ANOTHER STEP FORWARD IN PROMOTING A PREVENTIVE SAFETY CULTURE AND WORK RELATED WELLBEING
The second version of the first Committee Draft has been released. This updated text incorporates the amendments made to the main body of the standard following the evaluation of comments received during the first international inquiry and also includes a draft of the informative Annex A.
WHAT ARE THE MAIN CHANGES?
SAFETY CULTURE
The draft places even greater focus on promoting a preventive safety culture and fostering workplace health and wellbeing as essential components of an effective Occupational Health & Safety Management System (OHSMS).
WORKER WELLBEING
Annex A clearly specifies that promoting work related wellbeing, an effort that reflects top management’s awareness of these issues, goes beyond merely preventing injuries and illnesses. It also requires supporting the positive aspects of work that contribute to workers’ physical, mental, social, and cognitive needs.
WORKPLACE FLEXIBILITY
Organizations are therefore encouraged to recognize that an employee’s personal life can influence their wellbeing at work, and vice versa. Working arrangements may either support or hinder a worker’s ability to manage responsibilities outside the workplace, and providing flexibility—where feasible—can have a positive impact on overall wellbeing.
DIVERSITY
A full section of Annex A is dedicated to the topic of diversity among workers and other interested parties. This includes gender, age, disability, abilities, language proficiency, literacy and numeracy skills, caregiving responsibilities for children, elderly parents or family members with disabilities, culture, religion, sexuality, menstruation, menstrual health and menopause, pregnancy and reproductive health needs, immigration status, and chronic health conditions.
A STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITY FOR ORGANIZATIONS
Stronger worker involvement and an improved overall safety culture—further reinforced by this latest draft—present a significant opportunity for companies committed to promoting the health, safety, and wellbeing of their stakeholders.
The final version of the standard, expected no earlier than late 2026, may still undergo substantial modifications.
