OHSAS 18000 is a series of standards a company can put in place to ensure workplace safety. ISO 14000 is a series of standards a company can put in place to limit the company’s impact on the environment. These two sets of standards have very different objectives, yet are very similar at their core.

Both OHSAS 18000 and ISO 14000 attempt to streamline all of your current processes and procedures into one coherent place. OHSAS 18000 creates an occupational health and safety management system. This is a system that ensures all procedures and policies meet OSHA’s requirements, that all procedures and policies are harmonious with one another, and that no contradictions or errors exist. This system takes any company to the next level of safety, and it does so by structuring the processes already in place and adding a few new ones.

ISO 14000 helps a company to be more environmentally friendly by examining how products are produced, rather than focusing on the end result. There are many regulations in place which monitor what a company produces, so ISO 14000 attempts to fix issues during production, where there might be hazier requirements.

Both the OHSAS 18000 and ISO 14000 certifications are awarded by third parties. And if your company is interested in attaining either of these designations, it is important to work with a qualified consulting firm that truly understands the intricacies of these programs. A good consultant will audit your existing processes, help you to put new processes in place to meet the rigorous certification guidelines, and help you to put a plan in place to monitor your compliance long term.

If you would like more information on either of these certification programs, or if you would like to get started in putting a plan in place to become certified, please contact us. If you have anything to add about OHSAS 18000 or ISO 14000, please leave a comment.