![Advisera John Nolan](https://advisera.com/wp-content/uploads/blog_authors/johnnolan.jpg)
November 9, 2016
Most organizations that have an OHSMS (Operational Health and Safety Management System) certified against ISO 45001:2018 will tend to have an internal OH&S manager. The ISO 45001 standard itself makes no specific mention of a requirement for a position, mentioning only “top management” and making reference to people who will be nominated as regarded as being “responsible” for tasks within the OHSMS itself. However, many organizations that operate in sectors that demand a high level of OH&S (operational health and safety) knowledge and capability will normally tend to recruit a specialist manager with experience and qualifications for this position. So, given that this is the case, what capabilities and skill should an OH&S Manager have to ensure the organization is aligned with ISO 45001 and can deliver excellent OH&S performance?
As with many management positions, the OH&S Manager within many organizations may be expected to have some relevant qualifications. OH&S qualifications can vary in different countries, from university degrees to vocational qualifications. While formal qualifications are no guarantee of success, many large organizations prefer to have an OH&S manager with qualifications to represent the company and deal with stakeholders, as it is viewed as giving the company extra credibility. So, qualified or not, what core skills should the OH&S manager have? Let us examine:
So, given that we can see the requirements in terms of qualifications and skillset for an OH&S manager, what precisely should his/her job role be?
Again, the answer to this can vary to a degree on the basis of the size of your organization, but the OH&S manager will normally have to fulfill the following roles:
Therefore, we can see that the OH&S manager normally assumes all responsibility for the delivery of all elements of the OHSMS and its performance, which can seem strange given that the role isn’t mentioned in the ISO 45001 standard at all! However, despite this, the OH&S manager can normally be found right at the heart of an organization’s OH&S function. Ensure the OH&S manager has the set of skills listed above and understands the role that he/she has to fulfill, and you can be a good part of the way towards having the correct person guiding your company’s OH&S performance. That can surely only be good news for your company’s health and safety, and the well-being of your employees.
Why not use our free Gap Analysis Tool to help measure the gap between your OHSMS and the ISO 45001 standard?