International ISO 45001 Standard: Challenges and Opportunities

Transitioning to ISO 45001: From Formalism to Real Risk Management

The implementation of international HSE standards is often perceived as a bureaucratic procedure. However, the transition from OHSAS 18001 to ISO 45001 opens up new opportunities for integrating safety issues into the company's business processes. During the webinar, Natalia Kovaleva, HSE Manager at Coca-Cola HBC Russia, shares practical experience in multi-site certification and adapting the standard's requirements across a large manufacturing network.

The speaker analyzes the key differences of the new standard, focusing on the process approach and the analysis of the organization's context. Unlike previous specifications, ISO 45001 requires considering not only internal health risks for employees but also external factors: legislative changes, stakeholder expectations, and the impact of the business environment.

Leadership and Employee Engagement: How to Create a Working System

One of the main challenges in implementing ISO 45001 is ensuring real, rather than nominal, employee participation in HSE matters. The presentation details the mechanism for creating working committees that include representatives from various functions, including production, logistics, and plant management.

• Protection from punishment: A system has been implemented that allows employees to report unsafe situations without fear of sanctions. This is important for building a culture of openness and trust.
• Right to stop work: Employees have the established right to stop the process if critical risks are identified at their workplace, as well as the obligation to immediately inform their supervisor about potential threats in other areas.
• Motivation and recognition: A non-financial reward system has been developed, including boards of honor, awarding the best employees, and holding competitions between plants. This stimulates engagement and forms a positive attitude towards safety issues.

Business Risk Assessment and Adaptation to Changes

The speaker demonstrates with an example how the company works with the standard's new requirement — assessing risks for business processes. Analyzing environmental factors allows for timely responses to changes, such as the introduction of new sanitary standards or changes in the economic situation.

To assess business risks, a matrix is used that takes into account the probability of an event occurring and its impact on reputation, product quality, the need for additional management efforts, and employee safety. If a risk is deemed high, action plans are developed and resources are allocated to reduce it to an acceptable level.

What you will learn from this webinar:

• How to organize multi-site ISO 45001 certification in a large company?
• What practical tools help engage employees in HSE management?
• How to implement an employee's right to stop unsafe work without harming production?
• How to assess business risks in the context of ISO 45001 requirements?
• What metrics and approaches help reduce injury rates to minimal levels?