Introduction

This document addresses the COVID-19 pandemic and the heightened risk it poses to the health, safety, and well-being of individuals in various environments, including remote and mobile work settings, as well as physical workplaces.

Globally, governments, regulators, and professional bodies have issued guidance on safe working during the COVID-19 pandemic. This document consolidates this information into a single set of guidelines, supporting the principles that:

• Reasonable measures to manage COVID-19 risks must be implemented to protect the health and safety of workers and other stakeholders.
• Workers should not be required to work unless these measures are in place.
  
  

The document offers practical advice for organizations and workers on managing COVID-19 risks, suitable for those resuming, continuing, or beginning operations.

It is designed to be broadly applicable, regardless of the nature of the business, service provision, size, or complexity of the organization. Recognizing that many smaller organizations lack dedicated departments for occupational health and safety (OH&S), facilities management, or human resources, further information can be sourced from professional bodies and national or international standards.

By following this guidance, organizations will be able to:

a) Effectively protect workers and other relevant stakeholders from COVID-19 risks.
b) Demonstrate a systematic approach to managing COVID-19 risks.
c) Implement a framework for timely adaptation to changing circumstances.

Organizations using ISO 45001 can incorporate this guidance into their OH&S management systems by relating relevant clauses to the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle, as follows:

• Plan: Outline what needs to be done for safe operations (see Clauses 4 to 8).
• Do: Execute the planned actions (see Clauses 9 to 12).
• Check: Evaluate effectiveness (see Clause 13).
• Act: Resolve issues and improve processes (see Clause 14).
  
  

This document is not a step-by-step guide but a framework in which the PDCA cycle should be continually repeated, ensuring ongoing improvement and the organization’s response to changes throughout the pandemic.