First Revision Since 2018: Where Things Stand
ISO 45001 is going through its first full revision since it was published in March 2018. Voting on the Draft International Standard (DIS) opened on June 16, 2026 and closed on September 8. The remaining steps are resolving the comments received, a possible Final Draft International Standard (FDIS) stage, and publication.
Expected publication: 2027.Transition period: To be confirmed by the International Accreditation Forum (IAF); three years is the usual allowance.A period of parallel revisions: ISO 14001:2026 (published in April) and ISO 9001:2026 (published in September) are already out with three-year transition periods running, so companies holding several certificates will face back-to-back transitions within a few years. Handling each standard separately means repeating document revisions and audits, so it pays to plan them together.Key Directions in the Draft
The draft keeps the harmonized high-level structure (HLS) and the ten-clause layout. What changes is the scope of hazard identification, which is widened to reflect how work has changed since 2018.
Psychosocial health and wellbeing: Work-related stress, excessive workload and organizational culture are treated more explicitly as hazards, with closer alignment to the ISO 45003 guidance published in 2021.New ways of working: Greater emphasis on identifying risks in hybrid and remote work carried out away from the employer's premises.Climate-related risk: A 2024 amendment already added climate change to the context clause (4.1). The discussion now extends to heat waves, cold spells, extreme weather and organizational resilience.Workforce diversity: Risk assessment is expected to reflect worker characteristics such as gender, age and migrant status.Outsourcing, procurement and supply chain: Stronger OH&S controls over contractors and outsourced processes.Governance integration: OH&S is to be linked to top management's strategic decision-making.This is still a draft, and both the wording and the level of the requirements may change in the final text. For now it is safer to prepare for the direction of travel than for specific clauses.
Where It Overlaps With Korean Regulation
Much of the revision covers ground that Korean companies already handle as legal obligations.
Risk assessment and management systems: Risk assessment under Article 36 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act, and the duty to establish a safety and health management system under the Serious Accidents Punishment Act — applied to all workplaces with five or more employees since January 27, 2024 — map onto the standard's planning and operation clauses.Climate-related health measures: The heat-illness rule requiring a rest break of at least 20 minutes every two hours when the apparent temperature reaches 33°C aligns with the climate risk requirements.Psychosocial risk: The workplace harassment provisions of the Labor Standards Act and the protections for customer-facing workers under Article 41 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act are the relevant counterparts.Contracting and outsourcing: The contracting party's safety and health duties (Articles 63 and 64 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act) overlap with the supply chain provisions.Companies certified to KOSHA-MS are often ahead on domestic legal compliance. They should still check separately whether psychosocial risks and workforce diversity are systematically built into their risk assessments.
A Transition Roadmap for SMEs
Phase 1 (now until publication): Run a gap analysis of the current system, add psychosocial and climate factors to the risk assessment criteria, and pilot them in one or two departments.Phase 2 (first year after publication): Revise the manual and procedures, retrain internal auditors, and update supplier evaluation criteria.Phase 3 (within the transition period): Align the transition audit with the annual surveillance audit or the three-year recertification audit to avoid the cost of a standalone audit.Companies that also hold ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 can combine the common clauses — document control, internal audit and management review — into an integrated management system, which reduces both audit days and paperwork.
Options for Companies Seeking Certification Now
The deciding factor is when tenders and customers will require the certificate. If you need it within a year, the practical route is to certify to the current 2018 edition and transition within the allowed period. If no deadline is set, you can watch the publication schedule and use the time to prepare.
Even when building to the current edition, including psychosocial and climate items in your risk assessment templates will greatly reduce the rework at transition. If you plan to cover certification costs through a government or municipal support program, first check the program notice for the eligible standards, the accreditation requirements and any condition that the certificate be obtained within the agreement period.
KITIM ISO Certification Consulting
KITIM supports ISO 45001 gap analysis and transition consulting, as well as integrated management systems covering ISO 9001 and ISO 14001. If you need to upgrade your risk assessment or have your safety and health management system reviewed, please reach out through KITIM's consultation request. We will work with you on a transition schedule that fits your company's size and current certifications.
