KANBrief 1/24
From a historical perspective, the success of standards is based on the traditional technical standardization of physical objects. In today’s world, however, to reduce standardization to this sphere is to neglect a considerable proportion of standardization activity. Abstract topics such as organizational processes, services and quality assurance are already dominating the agenda of many (and more recently convened) standards committees.
“Management standards” immediately brings the major and familiar management system standards to mind: ISO 9001 for quality management, ISO 14001 for environmental management and ISO 50001 for energy management. Their harmonized structure (HS) enables all these standards to be integrated into a single management system.
Occupational safety and health also has a standard of this kind: ISO 45001, Occupational health and safety management systems – Requirements with guidance for use. This standard was adopted in Germany in 2018 as DIN ISO 45001. It is currently in the process of being adopted at European level, despite the scepticism of other EU Member States. In particular, Member States that ensure a high standard of occupational safety and health through national rules see no need for technical support in the form of standards and private certifications.
ISO 45001 is flanked by a number of further documents issued by ISO/TC 283, the committee responsible. These address topics such as mental health at the workplace and safe working during the COVID-19 pandemic. These standards have not been adopted in the German body of standards. A standard is also being developed that can serve as a guide to assessing the performance of the occupational safety and health management system. It is expected to be published in 2024 in the form of ISO 45004.
Despite what might be inferred from their name, the risk management standards developed by the ISO/TC 262 committee do not constitute management system standards within the HS. ISO 31030, Travel risk management, is among the standards of interest from an occupational safety and health perspective, as it defines measures for domestic and foreign travel by employees. This standard is being adopted as a DIN standard. To ensure that employees in Germany are covered by the statutory accident insurance when travelling, it is important that the provisions of the German Social Accident Insurance be observed and that users do not rely solely on the standard. The preface to the standard will include information to this effect.
The work of ISO/TC 241, Road traffic safety management systems, addresses a similar topic. The standards developed by this committee are intended to support organizations in improving road safety. They are aimed in the first instance at organizations whose activity is performed primarily on public roads, such as delivery services, passenger transport and logistics. Delivery services in particular have gained greater relevance through platform work (e.g. Uber, Lieferando, Wolt, etc.). The ISO/AWI 39004 project currently in progress addresses the safety of these services’ workers in road traffic. This will give rise to overlap and conflict with the German body of safety and health regulations. There are no plans for the standard to be adopted in the German body of standards.
The harmonized structure is also missing from standards in the sphere of personnel management. The relevant committee in this case, ISO/TC 260, is currently responsible for almost 30 standards and technical specifications. With regard to occupational safety and health, ISO/TS 24179, which defines occupational safety and health metrics, is a notable example. Like the ISO 45004 project, this standard has the purpose of evaluating the performance of OSH measures in companies, but in this case based on predefined metrics. The metrics are intended to permit comparison between companies around the world, and also between timeframes. This, however, presents difficulties, as divergence in definitions between one country and the next prevent the accident statistics from being compared, give rise to statistical distortions, and create false incentives, for example to withhold information on reportable workplace accidents.
ISO/TC 283 is the main forum for management standardization of relevance to occupational safety and health. OSH is, however, often affected by other management standards. Problems arise owing to conflicts between these standards and the German body of OSH regulations or basic OSH principles. Management standards must therefore be monitored rigorously, to ensure that key developments are not overlooked and that timely intervention is possible.
Freeric Meier
meier@kan.de