Sanmar Speciality Chemicals Limited (SSCL) - Performance Chemicals has been awarded the OHSAS 18000 certification for its Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) management system.
Originally created from the British Standard for Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems BS 8800:1996, OHSAS 18001 is an Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) management system specification. Developed by a group of certification bodies and various national standards organisations, OHSAS 18001 was designed to enable companies to control their OHS risks and demonstrate their commitment to provide a safe working environment, protect their employees, and improve their performance.
With the success of the ISO 9000 and ISO 14000 series of Standards, OHSAS 18001 was developed to be compatible with ISO management systems. To allow for easy integration into a company’s quality management system, many sections and sub-clauses are similar, such as management review, document control and corrective and preventive actions.
To obtain compliance, companies must first establish an OHS policy that illustrates the company’s vision and commitment to health and safety. Any potential hazards must be determinedand identified, and their risks assessed and controlled on an on-going basis. Tactics utilised should be defined and consistent. In order for an OHS management system to be implemented effectively, management should be ready to commit adequate resource to monitor activities and conduct internal audits to identify areas for improvement, ensuring the effectiveness of the OHS management system. Policies and procedures need to be identified and prepared in order to control operations, including emergency preparedness and response plans. Documentation should be accurate, up-to-date, easily accessible and properly controlled.
Benefits of implementing an OHS management system include:
Effluent treatment plant at SSCL, Berigai.