Consultation and Participation in ISO 45001
Consultation and Participation is the joint decision-making and discussion process between workers and management. It was embedded within OHSAS 18001 and further included in ISO 45001:2018. But what does the process involve and why is it important?
Consultation and Participation of workers (ISO 45001, Clause 5.4) is significantly enhanced from the requirement within older standards, where this was limited to hazard identification and consultation on changes.
When it comes to consultation and participation, ISO 45001 expects occupational health and safety aspects to be fully embodied within the organisation’s structure. This includes a greater degree of employee participation in the risk identification, hazard control and development of systems. All workers should be aware of their responsibilities and work together to meet the organisation’s health and safety goals. Everyone, including both workers and leadership, is responsible for safety.
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What does Consultation and Participation imply in ISO 45001?
Consultation implies two-way communication, so workers (or their representatives when appropriate) can provide feedback to be considered by the organisation before making a decision.
Consultation implies:
- Seeking workers’ views before making decisions that affect health and safety.
- Engaging employees in discussions on policies, objectives, controls, and changes.
- Ensuring information is communicated clearly so workers can contribute meaningfully.
Participation implies the contribution of workers (or their representatives), including non-managerial workers, to decision-making related to OH&S performance and to proposed changes.
Participation implies:
- Involving workers directly in hazard identification, risk assessment, and incident investigations.
- Encouraging them to report hazards, suggest improvements, and raise concerns without fear.
- Allowing their involvement in audits, development of procedures, and decision-making processes.
Together, consultation and participation foster a strong safety culture, ensuring the OH&S system reflects real workplace conditions and benefits from the people closest to the risks.
What Does the Term Worker Mean in the Consultation and Participation Clause?
In the context of ISO 45001, ‘The Worker’ is defined as the person working under the control of the organisation, this is at all levels and includes contractors.
To facilitate the process of consultation and participation, the organisation must provide the required mechanisms, simply identified as:
- Time, training and resources
- Removal of obstacles or barriers, e.g. language, literacy or fear of reprisals
The provision of training to workers at no cost and during normal working hours could remove barriers to their participation.
Consultation and Participation of Workers in the OH&S Management System for ISO 45001 Certification
The involvement of workers in the OH&S management system, along with the processes to support, is a key requirement for an effective management system, which will lead to the achievement of your ISO 45001 certification. This involvement enables the organisation to make informed decisions and increase worker engagement.
Mechanisms can vary based on organisations, this can include,
- The inclusion of all workers in smaller organisations
- Workers’ representatives within larger organisations
- Being involved with the policy, setting objectives
- Suggestion schemes – formal and informal, along with communication on whether action is to be taken
- Focused team meetings and/or workshops
- Briefings and discussion forums, worker surveys, cross-functional groups
- Review of existing arrangements and continual improvement projects
- Hazard identification and risk assessment participation to ensure appropriate working conditions
Considerations should also take into account the methods, language and location for consultation and participation.
Worker involvement on day-to-day activities, along with those closest to the risk, provides an insight into actual issues. However, Consultation and Participation should be effective and proportionate to the organisation; not everyone is required to be involved, nor should every suggestion be acted upon.
Implementing Effective Consultation and Participation for ISO 45001
The organisation should determine the best and appropriate ways to implement effective consultation and participation, and whether more formal mechanisms, e.g. H&S committees, are required. It is important that once the mechanisms have been set up, they are supported by Management.
Why is Consultation and Participation Important?
Consultation and participation means that workers and managers work together to create a strong safety culture, ensuring the OH&S system reflects real workplace conditions and benefits from the people closest to the risks.
Consultation and participation are vital not only in becoming ISO 45001 compliant but also because they make the OH&S management system more effective, realistic, and sustainable.
1. Workers understand the real risks.
Those doing the job daily have first-hand knowledge of hazards and operational challenges, making their input essential for accurate risk assessments and practical controls.
2. Empowerment, commitment and ownership.
When workers are genuinely involved in safety decisions, they are far more likely to support and follow the resulting procedures.
3. Better communication and early problem-spotting.
Participation encourages open dialogue, helping organisations identify issues sooner and prevent incidents before they occur.
4. Builds a positive safety culture for everyone.
A workplace where people feel heard by management fosters trust, reduces resistance to change, and supports continuous improvement.
Final Thoughts on Consultation and Participation
Consultation and participation encourages a two way decision making process when it comes to risk assessment and hazard identification. Making joint decisions with workers is more likely to be effective for the development, planning, implementation, performance evaluation and actions for improvement of the OH&S management system, as workers are the key interested party.
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