The first draft international standard (DIS) of occupational health and safety standard, ISO 45001, failed to gain the necessary votes for approval in a recent ballot of committee members.
Once complete, ISO 45001, Occupational health and safety management systems — Requirements, will provide a framework to improve employee safety, reduce workplace risks, and create better, safer working conditions.
The first DIS of ISO 45001 failed to gain approval by the committee following a round of balloting from 12 February to 12 May that closed with a result of 71 percent in favor to 29 percent against.
The project committee responsible for the development of the new standard, ISO/PC 283, met June 6-10 in Toronto to make a decision about the next stage in the development, consultation, and ballot process. The committee also discussed many of the more than 3,000 comments that were made on the DIS.
Following the meeting, ISO/PC 283 confirmed that ISO 45001 will move to a second draft international standard (DIS2) stage, which is expected to be available early 2017.
The current timelines for ISO 45001 are as follows:
- August/September 2016: drafting group to meet to review remaining comments.
- October 2016: plenary meeting to take place, and if agreed, the draft will form the DIS2.
- Feb/March 2017: two months DIS2 ballot.
- May 2017: plenary meeting to review comments and vote on DIS2.
If a final draft international standard (FDIS) is not required, the publication of ISO 45001 is expected to take place in June 2017. However, if an FDIS is required, ISO 45001 is likely to be published in November 2017.