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ISO 45001 Implementation Readiness Checklist

39 practical questions to help you judge how ready your organisation is for ISO 45001, and where you are likely to need help. Answer them on screen or print the checklist to work through with your team.

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How to use this checklist

Answer each question honestly for the organisation as it operates today, not as it is described on paper. Where you are unsure, choose “Not yet or not sure”. The questions are our own and cover the main themes of ISO 45001 without reproducing the standard. The checklist is a self-assessment, not a gap assessment or an audit.

1. Leadership

Has top management agreed why the organisation wants ISO 45001 and what it should achieve?
Is someone at senior level accountable for health and safety performance, with the authority to act?
Do senior managers regularly review health and safety information and act on it?

2. Worker consultation and participation

Are workers consulted before changes that affect their health and safety?
Do non-managerial workers take part in identifying hazards, investigating incidents and deciding on controls?
Can workers raise concerns without fear of reprisal, and do they receive feedback?

3. OH&S policy

Do you have a written health and safety policy that reflects your actual activities?
Has the policy been communicated to workers and made available to relevant interested parties?
Is the policy reviewed when the organisation changes?

4. Hazard identification and risk assessment

Do risk assessments cover routine and non-routine work, contractors and visitors?
Are hazards identified on an ongoing basis, including when work, equipment or premises change?
Are controls chosen using the hierarchy of control, with elimination first and PPE last?
Do you have an up-to-date list of the health and safety laws and other requirements that apply to you?
Do you know how each requirement affects your operations?
Do you periodically check whether you are complying, and record the result?

6. Objectives

Do you have measurable health and safety objectives?
Is it clear who is responsible for each objective, what resources it needs and by when?
Is progress against objectives tracked and reported?

7. Competence and awareness

Have you defined the competence needed for roles that affect health and safety?
Do you keep records of training, qualifications and experience?
Are people aware of the hazards of their work, the policy and what to do in an emergency?

8. Operational controls

Are safe systems of work, permits or procedures in place for higher-risk activities?
Do you control the health and safety risks from contractors and from purchased goods and services?
Do you assess the health and safety implications of planned changes before they happen?

9. Emergency preparedness

Have you identified the potential emergencies at each site?
Are emergency arrangements tested through drills or exercises, and improved afterwards?
Do people know their emergency roles, including first aid and fire arrangements?

10. Performance monitoring

Do you monitor health and safety through inspections and leading indicators, not only accident numbers?
Is measuring and test equipment calibrated or checked where accuracy matters?
Are incidents and near misses reported, investigated and analysed for trends?

11. Internal audit

Do you have a planned programme of internal audits?
Are internal auditors competent and independent of the work they audit?
Are audit findings recorded, reported to management and acted on?

12. Management review

Does top management review the health and safety management system at planned intervals?
Does the review consider incidents, audit results, legal compliance, objectives and input from workers?
Are decisions and actions from the review recorded and followed up?

13. Continual improvement

Are corrective actions aimed at root causes rather than symptoms?
Do you check that corrective actions have worked?
Can you show health and safety performance improving over time?

Your results

Answer the questions above to see a summary.

    Reading your results

    • Mostly “In place”: you may be close to ready. A gap assessment can confirm it with evidence.
    • Several “Partly” or “Not yet” answers in a section: that area needs developing before certification.
    • “Not yet” across several sections: you are likely to benefit from structured implementation support.

    Need help implementing ISO 45001?

    Discuss your requirements with Featherstone Safety. We scope every project before quoting, and we do not issue certificates.

    Discuss your requirementsBook a gap assessment

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