Leadership is one of the most significant elements of ISO 45001 and a key differentiator from its predecessor OHSAS 18001. Clause 5 places direct accountability on top management for the prevention of work-related injury and ill health. Leadership commitment cannot be delegated and must be demonstrated through visible actions, not just signed documents.
Clause 5.1: Leadership and Commitment
Top management must demonstrate leadership and commitment by taking overall responsibility and accountability for the prevention of work-related injury and ill health, and the provision of safe and healthy workplaces and activities. Specific requirements include ensuring the OH&S policy and objectives are established and are compatible with strategic direction, integrating OHSMS requirements into business processes, ensuring resources are available, communicating the importance of effective OH&S management, directing and supporting persons to contribute to OHSMS effectiveness, promoting continual improvement, and protecting workers from reprisals when reporting incidents and hazards.
Best Practices for Demonstrating Leadership
- Participate visibly in safety walks, incident reviews, and management reviews
- Allocate dedicated budget for OH&S activities and improvements
- Include OH&S performance in executive KPIs and business reviews
- Ensure OH&S considerations are part of strategic business decisions
- Actively support a culture where workers feel safe reporting hazards and incidents
- Hold supervisors and managers accountable for safety performance in their areas
Clause 5.2: OH&S Policy
Top management must establish, implement, and maintain an OH&S policy that includes commitments to provide safe and healthy working conditions for the prevention of work-related injury and ill health, eliminate hazards and reduce OH&S risks, comply with legal requirements and other requirements, consult and participate workers, and continually improve the OHSMS. The policy must be appropriate to the purpose, size, and context of the organization.
Best Practices for OH&S Policy
- Keep the policy concise, meaningful, and specific to your organization
- Avoid generic boilerplate language; make it relevant to your actual hazards
- Communicate the policy to all workers in languages they understand
- Post the policy prominently and review it at least annually
- Ensure the policy is available to interested parties upon request
- Include the commitment to worker consultation and participation
Common Pitfalls
- Top management treating the OHSMS as a delegated function rather than a personal responsibility
- Creating a policy that reads well but has no connection to actual operations
- Failing to communicate the policy to contractors and temporary workers
- Not reviewing the policy when the organization’s context or hazard profile changes
