ISO 45001 certification: occupational health and safety

We take companies in Switzerland, Italy and international markets through to ISO 45001 certification, from the first review to the body's audit.

What ISO 45001 is

It is the international standard for occupational health and safety management systems, and it replaced the old OHSAS 18001.
It does not replace statutory safety obligations: it builds a system that governs them, cuts accidents and shows that the company manages risk instead of enduring it.
The framework rests on worker participation, risk assessment and the Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle.

Who needs it, and why

Companies bidding for tenders and contracts where safety is a requirement or a scoring factor.
Companies working in accident-prone sectors — construction sites, manufacturing, logistics — that want to reduce that risk methodically.
Companies whose clients or supply chains make certification a condition.
Companies looking to cut insurance premiums, disputes and downtime after accidents.

Is it mandatory? Not by law, but it is frequently demanded by tenders, clients and main contractors on site.

The Swiss context

In Switzerland, occupational safety falls under SUVA and federal legislation. ISO 45001 does not replace those obligations: it folds them into a managed, auditable system that makes what the company already does demonstrable, and brings order where the organisation has outgrown its procedures.

For companies working in Italy as well, 45001 is the standard that speaks to two different legal systems without having to start again for each country.

The path, step by step

Initial review — the free preliminary assessment.
Planning.
Building the management system.
Training the staff.
Internal audit.
Certification audit — independent third-party body.
Maintenance — annual surveillance, three-year cycle.

Two elements carry extra weight under 45001: risk assessment and worker involvement, which the standard requires explicitly. Neither is a formality — they are where the auditor looks hardest.

How the cost breaks down

Two items: our consulting fee and the certification body’s fee. The variables here are size, the number of sites and construction sites, the level of risk, and whether a system already exists or has to be built from scratch.

Why BS & Partners

Ten years in business, 117 projects, work in 9 countries.
A multidisciplinary approach: on safety, our grounding in structural and mechanical engineering is a real advantage, because risks come from actual processes, machines and construction sites — not from a form.
The firm and the way we work: the BS & Partners profile.

Frequently asked questions

Is ISO 45001 mandatory?

No, it is not required by law. It is, however, frequently demanded by tenders, clients and main contractors — to the point of becoming a de facto condition for taking part.

Does ISO 45001 replace statutory safety obligations?

No. Every statutory obligation remains. ISO 45001 folds them into a managed, auditable system that shows how the company governs risk instead of merely enduring it.

Can it be integrated with ISO 9001 and 14001?

Yes. Quality, environment and safety are the most common combination in an integrated system. ISO 45001 shares the same structure as the other ISO standards, so it integrates easily: one documentation structure, one audit cycle, one assessment.