ISO 45001 for manufacturers

Manufacturing companies face specific safety risks: machines with moving parts, internal transport, physical strain and exposure to substances. ISO 45001  provides a framework for controlling these risks in a systematic way. The standard is available from NEN , and certification is carried out through the RvA  (Dutch Accreditation Council). This page covers the specific points to watch in manufacturing.

Why ISO 45001 in manufacturing?

Manufacturing companies face higher safety risks than, for example, office environments. Machines can trap, cut or crush. Forklift trucks drive around. Heavy loads are lifted. Substances are processed that can be harmful.

The consequences of an incident are often serious. A crushing injury, a fall, contact with a rotating part: any of these can cause permanent injury or worse. This makes systematic safety management essential.

ISO 45001 requires you to look at all these risks in a structured way. Instead of reacting to incidents on an ad hoc basis, you identify and control hazards proactively. This leads to fewer accidents, less absence and lower costs.

In addition, more and more clients ask for evidence of safety management. Large buyers, especially in sectors such as automotive and aerospace, set requirements for their suppliers. ISO 45001 is then recognised proof that you take safety seriously.

Typical hazards in manufacturing for ISO 45001

Machines and equipment

Machines are often the biggest source of risk. Moving parts can trap, cut, strike or crush. Rotating shafts, conveyor belts, presses and saws: each type of machine has its own specific hazards.

The approach starts with machine guarding. Guards, emergency stops, light curtains and other technical measures are the first line of defence. In addition, procedures are needed for safe working, lock-out/tag-out during maintenance, and training for operators.

Do not forget the risks during breakdowns. Operators who try to fix a fault face extra risk. Make sure there are clear procedures and enough training.

Internal transport

Forklift trucks, pallet trucks, automated guided vehicles (AGVs): internal transport is a common source of incidents. Collisions, people being trapped between a vehicle and a structure, and falling loads.

Separating pedestrians from transport is essential. Mark walkways, use mirrors and warning systems, and limit crossing traffic. Make sure forklift drivers are certified and receive regular refresher training.

Physical strain

Lifting, pushing, pulling and repetitive movements: physical strain is everywhere in manufacturing. The effects are often gradual: back complaints, repetitive strain injury (RSI), and wear that only causes failure after years.

Ergonomic aids can prevent a lot of this. Lifting aids, adjustable height, and job rotation. Workstation layout also plays a role: can materials be presented at working height? Are tools within easy reach?

Hazardous substances

Many manufacturing companies work with substances that can be harmful. Solvents, coatings, cleaning agents, welding fumes and dust. Short-term exposure can cause irritation or poisoning, and long-term exposure can cause chronic conditions or cancer.

Control starts with substitution: can you use a less hazardous substance? Next come technical measures such as extraction and enclosure. If that is not enough, personal protective equipment (PPE), such as respiratory protection, is used.

Check the safety data sheets for all the substances you use. Make sure employees are trained in the risks and the correct way of working.

Noise and vibration

Noise is an issue in many manufacturing environments. Long-term exposure to noise causes hearing damage. Vibration from tools or machines can lead to hand-arm vibration syndrome (white finger) or other conditions.

Technical measures are preferred: damping, enclosures and low-vibration tools. If these are not enough, hearing protection and limits on exposure time are used.

The RI&E as the basis

Every manufacturing company must carry out a legally required risk inventory and evaluation (RI&E). This is a good basis for ISO 45001, but it often needs to be supplemented.

Check whether your RI&E covers all workplaces and activities. Have non-routine tasks been assessed, such as maintenance, cleaning and fault repair? Have psychosocial risks been included, such as work pressure and shift work?

ISO 45001 requires an ongoing process, not a snapshot. Plan regular updates of your risk assessment and review it after changes or incidents.

Worker participation in practice

Worker participation is a core requirement of ISO 45001 and especially important in manufacturing. Operators know their machines and workplaces. They see hazards that are not visible from behind a desk.

In practice, this can take the form of team meetings with safety as a fixed agenda item, toolbox meetings on specific risks, involvement in risk assessments and workplace inspections, reporting systems for dangerous situations, and taking part in incident investigations.

Keep the threshold low. In a manufacturing environment with high work pressure, talking about safety can sometimes feel like a luxury. Make it clear that it is taken seriously and that input is welcome.

Specific points for the audit

During an ISO 45001 audit at a manufacturing company, the auditor looks at specific things.

Machine guarding is checked. Are guards in place and intact? Are they being bypassed? Are there procedures for safe work on machines?

Procedures for hazardous work are reviewed. Lock-out/tag-out during maintenance, permits to work for high-risk activities, and supervision during critical work.

Training and competence are verified. Are operators trained for the machines they run? Are forklift drivers certified? Is there periodic refresher training?

Records are examined. Incident reports, workplace inspections, machine maintenance logs and inspection reports for equipment.

Worker participation is tested by talking to employees. Do they know what the safety policy is? Are they involved in identifying risks? Can they report dangerous situations?

Practical example

A metal processing company with 60 employees is implementing ISO 45001. This is how they approach it.

They start with a gap analysis based on the existing RI&E. The conclusion: the RI&E is three years old and does not include recent changes. Psychosocial risks have been only minimally addressed. Worker participation is limited to the annual employee satisfaction survey.

They update the RI&E in working groups for each department. Operators join the inventory and add what they see. This produces new insights: a trapping hazard at a conveyor belt, ergonomic problems at an assembly workstation, and noise nuisance from a compressor.

They formulate a policy and objectives. One concrete objective: reduce the number of first-aid treatments by 30% within 12 months. Actions include improving machine guards, ergonomic adjustments, and extra training for new employees.

They set up team meetings with safety as a fixed item. Each week, 10 minutes are devoted to safety: signals from the shop floor, the status of improvement projects, and a toolbox talk on a specific topic.

After six months, the improvements are visible. The number of incidents has fallen. Employees say that safety is more alive in the company. The auditor is positive about the involvement of the shop floor.

Combining with ISO 9001 and ISO 14001

Manufacturing companies often also face quality and environmental requirements. Combining ISO 45001 with ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 in an integrated KAM system is then a logical step.

This fits the reality of manufacturing. A production error can lead to an unsafe product. A leak is both a safety and an environmental problem. A more efficient process is often better for quality, safety and the environment alike.

Next step

Read more about identifying hazards and assessing risks for a detailed approach, or follow the step-by-step plan to start on certification.