ISO 45001:2018 Readiness Checklist

What an ISO 45001:2018 readiness review is

An ISO 45001:2018 readiness review is the work you do to check how close your occupational health and safety management system is to the requirements of ISO 45001 before an external certification audit. The standard sets out the requirements for a management system, and this readiness checklist is structured around its clauses so that you can walk through each requirement and judge whether your organization is ready, almost ready, or needs more work. The checklist covers section 4 (Context of the organization), section 5 (Leadership), section 6 (Planning), section 7 (Support) and section 8 (Operation). It also records the basic details of the review: the date it was conducted, who prepared it, and the location it applies to.

Why the review matters

Preparing for an ISO 45001 certification audit is about more than filling in a form at the last minute. A readiness review lets you find the gaps in your management system while there is still time to close them, and it shows where your documentation, processes and worker participation need attention. The checklist prompts you to look at whether you have determined the external and internal issues that affect your ability to achieve the intended results of your occupational health and safety policy, identified the interested parties and their needs and expectations, and worked out which of those needs have become legal requirements and other requirements. It also asks whether top management demonstrates leadership and commitment, whether the policy includes commitments to safe and healthy working conditions, to eliminating hazards and reducing risks, and to consultation and participation of workers, and whether roles, responsibilities and authorities are assigned and communicated.

What a good readiness review covers

The checklist follows the structure of ISO 45001:2018 and covers the areas you need to examine before an external audit. - **Context of the organization (section 4):** the external and internal issues relevant to your purpose, the interested parties and their needs and expectations, which of those needs have become legal requirements and other requirements, the boundaries and applicability of the management system, and whether the scope is available as documented information. - **Leadership (section 5):** whether top management demonstrates leadership and commitment, whether the policy and objectives are established and compatible with the strategic direction of the organization, whether health and safety processes are integrated into business processes, how the importance of effective management is communicated, and whether the system achieves its intended results. It also covers worker consultation and participation, and the protection of workers from reprisals when they report incidents, hazards, risks and opportunities. - **Planning (section 6):** whether you understand the needs and expectations of interested parties, establish the policy and assign organizational roles, responsibilities and authorities, determine how to address legal and other requirements, set objectives and plan to achieve them, plan operational controls, determine what to monitor, measure and evaluate, and plan the audit programme and continual improvement. - **Support (section 7):** the mechanisms, time, training and resources needed for participation, the information provided to workers in a clear and understandable way, and the removal or minimisation of barriers to participation. - **Operation (section 8):** planning and control of operations, management of change, procurement, contractors and outsourcing.

How to carry out the review

1. **Set the context.** Record when the review is conducted, who is preparing it, and the location it applies to. 2. **Work through the clauses in order.** Start with the context of the organization, then leadership, planning, support and operation. The checklist presents the items under each section so you can follow the standard's structure. 3. **Assess each item.** For each requirement, decide whether your organization is 'Ready', 'Almost ready', 'More work needed' or 'N/A'. These options let you mark requirements that do not apply. 4. **Capture evidence.** Where an item is not yet ready, note what is missing so it can be addressed before the certification audit. 5. **Use the results to plan improvement.** The purpose of the review is to identify the areas of your organization that need further work before your external ISO 45001 certification audit.

Frequently Asked Questions

You can use this checklist to identify areas of your organization that need further work before your external ISO 45001 certification audit. It maps to the clauses of ISO 45001:2018, from understanding the context of the organization through leadership, planning, support, operation, and performance evaluation, and it asks you to record evidence and judge readiness against each requirement.

The checklist covers the core clauses of ISO 45001:2018: the context of the organization, leadership and worker participation, planning, support, and operation. You assess your occupational health and safety management system against each item and rate your readiness, so you can see where the system is ready and where it needs further work before the external certification audit.

The checklist rates each item as 'Ready', 'Almost ready', 'More work needed' or 'N/A'. Record the date, the person preparing the checklist and the location, then work through the items, capturing evidence for each answer. The 'N/A' option lets you mark requirements that do not apply to your organization.

It gives you a structured way to identify the areas of your occupational health and safety management system that need further work before your external ISO 45001 certification audit. By working through each requirement and recording your readiness, you can target your improvement effort and reduce the risk of surprises during the certification audit.

Yes. The checklist is structured around the clauses of ISO 45001:2018, including context of the organization, leadership and worker participation, planning, support and operation. It does not replace the standard itself, but it helps you check your management system against its requirements in preparation for certification.

Written by

Arne Reis

Founder

Process optimizer with 25 years of expertise, focused on operational excellence in quality, maintenance, EHS, and commissioning. Emphasizes innovative solutions and top-quality standards.

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