS. It is applicable to any business in any sector and in any country.
The first and most important purpose of implementing an OHSMS is to minimise risks in the work environment and assure the safety of workers. Another key purpose is to ensure an organisation’s compliance with the laws and regulations related to OHSMS promoted by ILO, national labour standards and local conventions.
A documented OHSMS is the manual guide that clearly details the practices and policies to be adopted by the organisation for the safety of workers. Maintaining a documented OHSMS is also an essential requirement for achieving the AS/NZS 4801 standard. The document also helps in instructing employees about the safety management practices and making them all uniformly responsible for following them.
To successfully achieve the AS/NZS 4801 standard, your organisation needs to ensure the following aspects:
Once your organisation has achieved the certification for your OHSMS, it is necessary to maintain it by conducting periodic surveillance audits. The internal audits assure the continued compliance of your OHSMS with the AS/NZS 4801 standard.
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