Update: The timeline for certified organisations to migrate from AS/NZS 4801 to ISO 45001:2018 has been extended to 13 July 2023.

Please note:

AS/NZS 4801:2001 certified organisations that cannot demonstrate an imposed obligation to maintain certification to AS/NZS 4801:2001 are required to migrate to ISO 45001:2018 by 13 July 2023.

AS/NZS 4801:2001 certified organisations that are able to evidence an imposed obligation to maintain certification to AS/NZS 4801 will be able to retain the certification until such time as the obligation ceases or JAS-ANZ formally withdraws AS/NZS 4801 as an accredited certification standard, whichever is the sooner. To be recognised as an imposed obligation the requirement must be explicitly stated and legally binding. JAS-ANZ strongly advises these organisations consider extending scope to include both ISO 45001 and AS/NZS 4801 or at the very least are planning migration in consideration of:

• mandatory migration will apply as and when the imposed obligation to maintain AS/NZS 4801 certification can no longer be demonstrated; and
• the inevitable withdrawal of all AS/NZS 4801 accredited certifications as references to the standard are removed from regulation/legislation in Australia and New Zealand.

There has been a number of queries around the transition timeline for ISO 45001:2018 and the validity of AS/NZS 4801:2001.  

IAF MD 21:2018 was specifically concerned with the migration of certifications from OHSAS 18001:2007 to ISO 45001:2018 recognising that some countries had other OHS standards which were applicable.  The IAF, OHSAS Project Group and the ISO had agreed to a three-year migration period from the publication date of 12 March 2018 and now 12 September 2021 due to COVID-19 for the purpose of harmonising AB and CB transitions.

Standards Australia and Standards New Zealand have adopted ISO 45001:2018 and re-issued it as AS/NZS 45001:2018.  AS/NZS 4801:2001 has been listed as superseded by both Standards organisations.  

There are situations where AS/NZ 4801:2001 is still called up in legislation/regulation and it will continue to be recognised for those schemes e.g. e-waste, CAAR until the regulator/scheme owner amends its requirements.

Organisations that are certified to AS/NZS 4801:2001 and are not affected by regulatory lags should migrate to ISO 45001:2018 (AS/NZS 45001:2018) by the 12 September 2021.  

JAS-ANZ will issue an amended policy to address this.

Any queries please contact HHS [at] jas-anz.org