ISO 45001 Consultancy
Health and safety management, built around your business
What is ISO 45001?
ISO 45001 is the international standard for occupational health and safety (OH&S) management systems. It gives you a structured way to identify hazards, control risks and prevent work-related injury and ill health.
The standard is built on prevention. It puts clear responsibility on senior leadership and expects workers to be consulted and involved, because the people doing the job usually know best where the risks are.
At Smart Quality, we build health and safety management systems that fit how your business already works. You get practical controls your team will actually follow, and a system that will stand up to a UKAS-accredited certification audit.
Talk to us today about a fixed fee for your ISO 45001 project.
Why get ISO 45001 certification?
Clients and main contractors want to know their suppliers keep people safe. ISO 45001 gives you:
- Independent proof that you manage health and safety properly, recognised by buyers and tender panels.
- Fewer accidents, injuries and cases of work-related ill health, through hazards spotted and controlled early.
- Confidence that you are meeting your legal duties as an employer.
- Less disruption from incidents, sickness absence and investigations.
- A visible commitment to the wellbeing of your staff, contractors and visitors.
Want to know more? Read our blog on what ISO 45001 can do for your business.
Benefits of ISO 45001
A good health and safety management system protects your people and strengthens the business at the same time.
- A stronger reputation: customers, staff and the wider community see an employer that takes safety seriously.
- Better risk awareness: everyone understands the hazards in their work and how they are controlled.
- An engaged workforce: consulting staff on safety builds trust and a culture where people speak up.
- Joined-up operations: health and safety becomes part of how work is planned, not an afterthought.
- Clearer legal compliance: you know which requirements apply and can show how you meet them.
Find out more about the business case for ISO 45001 on our blog.
Looking for a straightforward ISO 45001 consultant?
One fixed fee, agreed up front, from gap analysis to your certification audit.
How will ISO 45001 help my business?
ISO 45001 makes health and safety part of how the business runs every day. In practice, that means:
Better risk control
a consistent way to identify hazards, assess risks and put the right controls in place.
Lower costs
fewer incidents mean less downtime, fewer investigations and less sickness absence.
A positive safety culture
people take ownership of their own safety and look out for each other.
Healthier people
the system covers physical and mental wellbeing, with benefits that reach beyond the workplace.
Winning more work
many tenders, frameworks and principal contractors require ISO 45001 or score it highly.
ISO 45001 and SSIP (Safety Schemes in Procurement)
Many contractors also need to pass a Safety Schemes in Procurement (SSIP) assessment to get onto supplier lists. SSIP schemes share a common core of health and safety questions, so passing one is recognised by the others, saving you from repeating the same pre-qualification.
With an ISO 45001 system in place, you already hold most of the evidence SSIP assessors ask for. We help you line up your system with the SSIP requirements so you can complete your assessment with confidence.
Together, ISO 45001 and SSIP give buyers and principal contractors clear assurance that you work safely and competently.
Our guarantee
Fixed fee. Guaranteed. No surprises.
We agree one price up front for everything you need to reach your first certification audit. And we guarantee that the health and safety management system we build will meet the requirements of any UKAS-accredited certification body.
We keep systems simple. We document what you need, not what looks impressive in a folder, so your system is quick to build, easy to maintain and flexible as you change.
Your fixed fee includes
- A gap analysis of your current health and safety arrangements
- A bespoke health and safety management system built to ISO 45001
- A full set of internal audits, carried out for you
- Chairing your first management review
- Support right through to your certification audit
- Guidance on choosing the right UKAS-accredited certification body
ISO 45001 frequently asked questions
What is ISO 45001?
ISO 45001 is the international standard for occupational health and safety management systems. It helps organisations prevent work-related injury and ill health, and create safer, healthier workplaces. It works for any size of organisation in any sector.
How long does it take to get ISO 45001 certified?
It depends on your size, how many sites you have and how much is already in place. Most of our single site SME clients reach their certification audit within 3 months. We give you a realistic timeline at the start, based on your gap analysis.
How much does ISO 45001 consultancy cost?
We quote a fixed fee, agreed before we start, covering everything up to your first certification audit. The price depends on your size, sites and scope. Certification body fees are separate and paid directly to the body you choose. We can provide indicative certification costs from our UKAS-accredited CB partner network.
Do I need a consultant to get ISO 45001?
No, but most businesses find it quicker and less disruptive. A consultant knows what auditors look for, keeps the system proportionate and makes sure nothing important is missed.
What is UKAS accreditation and why does it matter?
UKAS is the UK's national accreditation body. It checks that certification bodies are competent and impartial. A UKAS-accredited certificate is the one buyers, tender panels and main contractors recognise, particularly in the public sector supply chain.
Do you issue the certificate?
No. We are consultants only. We build and support your management system, and an independent UKAS-accredited certification body audits you and awards the certificate. We are registered with several, including BSI, NQA, ISOQAR, SGS, URS, AUVA and Interface NRM, and help you choose the right one.
Has ISO 45001 replaced OHSAS 18001?
Yes. ISO 45001 replaced OHSAS 18001, which has now been withdrawn. If you still have an older OHSAS-based system, we can bring it up to date.
Is ISO 45001 suitable for small businesses?
Yes. The standard scales to your size and risk. An office-based business will have a much simpler system than a construction or manufacturing firm, and we build it accordingly.
What hazards and risks do I need to consider?
Anything in your work that could cause harm: machinery, vehicles, working at height, manual handling, hazardous substances, noise, lone working, and stress or workload. We help you identify them, assess the risks and put proportionate controls in place.
Does ISO 45001 cover mental health and wellbeing?
Yes. ISO 45001 covers psychological as well as physical health. Work-related stress, workload and similar factors are treated as risks to be managed like any other.
How does ISO 45001 help with legal compliance?
UK employers have legal duties under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and the regulations made under it. ISO 45001 requires you to identify the laws that apply to you, check you comply and act on any gaps, so compliance becomes routine.
Which industries benefit most from ISO 45001?
Any business can benefit, but it is most often required in construction, manufacturing, engineering, energy and renewables, defence and logistics, and in public sector supply chains.
What does worker consultation and participation mean?
ISO 45001 expects you to involve the people doing the work in decisions about health and safety: identifying hazards, investigating incidents and improving controls. It is one of the biggest differences from older standards, and it makes systems work better in practice.
What happens at the certification audit?
Certification is usually a two-stage audit. Stage 1 reviews your system and readiness. Stage 2 checks that the system is working in practice across the business (say what you do, do what you say and prove it). We prepare you for both.
How do I keep my ISO 45001 certification?
Certificates run on a three-year cycle, with surveillance audits in between and a recertification audit at the end. You keep the system running through internal audits, inspections, management reviews and corrective actions. We offer ongoing maintenance support if you want help.
Can ISO 45001 be combined with other standards?
What does senior management need to do?
ISO 45001 puts health and safety leadership firmly at the top. Senior managers take overall accountability, set the policy and objectives, provide resources and take part in management reviews. We keep their time commitment focused.
How does ISO 45001 reduce workplace accidents?
By finding hazards before they cause harm, controlling the risks, training people, and learning from near misses and incidents. Regular audits and reviews keep those controls working.
What is a health and safety policy?
It is a statement, signed off by top management, setting out your commitment to safe and healthy working, and who is responsible for what. Businesses with five or more employees must have a written health and safety policy by law. We help you write one that reflects your business.
Will ISO 45001 reduce my insurance premiums?
It can help. Insurers look favourably on businesses that can show they manage risk well, and fewer incidents mean fewer claims. Speak to your broker about how certification could affect your cover.
How does Smart Quality approach ISO 45001?
We start with a gap analysis, then build a bespoke system around how you work. We carry out your internal audits, chair your management review and support you through certification, all for a fixed fee. Our consultants are IRCA qualified, and we work with businesses across the UK from our base in Bournemouth.
What our clients say
Achieving ISO 9001, 14001 and 45001 has strengthened our business significantly. It not only demonstrates our commitment to quality, environmental responsibility and health and safety, but also gives our clients added confidence in our ability to deliver to the highest standards.
We must give huge credit to Richard Duff and the Smart Quality Services team who have helped us transform our management systems. The step change has added value to the business and enables us to even better meet the needs of all our stakeholders. If there are businesses out there considering the journey, please do speak to Richard Duff.
Smart Quality Services were an outstanding partner in helping 4Thought Digital achieve ISO 9001 certification. Richard Duff’s expertise in developing a robust Quality Management System, combined with Sara Duff’s exceptional account management, ensured the process was smooth, collaborative, and aligned with our diverse service lines: Consultancy, Managed Services, and Social Ventures. Their professionalism, deep knowledge, and practical approach gave us confidence at every stage. We highly recommend Smart Quality Services to any organisation seeking a trusted partner for quality and compliance.
Find out how we can help you
Tell us about your business and your timescale, and we will come back with a clear plan and a fixed fee quote for ISO 45001.