ISO 45001 certification is third-party confirmation that an organization’s occupational health and safety management system conforms to ISO 45001:2018 requirements. A certification body issues the certificate after audits conducted under ISO/IEC 17021-1 requirements for competence, impartiality, and consistency. ISO publishes the standard but does not certify organizations certification bodies perform audits and issue certificates, and ISO does not permit use of the ISO logo in connection with certification.
Accredited certification validates the certification body through an accreditation body within the IAF MLA recognition framework, with scheme consistency governed by IAF MD 22 for OH&SMS certification. Certificate status verification uses IAF CertSearch, the global database for validating accredited management system certifications. AGS provides accredited ISO 45001:2018 OHSMS certification services through scheduled audit delivery in Iraq and UAE. Organizations seeking occupational health and safety management system certification access Stage 1 audits, Stage 2 audits, surveillance audits, and recertification audits delivered by competent audit teams operating under documented impartiality controls.
ISO 45001 certification is third-party conformity assessment verifying that an organization’s occupational health and safety management system conforms to ISO 45001:2018 requirements. The certification decision follows successful completion of a two-stage initial audit and results in certificate issuance by an accredited certification body.
ISO 45001:2018 specifies requirements for an occupational health and safety management system (OH&S MS). The standard provides a framework for organizations to:
ISO 45001 requirements define what an OHSMS must achieve. Requirements use “shall” statements that auditors evaluate during certification audits. The standard addresses organizational context, leadership, planning, support, operation, performance evaluation, and improvement across Clauses 4 through 10 using the Annex SL high-level structure.
ISO develops and publishes ISO 45001 but explicitly states it does not certify organizations or issue certificates. ISO also restricts the use of the ISO logo in connection with certification activities. Certification bodies (CBs) perform audits and issue certificates. Certification bodies operate under ISO/IEC 17021-1 requirements, which define competence, impartiality, and consistency obligations for bodies providing audit and certification of management systems. This distinction clarifies procurement and compliance contexts: an “ISO 45001 certified” organization holds a certificate issued by a certification body not by ISO itself.
Accreditation evaluates the certification body’s competence and impartiality against ISO/IEC 17021-1 requirements. An accreditation body (AB) performs this evaluation and grants accreditation to certification bodies meeting the requirements. Certification evaluates the client organization’s occupational health and safety management system against ISO 45001:2018 requirements. The certification body performs this evaluation and issues the certificate upon positive audit findings and certification decision. The trust chain operates as:
IAF CertSearch validates certificate status and accreditation chain
The OHSMS exists to identify hazards, assess OH&S risks, and implement controls that prevent work-related injury and ill health. Understanding these core concepts clarifies what ISO 45001 certification audits evaluate.
Hazard identification is the systematic process of recognizing sources or situations with potential for harm. Organizations identify hazards across:
OH&S risk assessment evaluates the likelihood and severity of harm from identified hazards. Risk assessment considers:
Risk assessment outputs prioritize hazards requiring additional controls.
ISO 45001 requires organizations to apply the hierarchy of controls when determining risk treatment:
Auditors evaluate whether organizations apply the hierarchy systematically rather than defaulting to lower-level controls.
ISO 45001 requires consultation and participation of workers in OHSMS planning and operation. This includes:
Worker participation represents a fundamental shift from OHSAS 18001, emphasizing worker involvement as essential to effective OH&S management.
Legal and other requirements (compliance obligations) include:
Organizations determine applicable requirements, establish processes to access current information, and maintain evidence of compliance evaluation.
Organizations establish processes for emergency preparedness and response including:
Emergency response capability is sampled during certification audits.
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ISO 45001 certification follows a structured ISO certification process from OHSMS implementation through ongoing certification maintenance. The pathway includes implementation activities, two-stage initial audits, and a three-year certification cycle.
The certification scope statement defines boundaries: activities, products, services, and locations covered by the OHSMS. Scope definition considers:
Accurate scope definition affects audit time, audit team composition, and certification cost.
Organizations apply documented methodology to:
Hazard identification and risk assessment evidence is core audit material.
Organizations implement controls following the hierarchy of controls. Operational controls address:
Controls must be implemented, maintained, and evaluated for effectiveness.
Organizations:
Compliance evaluation records demonstrate ongoing legal conformity.
Organizations ensure workers and other persons under organizational control have:
Competence evidence includes training records, qualifications, and demonstrated capability.
Internal audit is mandatory under ISO 45001. Organizations conduct first-party audits covering all OHSMS processes at planned intervals to evaluate conformity to ISO 45001 requirements and the organization’s own OHSMS requirements. Management review evaluates OHSMS suitability, adequacy, and effectiveness. Top management reviews:
Internal audit and management review records demonstrate the organization operates its own compliance mechanisms.
Stage 1 audit evaluates readiness for Stage 2. The audit team reviews OHSMS documentation, confirms certification scope, assesses site conditions, and determines preparedness for the implementation audit. Stage 1 inputs include:
Findings from Stage 1 require resolution before Stage 2 proceeds. Stage 1 and Stage 2 audits follow structured methodologies guided by ISO 19011 audit principles.
Stage 2 audit evaluates OHSMS implementation and effectiveness. The audit team collects evidence through interviews, observation, and records review across all processes within certification scope. Audit findings classify conformity status:
Organizations submit corrective action evidence demonstrating root cause analysis and implemented corrections. Nonconformity closure requires verified effectiveness before certification decision.
A positive certification decision results in certificate issuance. Certification maintenance requires:
As an accredited body, we issue certificates for the most sought-after management system standards:
The certification audit lifecycle follows a structured audit programme and certification cycle spanning three years.
ISO 45001 certification cost follows audit time and scope variables. Certification bodies determine audit duration based on defined factors and apply daily rates to calculate fees.
IAF MD5 provides mandatory provisions and guidance for audit time determination in OH&SMS certifications. Certification bodies use this framework to calculate baseline audit duration and document justifications for any adjustments. The methodology applies to initial certification audits, surveillance audits, and recertification audits. Certification scope and audit time determination follows structured methodology rather than arbitrary pricing.
IAF MD 22 is the mandatory document for OH&SMS certification scheme consistency. IAF MD 22 applies to ISO 45001 certification conducted under accreditation and ensures consistent application of ISO/IEC 17021-1 requirements specific to occupational health and safety management systems. Accreditation bodies use IAF MD 22 when evaluating certification bodies’ OH&SMS certification programs.
ISO certification cost and timeline variables depend on organization-specific factors. Request quotation after defining certification scope for accurate audit time calculation.
Certificate verification confirms that ISO 45001 certification is valid, issued by an accredited certification body, and within the stated scope. IAF CertSearch provides global validation for accredited management system certifications:
This verification supports procurement qualification, tender submissions, contractor prequalification, and stakeholder due diligence.
ISO restricts use of its name and logo. ISO explicitly states it does not permit use of the ISO logo in connection with certification. Valid ISO 45001 certificates display:
Certificates should not display the ISO logo. Phrases such as “certified by ISO” or “ISO approved” are incorrect and disallowed.
Organizations combine ISO 45001 with ISO 9001 certification and ISO 14001 certification to create an Integrated Management System (IMS). All three standards use the Annex SL high-level structure, enabling integration within a single management system framework.
Integration benefits include:
OHSAS 18001:2007 was the predecessor standard for occupational health and safety management systems. ISO 45001:2018 replaced OHSAS 18001, with the formal transition period concluded. Organizations previously certified to OHSAS 18001 have migrated to ISO 45001. Key differences between the standards include:
New certifications are issued to ISO 45001:2018. OHSAS 18001 certificates are no longer valid.
AGS delivers ISO 45001:2018 OHSMS certification through a structured audit delivery model. As an independent, third-party certification body, AGS provides:
AGS operates under documented impartiality policy controls and auditor competence model requirements. Organizations seeking ISO certification services in Iraq or ISO certification services in UAE access consistent audit delivery under these governance controls.
