What Is Competence in ISO 45001?

Competence refers to a person's ability to perform their assigned work in a way that supports occupational health and safety.

An organisation should determine what competence is required for workers whose activities can affect OH&S performance. The requirements may depend on the person's role, responsibilities, workplace hazards and the activities they perform.

For example, a worker operating specialised machinery may need specific knowledge, practical skills and experience before being allowed to perform the task independently.

What Is Training in ISO 45001?

Training is one way an organisation can develop the competence needed for particular activities.

Training may be provided when workers join an organisation, when they take on new responsibilities, when new equipment or processes are introduced or when an identified competence gap needs to be addressed.

Training should be relevant to the worker's role and the OH&S risks associated with their activities.

What Does ISO 45001 Require for Competence?

ISO 45001:2018 addresses competence under Clause 7.2.

The organisation needs to determine the necessary competence of workers that affects or can affect its OH&S performance. It should ensure that workers are competent based on appropriate education, training or experience.

Where a competence gap exists, the organisation should take appropriate action to develop the required competence and evaluate the effectiveness of that action.

The organisation also needs to retain appropriate documented information as evidence of competence.

Why Is Competence Important in ISO 45001?

Competent workers are better prepared to understand the OH&S requirements associated with their work and carry out activities safely.

If workers do not have the required knowledge or skills, they may make mistakes or fail to follow important controls. This can increase occupational health and safety risks.

Competence therefore supports the effectiveness of the OHSMS and is connected with other ISO 45001 processes such as risk assessment , operational control and worker participation.

You can also read What Is Risk Assessment in ISO 45001? A Simple Guide for Beginners? to understand how workplace risks are identified and assessed.

How Does an Organisation Determine Competence?

An organisation can determine competence by considering the requirements of each role and the OH&S risks associated with the work.

It may consider a person's education, qualifications, previous experience, technical knowledge, practical skills and specific training.

For example, a worker responsible for a safety-critical activity may require specific technical competence before carrying out that activity.

What Happens When a Worker Does Not Have the Required Competence?

When an organisation identifies a competence gap, it should take appropriate action to address it.

This could involve training, supervised work, coaching, mentoring, additional experience or another suitable method of developing competence.

The organisation should then determine whether the action taken has achieved the intended result.

How Does ISO 45001 Evaluate Training Effectiveness?

Completing training does not automatically demonstrate that a worker is competent.

The organisation should consider whether the training or other action has achieved its intended outcome. Depending on the activity, effectiveness may be evaluated through observation, practical assessment, testing, performance review or other suitable methods.

The method used should be appropriate to the type of competence being assessed.

What Records Are Used as Evidence of Competence?

An organisation may maintain documented information that demonstrates worker competence.

This could include training records, qualification records, certificates, competency assessments or records of relevant experience.

The exact format can vary depending on the organisation and the nature of the work. The important point is that appropriate evidence should be available to demonstrate competence.

This can also be relevant during an ISO 45001 audit. For more information about audit evidence, see What Are the Common Documents Required for an ISO 45001 Audit?

How Does Competence Support Worker Participation?

Workers need appropriate knowledge and competence to participate effectively in OH&S activities.

For example, workers may need sufficient knowledge to identify hazards, report unsafe conditions or contribute to risk assessments.

Competence and worker participation therefore support each other within an OHSMS. You can learn more in What Is Worker Consultation and Participation in ISO 45001?

How Does an ISO 45001 Auditor Check Competence?

During an ISO 45001 audit, the auditor may review competence requirements, training records and other evidence showing that workers are appropriately competent.

The auditor may also interview workers and observe workplace activities. This helps determine whether the competence demonstrated in practice is consistent with the organisation's requirements.

For professionals interested in developing auditing skills, ISO 45001 Lead Auditor Training can provide knowledge of management system auditing and audit processes.

Conclusion

Competence and training are important parts of an effective ISO 45001 Occupational Health and Safety Management System. An organisation needs to understand the competence required for its activities and ensure that workers have the appropriate education, training or experience.

Training can help address competence gaps, but the organisation should also consider whether the training or other action has been effective. Maintaining suitable evidence of competence helps demonstrate that workers are prepared to perform their roles and supports the effective implementation of the OHSMS.