COUNTERING THE IMPACTS OF COVID-19

WITH INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS

ISO/UNIDO SPECIAL WEBINAR SERIES

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 The ISO 45000 suite of standards and guidance on
Occupational Health & Safety Management

Helping in the fight against Covid-19

Sally Swingewood,
Lead Standards Development Manager for OH&S and Quality management, BSI, Committee
Manager, ISO/TC 283
Martin Cottam
Group Technical Assurance & Quality Director, Lloyd’s Register; Chair, ISO/TC 283

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AGENDA
• Introduction to ISO/TC 283 – current and future activities and
publications

• Relevance to the fight against Covid-19

• How the ISO 45001 framework can help organizations address the
risks of transmission of the virus amongst workers.

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ISO/TC 283
• ISO/TC 283 is responsible for developing standards for occupational
health and safety (OH&S) management.

• The standards developed in this committee are applicable to

organizations of all sizes, sectors and locations and should drive
improvement in OH&S performance.

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Why is the work of TC 283 needed?
To encourage and support improvement in global OH&S performance

Data from the International Labour Organization (ILO) indicates that:

• there are over 2.78 million deaths globally per year as a result of occupational accidents,
and
• over 374 million work-related non-fatal injuries/illnesses per year many resulting in
extended absences from work.
• the economic burden of current OH&S performance is estimated to be 3.94% of global
Gross Domestic Product (GDP)

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Committee membership

78 participating member countries

21 observing member countries
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 Adapting our ways of working

Coventry UK – Sept 2018 Dallas, USA – March 2019 Kigali, Rwanda – Oct 2019

Cancun, Mexico - May 2020

San Salvador, El Salvador, October 2020

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Current and future deliverables
• ISO 45001:2018 Occupational health and safety management systems - Requirements with
guidance for use - published March 2018

• A Practical Guide for Smaller Organizations (Handbook) – awaiting publication in August 2020

• ISO 45003: Occupational health and safety management -- Psychological Health and Safety in the
Workplace – Guidelines (due for publication in June 2021; Draft International Standard due for
public comment soon)

• ISO 45002: General guidelines on implementation of ISO 45001:2018 – due for publication in
2022

• ISO 45004: Guidance standard on OH&S performance evaluation – currently under discussion
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About ISO 45001
• First ISO management system standard for Occupational Health & Safety
Management

• Builds on, and replaces, OHSAS 18001

• Provides an OH&S management system (MS) standard compatible with other ISO
MS standards such as ISO 9001 (Quality management)and ISO
14001(Environmental management), to facilitate alignment/integration

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Management System Structure

7. Support
Internal and 8. Operation
external issues
PLAN DO

5. Leadership 9. Intended
4. Context of the and worker
organization
6. Planning Performance outcome of
participation evaluation the OHSMS

Needs and
expectations of ACT CHECK
interested
10.
parties Improvement
Note: numbers refer to clause
numbers in the standard

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About ISO 45003
• Provides guidance on psychological health, safety and well-being at work and
managing psychosocial risks – aligned to and supporting ISO 45001

• Reflects that psychological health presents a major public health challenge for
organizations, workers, their families, health care providers and communities

• Psychological health issues are now the leading cause of sickness absence and
long-term work disability in most developed countries

• Depression, stress, burnout, anxiety and similar issues create significant

economic, social and personal costs to organizations, workers and society

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About ISO 45003
ISO 45003 gives practical guidance to enable organizations to
identify and manage psychosocial risks.

In addition to external factors (including the current global health

crisis), psychosocial risks relate to:

- How work is organized

- Social factors
- Work environment, equipment and tasks

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Relevance to the fight against Covid-19
• ISO 45001 framework provides a solid overall framework within which
organizations can manage the necessary changes to their OH&S arrangements

• The Covid-19 pandemic and its broader economic affects are significantly adding
to the anxiety and stress affecting many workers – creating added challenge for
the organizations in which they work

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Key lessons from the ISO 45001 framework
• Start by (re)assessing your organization’s context
• Remember that changes to address Covid-19 may create new, or
change existing, risks
• Central role of leaders in mobilizing the organization and leading by
example
• Importance of worker participation and consultation in the design of
changes
• Don’t just consider “normal operation”, think about the non-routine,
including emergency situations

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Key lessons from the ISO 45001 framework
• Important to consider needs of individual workers, and groups of
workers, and to be flexible and supportive
• Induction of workers to the new workplace and new working
arrangements
• Monitor performance and gather feedback – be agile in adjusting to
new information and risk levels
• Consider where there may be opportunities for OH&S improvements

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Key lessons from ISO 45003
• Different workers will have different anxieties and can be afraid to raise
them: it is vital to facilitate regular discussions and ask open questions

• Individual domestic circumstances will affect workers’ abilities to perform –

think about trauma, bereavement, loneliness, childcare issues, caring
responsibilities

• Giving workers more control over the way they work, where they work, when
they work and the pace of work will help ensure they support necessary
changes

• Flexibility and agility are key: as pandemic-related risks change so will

psychosocial hazards. Be transparent, involve workers, communicate clearly
and regularly.
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BSI Safe Working Guidelines

• https://www.bsigroup.com/en-GB/topics/novel-coronavirus-covid-19/covid-19-
guidelines/

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Follow our work:
https://committee.iso.org/home/tc283

Get in touch:
Secretariat
Sally Swingewood

Tel: +44 (0) 7849 112599

Email: sally.swingewood@bsigroup.com

ISO.ORG | TII.UNIDO.ORG
 COUNTERING THE IMPACTS OF COVID-19
WITH INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS
ISO/UNIDO SPECIAL WEBINAR SERIES

ISO.ORG | TII.UNIDO.ORG