What is BS 45002-2 ‒ Occupational health and safety management systems about?
BS 45002-2 is the second part of an international standard that focuses on safety and health issues caused due to occupational hazards.
BS 45002-2 provides guidance on the identification and management of risks and opportunities in an occupational health and safety management system.
BS 45002-2 specifies many aspects of the occupational health and safety management systems such as related terms and definitions, context of the organization, leadership and worker participation, planning, support, operation, performance evaluation, improvement.
BS 45002-2 assists organizations in meeting the relevant requirements of BS ISO 45001, occupational health, and safety management systems.
Note: BS 45002-2 does not add to, subtract from, or in any way modify the requirements of BS ISO 45001, nor does it prescribe mandatory approaches to implementation.
Who is BS 45002-2‒ Occupational health and safety management systems for?
BS 45002-2 on occupational health and safety management systems applies to:
- Any organization regardless of type, size or maturity
- Manufacturing companies
- Small/large scale businesses
- Public bodies
- Charities
- Top management whoever directs or controls the organization
Why should you use BS 45002-2‒ Occupational health and safety management systems?
Understanding risks and opportunities are vital to improving how well an organization manages health and safety.
Managing health and safety is not simply looking at what the organization does and identifying risks from, for example, working on a roof or handling chemicals. Effective occupational health and safety (OH&S) management systems use risk-based thinking at every stage.
BS 45002-2 provides you with a framework that helps an organization to estimate and control occupational hazards, as well as makes provisions to help the users achieve the intended outcomes of its occupational health and safety management system policy.
BS 45002-2 lays out different types of risks and opportunities to consider, including:
- OH&S risks to workers (what can hurt a worker? what can make them ill?)
- Risks to the management system (what might stop the system from working well? e.g., systems not working together, technical breakdowns, lack of trained staff)
- Opportunities to improve OH&S performance (what can make your workplace safer or your working practices healthier? e.g., getting rid of faulty equipment or making sure workers take regular breaks during their working day)
- Opportunities to improve the management system (what can make all of the parts of the organization’s system work better together? e.g., better communication about what to do and how to do it or what has changed, sharing knowledge, and getting all workers involved
BS 45002-2 helps its users to improve business efficiency by implementing an occupational health and safety management system, which proves to be one of the best ways.