ISO/PAS 45005:2020 – Employee health, an essential foundation for well-functioning organizations

From the beginning of the pandemic to the present day, the work of organisations is subject to an unprecedented level of uncertainty, presenting employers with challenges that are often difficult to manage.

The whole industry is intensely concerned with supporting employee health and providing a safe working environment for the smooth running of the business.

This need is felt at the highest level, so ISO’s occupational safety and health experts have produced, through a general ISO/PAS 45005:2020 guide for safe working during the COVID-19 pandemic, a comprehensive set of recommendations that address the protection of staff during the course of their work, whether this involves physical presence at the workplace or working remotely.

To this end, experts from 26 countries have drawn up guidelines in the form of specifications, freely available to the general public.

The guidance includes practical advice for workers and organisations on how to manage risks in the context of the pandemic and aims to get work back to safe working conditions in organisations where work has been stopped and including organisations where work has been going on throughout the pandemic.

The guide is versatile, so it applies to organisations regardless of the nature of their business, size or complexity.

To note: The document referred to above is a guide and not subject to certification.
However, the document is not intended to provide guidance on how to implement specific protocols for COVID-19 infection in clinical or medical settings.

The document contains recommendations that promote the following fundamentals:

  • implementing reasonable measures to manage the risks caused by the COVID-19 pandemic to protect the health and safety of workers and other stakeholders
  • workers should not be required to work in the organisation unless protective measures have been put in place

Once the recommendations of this guide are implemented the organisation will be able to benefit from the following advantages:

  • effective measures to protect workers and other relevant stakeholders from risks related to COVID-19
  • systematically address the risks related to COVID-19
  • establish a framework for effective adaptation to the changing situation

On the other hand the organisation must communicate its commitment to the risks posed by COVID-19 and inform workers and stakeholders about:

  • general safety measures and controls, e.g. hygiene, use of personal protective equipment, use of common areas, etc.
  • the necessary working arrangements, taking into account the needs of individuals and groups of workers
  • what are the expectations from employees
  • what are the expectations from employers

The series of recommendations listed above comes in response to concerns about the pandemic, both from organisations and from employees, who are the most vulnerable part of a whole.

We are convinced that things will go smoothly in a natural way, and we urge you to show solidarity and optimism.

In line with ISO/PAS 45005:2020 for safe working during the COVID-19 pandemic, Systema has developed the TRUST MARK: Certificate of good practice to protect customers’ health, dedicated especially to the HoReCa industry, about which you can learn more here.

More guidance and details on ISO/PAS 45005:2020, here.