Last Updated on December 24, 2025 by Melissa Lazaro

ISO 45001 Terms Explained Without the Jargon

Here’s something I’ve learned the hard way.

Most ISO 45001 confusion has nothing to do with safety.
It comes from the language.

I’ve explained the same terms to managers, supervisors, and workers many times—and once the wording clicks, the standard suddenly feels much simpler.

This glossary exists for one reason:
To explain ISO 45001 terms the way you’d explain them to a colleague, not an auditor.

No memorising definitions.
Just understanding what the terms mean in real life.

Core ISO 45001 Management System Terms

Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S)

OH&S is about keeping people safe and healthy at work—both physically and mentally.

It’s not just accidents.
It includes things like stress, fatigue, ergonomics, and long-term health risks.

In practice, OH&S means asking:
“What could hurt people here, and how do we stop that from happening?”

OH&S Management System

This is simply how you manage safety in a structured way.

Instead of reacting when something goes wrong, you:

• Identify risks
• Put controls in place
• Check if they work
• Improve them over time

Auditors look for consistency here. Not perfection—consistency.

OH&S Policy

The policy is your organization’s public promise about safety.

It should explain:

• What leadership commits to
• How safety fits into the business
• That workers will be involved

If it sounds generic, it probably is.

A good policy reflects how the organization actually operates.

Risk & Hazard-Related Terms Explained Simply

Hazard

A hazard is anything with the potential to cause harm.

That includes:

• Machinery
• Chemicals
• Stress
• Poor workstation setup

If it could hurt someone, it’s a hazard.

OH&S Risk

Risk is about likelihood and impact.

In simple terms:
Hazard = what could hurt you
Risk = how likely it is, and how bad it could be

Two workplaces can have the same hazard—but very different risk levels.

Risk-Based Thinking

This doesn’t mean complicated math.

It means thinking ahead instead of reacting later.

You ask:

• What could go wrong?
• What’s already changing?
• Where should we focus first?

Auditors want to see awareness—not complex spreadsheets.

Opportunity (OH&S Opportunity)

This one confuses people.

In ISO 45001, an opportunity is anything that can improve safety.

Examples include:

• Better training
• Improved layouts
• Clearer communication

It’s about doing things better, not just avoiding harm.

People, Leadership & Participation Terms

Top Management

Top management means the people who control direction and decisions.

Not job titles.
Not org charts.

If someone can approve budgets or change priorities, they count.

Auditors expect these people to understand their safety responsibilities—not just delegate them.

Worker Participation & Consultation

Participation means workers are involved.

Consultation means they’re asked before decisions are made.

Real participation looks like:

• Listening to safety concerns
• Acting on feedback
• Involving workers in risk assessments

A suggestion box alone doesn’t count.

Competence

Competence is more than training records.

It’s about whether someone can actually do the job safely.

You prove competence through:

• Skills
• Experience
• Supervision

Training helps—but it’s not the whole story.

Operational & Control-Related Terms

Operational Control

Operational control means putting limits and rules around risky work.

That could be:

• Procedures
• Permits
• Checklists
• Supervision

If a task has risk, there should be some form of control in place.

Outsourced Processes

If someone does work for you that affects safety, it counts.

That includes:

• Contractors
• Maintenance providers
• Temporary labour

ISO 45001 expects you to manage those risks—not ignore them because the work is outsourced.

Emergency Preparedness and Response

This isn’t just fire drills.

Emergencies include:

• Chemical spills
• Medical emergencies
• Power failures
• Serious incidents

Auditors look for realistic planning—not thick emergency manuals no one reads.

Performance, Monitoring & Improvement Terms

Monitoring and Measurement

This is how you check if safety controls work.

It includes:

• Inspections
• Incident trends
• Safety observations

Good systems measure both problems and prevention.

Incident

An incident is anything that caused—or could have caused—harm.

That includes:

• Accidents
• Near-misses
• Unsafe situations

Near-misses matter because they show where controls failed before someone got hurt.

Nonconformity

A nonconformity means something didn’t meet a requirement.

That could be:

• A missing control
• A process not followed
• A requirement not met

It’s not a failure. It’s feedback.

Corrective Action

Corrective action isn’t just fixing the problem.

It’s fixing the cause.

Auditors want to see that you:

• Investigate why it happened
• Prevent it from happening again

Quick fixes alone don’t count.

System Review & Continual Improvement Terms

Management Review

This is where leadership steps back and looks at the whole system.

They review:

• Performance
• Incidents
• Risks
• Improvements

It’s not a box-ticking meeting. It’s a decision-making one.

Continual Improvement

Continual improvement doesn’t mean constant change.

It means learning and getting better over time.

Small improvements count.
Progress matters more than speed.

Auditors look for movement—not perfection.

FAQs – Understanding ISO 45001 Language

Do auditors expect everyone to know these terms?

No.

Workers need to understand what affects their job.
Leaders need to understand responsibilities and risks.

Not everyone needs to speak “ISO.”

Can we use simpler wording instead of ISO terminology?

Yes—and that’s often better.

As long as people understand what’s expected, auditors are fine with plain language.

Conclusion: Why Understanding ISO 45001 Terms Makes Everything Easier

Once the language makes sense, ISO 45001 stops feeling complicated.

The ideas are practical.
The structure is logical.
The stress mostly comes from unfamiliar words.

From what I’ve seen, teams that understand the terminology:

• Implement faster
• Communicate better
• Handle audits with more confidence

Use this glossary as a reference.
Focus on understanding, not memorising.

That’s how ISO 45001 actually starts working.