Recently, the International Organisation for Standardisation released ISO 45001 – the world’s first International Standard for occupational health and safety (OH&S). This new health and safety initiative enables organisations to proactively improve its occupational health and safety performance.
The ISO 45001 replaces previous frameworks such as OHSAS 18001, and was developed with the input of experts from more than 70 countries. Due to the nature of the ISO 45001 being the first of its kind in OH&S, many organisations are still working to previous and sometimes out-dated frameworks.
As a business that values the importance of keeping our workforce safe and happy, all businesses within the Bri-Stor Group moved immediately to implement the new framework, in order to create effective policies and objectives to keep quality high and risks low.
Darren Bates, Bri-Stor Group Health, Safety and Environmental Manager, explains why being an early adopter of the ISO 45001 benefits our business, and therefore our customers: “The Bri-Stor Group employs over 500 people across our four companies Bri-Stor Systems, Alpha Manufacturing, Atlas Coating and Hex Signs and Graphics. Our large workforce alongside as well as the risks involved in the manufacturing industry, means that having a robust framework in place to ensure occupational health and safety is a top priority for the Group.
Many companies have relied upon earlier frameworks, but here at the Bri-Stor group, we understand that with a changing workforce and business booming more than ever, risks are ever-present. It’s only by identifying these possible risks early that we can avoid possible issues that could affect our workforce and out output.
At its most basic level, the benefits of this new framework to businesses are related to productivity. This productivity comes from reduced
absenteeism and staff turnover, an increase in staff moral and a culture built around an informed workforce with individual autonomy for their own workplace health and safety.
Having experienced success in implementing new health and safety reporting systems and building awareness of risks in our business to new starters, we embraced this new International Standard and strove to gain certification as soon as possible.
We are proud to have gained the ISO 45001 certificate, as our early adoption of the framework exemplifies our commitment to keeping our workforce safe and happy, and therefore our output and productivity remain high.”
