4.6 Management review

4.6 Management review

The organization’s top management shall, at intervals that it determines, review the OH&S management system, to ensure its continuing suitability, adequacy and effectiveness. The management review process shall ensure that the necessary information is collected to allow management to carry out this evaluation. This review shall be documented.
The management review shall address the possible need for changes to policy, objectives and other elements of the OH&S management system, in the light of OH&S management system audit results, changing circumstances and the commitment to continual improvement.

4.5.4 Audit

4.5.4 Audit
The organization shall establish and maintain an audit programme and procedures for periodic OH&S management system audits to be carried out, in order to:
a) determine whether or not the OH&S management system
1) conforms to planned arrangements for OH&S management including the requirements of this OHSAS specification;
2) has been properly implemented and maintained; and
3) is effective in meeting organization’s policy and objectives;
b) review the results of previous audits;
c) provide information on the results of audit to management.
The audit programme, including any schedule, shall be based on the results of risk assessments of the organization’s activities, and the results of previous audits. The audit procedures shall cover the scope, frequency, methodologies and competencies, as well as the responsibilities and requirements for conducting audits and reporting results.
Wherever possible, audits shall be conducted by personnel independent of those having direct responsibility for the activity being examined.
NOTE The word “independent” here does not necessarily mean external to the organization.

4.5.3 Records and records management

4.5.3 Records and records management
The organization shall establish and maintain procedures for the identification, maintenance and disposition of OH&S records, as well as the results of audits and reviews.
OH&S records shall be legible, identifiable and traceable to the activities involved. OH&S records shall be stored and maintained in such a way that they are readily retrievable and protected against damage, deterioration or loss. Their retention times shall be established and recorded. Records shall be maintained, as appropriate to the system and to the organization, to demonstrate conformance to this OHSAS specification.

4.5.2 Accidents, incidents, non-conformance and corrective and preventive action

4.5.2 Accidents, incidents, non-conformance and corrective and preventive action
The organization shall establish and maintain procedures for defining responsibility and authority for:
a) the handling and investigation of
- accident;
- incidents;
- non-conformances;
b) taking action to mitigate any consequences arising from accidents or non-conformances;
c) the initiation and completion of corrective and preventive actions;
d) confirmation of the effectiveness of corrective and preventive actions taken.
These procedures shall require that all proposed corrective and preventive actions shall be reviewed through the risk assessment process prior to implementation.
Any corrective or preventive action taken to eliminate the causes of actual and potential non-conformances shall be appropriate to the magnitude of problems and commensurate with the OH&S risk encountered.
The organization shall implement and record any changes in the documented procedures resulting from corrective and preventive action.

4.5.1 Performance measurement and monitoring

4.5.1 Performance measurement and monitoring
The organization shall establish and maintain procedures to monitor and measure OH&S performance on a regular basis. These procedures shall provide for:
- both qualitative and quantitative measures, appropriate to the needs of the organization;
- monitoring of the extent to which the organization’s OH&S objectives are met;
- proactive measures of performance that monitor compliance with the OH&S management programme, operational criteria and applicable legislation and regulatory requirement;
- reactive measures of performance to monitor accidents, ill health, incidents (including near-misses) and other historical evidence of deficient OH&S performance;
- recording of data and results of monitoring and measurement and monitoring sufficient to facilitate subsequent corrective and preventive action analysis.
If monitoring equipment is required for performance measurement and monitoring, the organization shall establish and maintain procedures for the calibration and maintenance of such equipment. Records of calibration and maintenance activities and results shall be retained.

4.5 Checking and corrective action

4.5 Checking and corrective action

4.4.6 Emergency preparedness and response

4.4.6 Emergency preparedness and response
The organization shall establish and maintain plans and procedures to identify the potential for, and responses to, incidents and emergency situations, and for preventing and mitigating the likely illness and injury that may be associated with them.
The organization shall review its emergency preparedness and response plans and procedures, in particular after the occurrence of incidents or emergency situations.
The organization shall also periodically test such procedures where practicable.

4.4.5 Operational control

4.4.5 Operational control
The organization shall identify those operations and activities that are associated with identified risks where control measures need to be applies The organization shall plan these activities,
Including maintenance, in order to ensure that they are carried out under specified conditions by:
a) establishing and maintaining documented procedures to cover situations where their absence could lead to deviations from the OH&S policy and the objectives;
b) stipulating operating criteria in the procedures;
c) establishing and maintaining procedures related to identified OH&S risks of goods, equipment and services purchased and/or used by the organization and communicating relevant procedures and requirements to suppliers and contractors;
d) establishing and maintaining procedures for the design of workplace, process, installations, machinery, operating procedures and work organization, including their adaptation to human capabilities, in order to eliminate or reduce OH&S risks at their source.

4.4.4 Document and data control

4.4.4 Document and data control
The organization shall establish and maintain procedures for controlling all documents and data required by this OHSAS specification to ensure that:
a) they can be located;
b) they are periodically reviewed, revised as necessary and approved for adequacy by authorized personnel;
c) current versions of relevant documents and data are available at all locations where operations essential to the effective functioning of the OH&S system are performed;
d) obsolete documents and data are promptly removed from all points of issue and points of use or otherwise assured against unintended use; and
e) archival documents and data retained for legal or knowledge preservation purposes or both, are suitably identified.

4.4.3 Documentation

4.4.3 Documentation
The organization shall establish and maintain information, in a suitable medium such as paper or electronic form, that:
a) describes the core elements of the management system and their interaction; and
b) provides direction to related documentation.
NOTE It is important that documentation is kept to the minimum required for effectiveness and efficiency.

4.4.2 Consultation and communication

4.4.2 Consultation and communication
The organization shall have procedures for ensuring that pertinent OH&S information is communicated to and form employees and other interested parties.
Employee involvement and consultation arrangements shall be documented and interested parties informed.
Employees shall be:
- involved in the development and review of policies and procedures to manage risks;
- consulted where there are any changes that affect workplace health and safety;
- represented on health and safety matters; and
- informed as to who is their employee OH&S representative(s) and specified management appointee (see 4.4.1)

4.4.2 Training, awareness and competence

4.4.2 Training, awareness and competence
Personal shall be competent to perform tasks that may impact on OH&S in the workplace.
Competence shall be defined in terms of appropriate education, training and/or experience.
The organization shall establish and maintain procedures to ensure that its employees working at each relevant function and level are aware of:
- the importance of conformance to the OH&S policy and procedures, and to the requirements of the OH&S management system;
- the OH&S consequences, actual or potential, of their work activities and the OH&S benefits of improved personal performance;
- their roles and responsibilities in achieving conformance to the OH&S policy and procedures and to the requirements of the OH&S management system, including emergency preparedness and response requirements (see4.4.7);
- the potential consequences of departure from specified operating procedures Training procedures shall take into account differing levels of;
- responsibility, ability and literacy; and
- risk

4.4. implementation and operation

4.4. implementation and operation

4.4.1 Structure and responsibility
The roles, responsibilities and authorities of personnel who manage, perform and verify activities having an effect on the risks of the organization’s activities, facilities and processes, shall be defined, documented and communicated in order to facilitate OH&S management.
Ultimate responsibility for occupational health and safety rests with top management. The organization shall appoint a member of top management (e.g. in a large organization, a Board or executive committee member) with particular responsibility for ensuring that the OH&S management system is properly implemented and performing to requirements in all locations and spheres of operation within the organization.
Management shall provide resources essential to the implementation, control and improvement of the OH&S management system.
NOTE Resources include human resources and specialized skills, technology and financial resources.
The organization’s management appointee shall have a defined role, responsibility and authority for:
a) ensuring that OH&S management system requirements are established, implemented and maintained in accordance with this OHSAS specification;
b) ensuring that reports on the performance of the OH&S management system are presented to top management for review and as a basis for improvement of the OH&S management system.
All those with management responsibility shall demonstrate their commitment to the continual improvement of OH&S performance.

4.3.4 OH&S management programme(s)

4.3.4 OH&S management programme(s)
The organizational shall establish and maintain (an) OH&S management programme(s) for achieving its objectives. This shall include documentation of:
a) the designated responsibility and authority for achievement of the objectives at relevant functions and levels of the organization; and
b) the means and time-scale by which objectives are to be achieved.
The OH&S management programme(s) shall be reviewed at regular and planned intervals. Where necessary the OH&S management programme(s) shall be amended to address changes to the activities, products, services, or operating conditions of the organization.

4.3.3 Objectives

4.3.3 Objectives
The organization shall establish and maintain documented occupational health and safety objectives, at each relevant function and level within the organization.
NOTE Objectives should be quantified wherever practicable.
When establishing and reviewing its objectives, an organization shall consider its financial, operational and business requirements, and the views of interested parties. The objectives shall be consistent with the OH&S policy, including the commitment to continual improvement.

4.3.2 Legal and other requirements

4.3.2 Legal and other requirements
The organization shall establish and maintain a procedure for identifying and accessing the legal and other OH&S requirements that are applicable to it.
The organization shall keep this information up-to-date. It shall communicate relevant information on legal and other requirements to its employees and other relevant interested parties.

4.3.1 Planning for hazard identification, risk assessment and risk control

4.3 Planning


4.3.1 Planning for hazard identification, risk assessment and risk control
The organization shall establish and maintain procedures for the ongoing identification of hazards, the assessment of risks, and the implementation of necessary control measures. These shall include:
- routine and non-routine activities;
- activities of all personnel having access to the workplace (including subcontractors and visitors);
- facilities at the workplace, whether provided by the organization or others.
The organization shall ensure that the results of these assessments and the effects of these controls are considered when setting its OH&S objectives. The organization shall document and keep this information up to date.
The organization’s methodology for hazard identification and risk assessment shall:
- be defines with respect to its scope, nature and timing to ensure it is proactive rather than reactive;
- provide for the classification of risks and identification of those that are to be eliminated or controlled by measures as defined in 4.3.3 and 4.3.4
- be consistent with operating experience and the capabilities of risk control measures employed;
- provide input into the determination of facility requirements, identification of training needs and/or development of operational controls;
- provide for the monitoring of require actions to ensure both the effectiveness and timeliness of their implementation.
NOTE For further guidance on hazard identification, risk assessment and risk control, see OHSAS 18002.

4.1 General requirements

4.1 General requirements
The organization shall establish and maintain an OH&S management system, the requirements for which are set out in clause 4.

4.2 OH&S policy

There shall be an occupational health and safety policy authorized by the organization’s top management, that clearly states overall health and safety objectives and a commitment to improving health and safety performance.
The policy shall:
a) be appropriate to the nature and scale of the organization’s OH&S risks;
b) include a commitment to continual improvement;
c) include a commitment to at least comply with current applicable OH&S legislation and with other requirements to which the organization subscribes;
d) be documented, implemented and maintained;
e) be communicated to all employees with the intent that employees are made aware of their individual OH&S obligations;
f) be available to interested parties; and
g) be reviewed periodically to ensure that it remains relevant and appropriate to the organization.