Overview - ISO/IEC TS 17021-10:2018 (OH&S competence requirements)
ISO/IEC TS 17021-10:2018 is a Technical Specification from ISO/CASCO that defines additional competence requirements for personnel involved in auditing and certifying occupational health and safety (OH&S) management systems. It complements ISO/IEC 17021-1 and is intended principally for certifying OH&S systems based on ISO 45001 (but can be applied to other OH&S applications). The document clarifies expectations for the competence of three certification functions: auditors, personnel reviewing audit reports and making certification decisions, and other certification personnel.
Key topics and technical requirements
- Scope and relationship to ISO/IEC 17021-1 and ISO 45001 - Specifies additional OH&S-specific competence requirements while referencing the general requirements in ISO/IEC 17021-1.
- Three personnel categories - Auditors; report reviewers/certification decision-makers; other certification personnel.
- Core knowledge areas auditors and reviewers shall maintain:
- Terminology, principles and concepts of OH&S management, including intended outcomes, hazards, OH&S risks and hierarchy of controls.
- Context of the organization - evaluating identification of internal/external issues and interested parties relevant to OH&S scope.
- Leadership, consultation and worker participation - assessing top management commitment and consultation processes.
- Legal and other requirements - understanding workplace health & safety obligations, privacy of medical data, worker representation, etc.
- OH&S risks and opportunities - methods for hazard identification, risk assessment, OH&S opportunities, and relevant analysis methods (e.g., task analysis, HAZOP, FMEA are noted as examples).
- Emergency preparedness and response; performance evaluation; incident investigation; elimination/reduction of hazards.
- Audit team composition - Collective competence of the audit team must be sufficient even if individual members do not possess identical skills.
- Annex A - Provides a useful summary of required knowledge for OH&S auditing and certification.
Practical applications - who uses this standard
- Certification bodies - to define competence criteria, develop job profiles, training plans and assessment tools for OH&S certification personnel.
- Lead auditors and audit teams - to verify scope of knowledge required for effective OH&S audits.
- Personnel making certification decisions - to ensure informed, credible decisions based on OH&S technical competence.
- Organizations seeking ISO 45001 certification - to understand what auditor competence will be assessed and expected during certification.
- Training providers and competency assessors - to design OH&S-specific training modules and evaluation methods aligned with ISO/IEC TS 17021-10:2018.
Related standards
- ISO/IEC 17021-1:2015 - General requirements for bodies providing audit and certification of management systems.
- ISO 45001 - Occupational health and safety management systems - Requirements with guidance for use.
Keywords: ISO/IEC TS 17021-10:2018, OH&S competence requirements, occupational health and safety management systems, ISO 45001, ISO/IEC 17021-1, auditors, certification bodies, audit report review, hazard identification, risk assessment.