The Occupational Health and Safety Assessment Series (OHSAS) Standard specifies requirements for an occupational health and management system, enabling a firm to control its health and safety risks and improve its performance in this area. The Standard is already becoming a requirement for some security service contract tenders, meaning that bidding companies can make use of SSAIB’s UKAS-accredited assessment process to gain OHSAS 18001 certification and steal a march on their competitors.

Meanwhile, SSAIB’s ISO14001 accreditation also offers a marketing advantage to firms achieving certification. It enables a company to develop and implement an environmental policy and procedures, as well as carrying out an environmental self-assessment to identify the environmental aspects and impacts that it can control and influence. Accordingly, it offers independent verification of a firm’s ‘green’ approach in identifying, for example, ways to save water, energy and waste, reduce its environmental impact, improve customer service, increase its operational efficiency and comply with environmental regulations.

“The business landscape is becoming increasingly governed by health & safety, risk and environmental legislation/regulations,” warns SSAIB’s Sales and Marketing Manager, Andrew Brown. “In terms of health and safety firms must be mindful, for example, of RIDDOR (Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations), COSHH (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health) and REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation & restriction of Chemicals) etc.

“Equally, ISO14001 reflects the increasing importance placed on the environmental impact of business operations and the need, for instance, to demonstrate awareness of zero waste, pollution, hazardous materials management and vehicle fuel efficiency. Many tenders now stipulate accreditation to ISO14001 or an integrated management system (ISO9001 Quality, ISO14001 Environmental, and OHSAS18001 Health and Safety combined management system).”