AS/NZS 4801 or ISO 45001?

We get questions from clients who are confused with which safety system they should have.

For years the majority of Australian organisations operated a safety system based on the Australian safety standard AS/NZS 4801. Organizations were also able to choose a system that meet the requirements of the intranational safety standard OHSAS 18001. In March 2018 a new international safety standard ISO 45001 has been published and replaced OHSAS 18001. Organizations who are already certified to OHSAS 18001 will need to upgrade to ISO 45001 by March 2021.

There were many similarities between AS/NZS 4801 and OHSAS 18001. The choice between AS/NZS 4801 and OHSAS 18001 was up to the organization. Most of our clients choose to be certified under the Australian standard AS/NZS 4801. Few who operated internationally asked to be certified under the international standard. Organisations that had a 4801 system were able to easily make the changes required to be certified under the international 18001.

It is anticipated that the new international OHSAS 45001 will also replace the Australian AS/NZS 4801.

ISO 45001 is a major improvement on 4801 and 18001, and represents many years of hard work by standards committees and negotiators around the world.

From our discussions with JAS-ANZ we understand that a transition policy is currently being prepared for consideration by the JAS-ANZ senior Executive and OHS authorities in Aus & NZ.

The in-progress draft proposes a three-year mandatory transition policy from the date of adoption of AS/NZS ISO 45001 (not publication of ISO 45001).

Organizations that will make the changes required to meet the requirements of ISO 45001 will be eligible to ‘migrate’ (transition) to AS/NZS ISO 45001 following at the least an additional on-site audit by their certification body.

Organizations that will choose not to transition to AS/NZS ISO 45001, will be allowed to remain on the certificate register under 4801 until their expiry date, upon which they will be withdrawn.

ISO Global senior consultants have reviewed the ISO 45001 and the differences between AS/NZS 4801 and ISO 45001 and our team are ready to assist you in the transition or the development of a new system based on ISO 45001. Until the formal adoption of AS/NZS ISO 45001 we recommend clients to stay with AS/NZS 4801.

Read more about ISO 45001

Comparison between AS/NZS 4801 and ISO 45001