ISO 45003: World’s First International Standard for Mental Health in the Workplace
The ISO 45000 Family
ISO 45003 is the newest standard published within the ISO 45000 family. The ISO 45000 family offers a framework for efficient occupational health and safety management.
ISO (International Organisation for Standardization) is an independent, non-governmental organization representing the National Standard Institutes of over 150 countries. They develop and publish international standards in response to the needs of the international market and global expert opinions. There are certifiable ISO standards and non-certifiable standards, such as ISO 26000: Social Responsibility.
ISO 45003: Occupational Health & Safety Management – Psychological Health & Safety at Work – Guidelines for Managing Psychological Risks
ISO 45003 addresses the many areas that can impact a worker’s mental health, including:
- ineffective communication;
- excessive pressure;
- poor leadership; and,
- organisational culture.
ISO 45003 looks at:
- how to identify the conditions, circumstances, and workplace demands that have the potential to detriment the mental health and well-being of workers;
- how to identify primary risk factors and assess them to determine what changes are needed for improving the work environment; and,
- how to identify and address work-related hazards and manage psychological risk within an occupational health and safety management system.
Norma McCormick, Project Leader of the ISO Committee that developed the ISO 45003 standard, is quoted by the ISO saying:
“Every organization has occupational health and safety responsibilities, and the current pandemic has brought into sharp focus the important role that psychological health in the workplace plays.”
“While many have felt powerless about the impact of recent events, there are many things that can be done to build the resilience of staff and promote a strong organizational culture. This standard brings together international best practice in this area and is relevant to companies of all types and sizes.”
ISO 45003 will help users to satisfy the requirements of ISO 45001 and establish the foundation for a resilient and dynamic organisation with a strong, healthy, and happy workforce.
The standard fits in with the ISO’s overall strategy, defined in their recent publication ISO Strategy 2030.
ISO Strategy 2030: Goals
The ISO’s goals for 2030 are defined as:
- Meeting Global Needs;
- ISO Standards are Used Everywhere; and,
- All Voices are Heard.
These goals are in alignment with their overall vision:
“Making lives easier, safer, and better”
Click the button below to check the ISO’s official publication on the ISO Strategy 2030.
Certifiable ISO Standards
In Australia, the standards that are most common for certification are:
- ISO 9001 – Quality Management Systems;
- ISO 22000 – Food Safety Management;
- ISO 14001 – Environmental Management Systems;
- ISO 45001 – Occupational Health and Safety Management;
- ISO 31000 – Risk Management; and,
- ISO 27001 – Information Security.
Through quality processes, ISO-certified organizations are able to constantly monitor and improve their well-documented and structured processes. These organizations lead the way in terms of quality, efficiency, and productivity.
Each ISO standard has different specific benefits, and together they work to provide a solid and streamlined foundation for a successful organization. ISO-certified businesses tend to have better customer retention and satisfaction, lower staff turnover, and consistent quality outcomes.
An ISO-certified management system can also help to reduce costs, increase market share and gain access to new markets.
4 Steps to ISO
Get in touch with QSM Group today to discuss your ISO compliance and certification needs.
Our experienced consultants work with you to develop, implement and monitor your management systems. We can also assist with achieving certification to any desired certifiable ISO standards.
