The OHSAS certification system was created by an association of national standard bodies, certification bodies/registrars, and specialist consultancies. As a worldwide certification body/registrar, DNV participated in the development of the standard.

The OHSAS series
The occupational health and safety assessment series OHSAS 18001 was designed to help organizations formulate occupational health and safety policies and objectives. The series includes the 18001 specifications and accompanying guidelines to implementation of OHSAS 18001. The standard is applicable to any organizations that wish to take a proactive approach to its occupational health and safety risks.

Eliminating risks and hazards
OHSAS 18001 will measure your managements system with regards to several dimensions. The extent of application will depend on such factors as the occupational health and safety policy of the organization, the nature of its activities, and conditions under which it operates.

A successful management system should be based on:

• An occupational health and safety policy appropriate for the company.
  
  
• Identification of occupational health and safety risks and legal requirements.
  
  
• Objectives, targets, and programs that ensure continual improvements.
  
  
• Management activities that control the occupational health and safety risks.
  
  
• Monitoring of the occupational health and safety system performance.
  
  
• Continual reviews, evaluation, and improvement of the system.

Where do I go from here?
For third party certification, you need to implement an effective management system complying with the requirements of the standard. The first step is to get on the road to certification.