ISO 45001 Revision Update: What Certified Organizations Should Be Watching Next | Jay Wiessner
ISO 45001 Revision Update: What Certified Organizations Should Be Watching Next
ISO 45001:2018 remains the current published standard, but a revised edition is now in development. ISO/DIS 45001 has completed the Draft International Standard ballot stage, and ISO currently expects the revised standard to replace ISO 45001:2018 in the first half of 2027. Certified organizations should monitor the revision, but they should not treat draft text as a final requirement or begin a full transition before the new edition is published.
Key Takeaways
ISO/DIS 45001 remains under development; the DIS ballot closed on September 9, 2026.
ISO currently expects the revised edition to replace ISO 45001:2018 in the first half of 2027.
ISO 45001:2018 remains the current published standard, together with Amendment 1:2024 on climate action changes.
Organizations should monitor official updates and review their current OH&S management system without treating draft language as final.
Internal audits and readiness reviews can strengthen the current system now and make future transition planning easier once requirements are finalized.
Current Status of the ISO 45001 Revision
ISO 45001:2018 remains current. ISO last reviewed and confirmed it in 2024, and the standard also has Amendment 1:2024 on climate action changes. At the same time, ISO is developing a revised edition through ISO/DIS 45001. Certified organizations should continue maintaining conformity to the current published requirements while tracking the revision separately.
Latest Developments in the ISO 45001 Revision Process
The revision has reached the Draft International Standard (DIS) stage. ISO opened the DIS ballot on June 16, 2026, and the voting period closed on September 9, 2026. The draft remains under development while ISO members and the responsible technical committee work through the results and comments. Because it is still a draft, its wording can change before publication.
ISO states that the revised edition is intended to address evolving workplace health and safety needs and support organizations in managing OH&S more effectively. That is a useful reason to watch the revision, but it is not a basis for treating any individual draft provision as a confirmed future requirement. The safest approach is to distinguish official status information from speculation about what the final text will require.
Timeline for the ISO 45001 Revision
ISO/DIS 45001 is currently listed as under development in the enquiry phase. The DIS ballot closed on September 9, 2026, and ISO says the revised standard is expected to replace ISO 45001:2018 in the first half of 2027. That timing is an expectation, not a transition deadline for certified organizations.
After a DIS ballot, the draft may require additional work or may progress toward final approval and publication, depending on the ballot outcome and resolution of comments. Organizations do not need to predict each committee step. The practical task is to watch the official ISO status and wait for a published edition before making final implementation decisions.
The formal DIS voting and comment period has closed. Organizations following the revision should now rely on official ISO status updates and, once the new edition is published, guidance from their certification body and other applicable accreditation and certification channels regarding transition arrangements.
Understanding the ISO Revision Process
ISO standards move through defined development stages before publication. For ISO 45001, the revision has progressed from working and committee drafts to the DIS stage. Understanding that process matters because draft documents can still change before they become International Standards.
Key Stages in the ISO 45001 Revision
The revision process begins with approved work on changes, followed by drafting, committee review, and broader ISO member consultation. ISO/DIS 45001 reached the enquiry stage in 2026, when national standards bodies reviewed the draft, submitted comments, and voted.
After the DIS stage, ISO may require further draft work or move the text toward final approval and publication. Only the published International Standard establishes the new edition's final requirements. Any transition arrangements for accredited certification should be followed once they are formally communicated after publication.
For certified organizations, the important distinction is simple: monitor the revision now, but continue managing conformity against ISO 45001:2018 and its applicable amendment until the revised edition is officially published and transition guidance becomes available.
Best Practices for Monitoring ISO 45001 Revision Developments
Staying informed about a standards revision is useful, but preparation should be proportionate. The goal is to avoid both being surprised by a new edition and wasting resources implementing draft language that may change.
Health and safety managers should prioritize official ISO status information and updates from their certification body. Industry associations and professional forums can provide useful context, but they should not be treated as substitutes for the published standard or official transition instructions.
Internal communication can also help. Designate someone to track the revision, brief leadership when the status changes, and record potential impacts separately from confirmed requirements. This creates visibility without turning draft material into an implementation project.
Internal audits remain valuable during the revision period because they show how well the current OH&S management system is functioning. Correcting existing weaknesses now can improve certification readiness and put the organization in a stronger position to evaluate the revised standard once it is published.
How to Prepare for the ISO 45001 Revision Without Rushing to Conclusions
Preparation should focus on strengthening the current management system and creating a disciplined way to evaluate the final revision when it arrives. There is no need to rewrite procedures around draft wording.
Strategic Planning for Uncertain Revisions
Begin by reviewing your current OH&S management system against the requirements that apply today. Address known weaknesses, overdue corrective actions, training gaps, and internal audit findings. You can also keep a separate revision watch list for items that may need evaluation after the final edition is published.
Leadership should keep resources and responsibilities flexible enough to respond when the final standard and transition arrangements are known. For now, awareness and planning are appropriate; formal implementation decisions should wait for confirmed requirements.
Balancing Current Compliance with Future Changes
Certified organizations should continue conforming to ISO 45001:2018 and Amendment 1:2024 while the revision is under development. Continual improvement work should continue as usual, but it should be driven by the current management system and organizational needs rather than assumed draft requirements.
Formal training on new requirements should wait until the revised standard is published and the organization knows what applies. In the meantime, internal audits, management review, corrective action, and system improvement can help ensure the current OH&S management system is healthy and easier to transition later.
Role of Health and Safety Professionals During the ISO 45001 Revision
Health and safety professionals can help the organization separate confirmed requirements from draft information. Their role now is to maintain an effective current system, track official revision updates, and help leadership understand when a development is worth acting on.
They can also document potential impacts, coordinate internal reviews, and identify existing weaknesses that should be corrected regardless of the revision. Once the new edition is published, they can help compare the final requirements with the current system and build an evidence-based transition plan.
This approach keeps preparation practical: strengthen what already needs improvement, monitor the revision carefully, and avoid making unnecessary changes before the final text is available.
What Is Confirmed and What Is Still Draft
As of September 22, 2026, ISO 45001:2018 remains the current published standard. ISO 45001:2018/Amd 1:2024 on climate action changes also remains published and applicable. ISO/DIS 45001 is the draft revised edition and is still under development.
Organizations should monitor the revision without treating draft language as a final requirement. This distinction helps avoid unnecessary changes and keeps the management system aligned with the requirements that actually apply today. Final implementation decisions should wait for the published revised standard.
ISO currently expects the revised edition to replace ISO 45001:2018 in the first half of 2027. That expected publication timing is confirmed status information; the final wording of the revised requirements and any certification transition arrangements are not yet final.
What Certified Organizations Should Do Now
Certified organizations do not need to begin a formal transition yet. The best use of time now is to maintain conformity with the current standard, close existing gaps, monitor official revision status, and prepare a simple process for reviewing the final edition when it is published.
Internal audits can be used to verify current compliance and identify weaknesses that will matter regardless of how the revision changes. Organizations may also review the DIS for awareness if useful, but draft text should be kept separate from confirmed requirements and should not be treated as an audit criterion for the current certification.
Once the revised standard is published, organizations can compare the final requirements with their existing OH&S management system, determine what actually changed, plan training and documentation updates, and follow the transition instructions that apply to their certification. Organizations that want help with readiness planning can use ISO 45001 consulting services to evaluate their system and prepare for the next steps.
The ISO 45001 revision is worth monitoring, but the practical message is straightforward: ISO 45001:2018 remains current, ISO/DIS 45001 is still draft, and ISO currently expects the revised edition in the first half of 2027. Maintain the current system, strengthen weak areas now, and base transition decisions on the final published requirements rather than speculation.
Frequently Asked Questions:
When is the revised ISO 45001 standard expected to be published?
ISO currently expects the revised edition to replace ISO 45001:2018 in the first half of 2027. ISO/DIS 45001 remains under development, so that timing should be treated as the current expectation rather than a guaranteed publication date.
Do certified organizations need to make changes now?
No formal transition to the revised edition is required yet because it has not been published. Certified organizations should continue conforming to ISO 45001:2018 and Amendment 1:2024 while monitoring the revision.
Should companies update their OH&S management system based on the draft?
Companies should not update their OH&S management systems as though the draft were final. Reviewing the DIS for awareness can be useful, but the current published standard remains the basis for conformity and internal audit criteria until the revised edition is finalized and published.
How should organizations prepare for the ISO 45001 revision?
Focus first on the health of the current system: close findings, maintain legal and operational controls, keep internal audits and management reviews current, and monitor the official revision status. A draft review can be useful for awareness, but implementation planning should be finalized only after publication.
Will there be a transition period after the new edition is published?
A certification transition period may be established after publication, but official transition arrangements have not yet been announced. Certified organizations should wait for formal guidance from their certification body and relevant accreditation and certification channels rather than assuming a specific timeline.
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Author: Jay Wiessner
