The final ISO 45001 international standard for occupational safety and health management systems could be published as early as February 2018, according to a communiqué by the International Organisation for Standardization this week.

The publication, which is earlier than many predicted, will only happen if the ballot due on 25 January is successful, says the ISO communiqué. The working group that is part of ISO/PC 283 – the project committee developing the standard – met in Malacca City in Malaysia from 18-23 September to discuss the 1,600 comments submitted earlier this year to the public consultation on the second draft standard, DIS2.

DIS2 was subject to a ballot of 69 national standards bodies in May and June and produced a result of 88% in favour of approving the latest draft.

The working party amended the draft text and submitted it to the chair of PC 283 and the ISO central secretariat to determine whether any of the revisions are “technical” changes.

If they are judged to be so, a vote would be required on the final draft international standard (FDIS), which will be issued at the end of November, says the latest announcement.

The usual translation period for an FDIS is two weeks, this has been extended to four. The ballot is scheduled to be complete on 25 January 2018.

If the FDIS ballot is successful, there will then be a short period of final preparation of the text, before ISO 45001 is published in February 2018.

ISO 45001 is expected to replace the British Standard OHSAS 18001. A three-year transition period is anticipated after the final standard is published.

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