OHSAS 18001


MSAFE - Health and Safety Competent Advice

Achieving your OHSAS 18001 accreditation

At MSAFE we can help your organisation to develop and implement your Health and Safety Management System to meet the internationally recognised OHSAS 18001 standard.

The benefits of achieving OHSAS 18001 accreditation include:

  • Reducing the risk of accidents and ill health
  • Creating better working conditions for staff and improving morale
  • Improve stakeholder confidence
  • Provide a competitive edge when tendering for contracts

1. Gap Analysis

We'll undertake a Gap Analysis of your existing safety management system (SMS) to ascertain if and where it falls short of the numerous OHSAS 18001 criteria. Following the GAP analysis we would chair a client briefing meeting and present an action plan which identifies 'if' and 'where' the current system and procedures fall short of 18001 and discuss the recommended remedial action.

2. Select External Certifying Body

Each organisation must select an external certifying body who is accredited to carry out OHSAS 18001 audits. For reasons of credibility, we do not certify SMS that we have helped to develop and implement.

We recommend that the certifying body is independent, UKAS accredited and well known to prospective clients (e.g. BSI Group, Lloyds Register, SGS). We can obtain fee proposals on your behalf and make our recommendations based on value, CVs of the proposed team and any other 'drivers' defined by the client.

3. Develop Current Systems

We can assist your management team to work through the Action Plan resulting from the Gap Analysis and develop your SMS towards meeting OHSAS 18001 criteria.

4. Stage 1 and 2 Audits

The Stage 1 audit focuses on what needs to be put in place by the organisation to meet the requirements of OHSAS 18001. During the Stage 1 audit the external assessor will:

  • Confirm that the OH&S management system conforms to the standard
  • Confirm the scope of certification
  • Check legislative compliance
  • Produce a report that identifies any non-compliance or potential for non-compliance and agree a corrective action plan if required
  • Produce an assessment plan and confirm a date for the Stage 2 assessment visit

The Stage 2 audit focuses on the implementation of procedures put in place by the organisation. The external auditor will:

  • Undertake sample audits of the processes and activities
  • Document how the management system complies with the standard
  • Report any non-compliances or potential for non-compliance
  • Produce a surveillance plan and confirm a date for the first surveillance visit

At this stage the external auditor will determine whether or not you have met the OHSAS 18001 standard and can be certified.

5. Surveillance Visits / Continual Improvement

The external auditor will undertake periodic surveillance visits (6 months / 12 months) to ascertain that the 18001 standard is being met. In addition, one of 18001 criteria is to 'continually improve' so the auditor will be looking for evidence of this during the surveillance visits.


Contact MSAFE

Health and safety specialists MSAFE undertake work nationwide from our head office in Bournemouth acting as Health and Safety advisors covering Dorset, Hampshire, Wiltshire, Bristol, Cardiff, Swansea, Devon, Cornwall, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and London.

To arrange a competitive fee proposal, please contact us on 0333 8000 700 or complete our enquiry form and we will contact you to discuss further.

News


MSAFE - APS Corporate Membership logo
MSAFE - Achilles logo
MSAFE - Constructionline logo
MSAFE - ATTMA logo
MSAFE - BINDT logo
MSAFE - UKAS Accredited logo

MSAFE are UKAS Accredited to ISO/IEC 17025:2005 for Air Tightness Testing and Sound Insulation Testing