AS/NZS 4801 Certification

You can reduce the chances of accidents occurring by becoming AS/NZS 4801 certified – with the expert guidance of QMS.

Overview

Safety is of critical importance to every business, no matter the industry. Whether it’s in mining or engineering, construction or freight, safety is crucial. No business can afford to have their staff or contractors injured on the job, as it’s a drain on both time and resources. It also damages the reputation of your business.

Benefits of AS/NZS 4801 certification

AS/NZS 4801 is the Australian and New Zealand certification standard for occupational health and safety – and it is critical to any business looking to create a safe working environment for employees and stakeholders.

Suppliers, manufacturers and other third parties can use your certification to ensure the safety of their own staff when working in your business. By having this safety management system and certification, you will be able to apply for tenders that require a business to have a proven track record of safety in the workplace.

Not only can you use this certification to reduce workplace accidents and injuries, but you can also leverage it to attract new business opportunities.

Understanding the difference between AS/NZS 4801 and OHSAS 45001

There isn’t a significant difference between AS/NZS 4801 and OHSAS 45001 as they are both safety standards designed to help protect your staff and business. However, there are a few differences when looking at the certifications from an international perspective.

AS/NZS 4801 is the Australian and New Zealand standard for safety management and the benchmark in assessing Occupational Health and Safety across management systems.

OHSAS 45001 provides requirements for an effective occupational health and safety (OH&S) management system. This system will help to reduce workplace injuries and accidents, as well as continually improve the OH&S performance of the business.

If your business operates solely within Australia, it is acceptable to be AS/NZS 4801 certified.

Become AS/NZS 4801 certified

The Plan-Do-Check-Act method is the guiding principle behind AS/NZS 4801 and is a process QMS can expertly assist you with. In the planning stage of the certification process, your business must determine its objectives.

Your plan will look at your organisation’s existing systems and through analysis, identify areas of improvement. The aim is to achieve the following:

• Minimise and avoid injuries and illness
• Continually improve processes and standards
• Comply with legal and other requirements

Your objectives should be achievable and measurable.

After your business has created a plan, you will need to implement the strategy within the safety management framework. You will then enter the checking process of certification, which will involve an assessment from an independent assessor (such as QMS). Your plan will be compared with the standard, and if there are any improvements that need to be made, your business will need to action these to ensure you are compliant.

If your business has achieved certification, you must ensure regular reviews and internal assessment s are undertaken. These regular checks – that can be scheduled with QMS – will help your business measure and improve the system.