Transitioning from the National Audit Tool to ISO 45001
- eve4245
- Sep 23
- 3 min read
As a self-insurer, our client saw the benefit in transitioning from the National Audit Tool (NAT) to ISO 45001. Recognising the need for specialised expertise, Risk Strategies was engaged to guide, advise and support the organisation through the process.
ISO 45001 offered many advantages
Seen as the gold standard of safety, ISO 45001 offered the organisation a far more flexible and less prescriptive framework for managing occupational health and safety (OHS). Achieving certification would also provide commercial advantages to the parts of the business that tender for large projects.
However, with over 4,000 employees across a diverse range of business units, our client recognised that the transition would be a significant undertaking for the business.
While the ISO 45001 framework has only 40 audit criteria, compared to the NAT’s 110, it is a far more rigorous framework with enhanced leadership obligations that require greater ownership of OHS from Senior Executives and Boards, and OHS risks to be reviewed alongside business strategy risks. This meant that in order to transition, the organisation’s Safety Management System and its application to the diverse business units would need to be reviewed and rewritten.
The process of transitioning from the NAT to ISO 45001
Over the year-long transition period, we worked closely with the organisation to provide the advice, guidance, expertise, and support needed to transition successfully. This involved:
Gap analysis
The first phase of the process required a comprehensive review and gap analysis of the organisation’s existing Safety Management System to inform the development of the new system.
Establishing a steering Committee and Working Group
To oversee and undertake the transition and ensure appropriate governance in line with ISO 45001’s enhanced obligations, we worked with our client to establish a Steering Committee with senior representatives from each of the different business units.
Development and implementation of the new Safety Management System
Working closely with the Steering Committee throughout the process, our consultant’s specialised expertise and experience helped the Committee to understand the overall process, what needed to be done, why it needed to be done, and systematically work through the transition process.
At a practical level, this involved consulting across the organisation to:
Interpret the ISO 45001 Standard and its application to the organisation as a whole and to each individual business unit.
Understand the different functions, risks and requirements of each business unit.
Develop risk registers and corrective actions, tailored to the specific needs of each business unit.
Assist in the development of the new Safety Management System.
Certification audit preparation
In preparation for the certification audit, we visited a number of business unit sites to take the business unit leaders through the new Safety Management System, help them understand and apply the relevant aspects to their operations, and ensure they were prepared and ready for the audit.
Certification audit support
The certification audit involved audits of all business units over a period of 30 days. Throughout the process, we were on call to answer questions, provide advice, and offer support to the individual business units as they underwent the audit.\
A great result for all involved
Transitioning from the NAT and achieving ISO 45001 certification across the various business units over a 12 month period is a significant achievement.
