Last Updated on December 24, 2025 by Melissa Lazaro

Understanding ISO 45001 Clause 5: Leadership & Worker Participation

Here’s what I’ve noticed after years of supporting ISO 45001 audits:
Most OH&S issues don’t start on the shop floor. They start in leadership decisions.

Clause 5 exists for that reason.
It forces organizations to stop treating health and safety as “someone else’s job” and start owning it at the top.

Many clients ask me the same questions:

• What does leadership commitment actually look like?
• How involved do workers need to be?
• Is a signed policy really enough?

This clause answers all of that—but only if you apply it properly.

In this article, I’ll explain Clause 5 in plain language. You’ll see how leadership, worker participation, and policy connect in real systems—and how auditors test them.

ISO 45001 Clause 5.1 – Leadership & Commitment to OH&S

Clause 5.1 makes one thing very clear:
Top management is accountable for the effectiveness of the OH&S management system.

Not supportive.
Not informed.
Accountable.

That means leaders must:

• Take responsibility for OH&S outcomes
• Ensure OH&S objectives align with business priorities
• Promote a culture that supports safe work
• Provide resources—not just approval

In practice, auditors test this by talking directly to leadership.
They ask how safety risks influence decisions.
They look for examples, not statements.

Pro tip:
Leaders don’t need to run safety meetings. They need to own safety decisions.

Common mistake:
Delegating OH&S entirely to a safety officer. When leaders can’t explain risks or controls, auditors notice immediately.

In my experience, leadership commitment becomes obvious when safety is discussed the same way as cost, quality, and delivery.

ISO 45001 Clause 5.2 – Occupational Health & Safety Policy Requirements

The OH&S policy isn’t just a framed document.
It’s a public commitment that sets expectations for everyone.

Clause 5.2 requires the policy to:

• Be appropriate to the organization’s risks
• Commit to legal compliance
• Commit to eliminating hazards and reducing OH&S risks
• Support worker participation
• Be communicated and understood

Auditors don’t just read the policy.
They check whether people recognize it and whether actions reflect it.

Pro tip:
A good policy sounds like your organization—not like a template.

Common mistake:
Policies that promise things the organization clearly doesn’t do. That disconnect weakens credibility fast.

I’ve seen audits go smoothly simply because workers could explain the policy in their own words—even briefly.

ISO 45001 Clause 5.3 – Roles, Responsibilities & Authorities

This clause answers a simple but critical question:
Who is responsible for what—and who has the authority to act?

Organizations must ensure:

• OH&S roles are clearly assigned
• Responsibilities are understood at all levels
• Authority exists to stop unsafe work

This applies to managers, supervisors, workers, and contractors.

Pro tip:
Clear responsibility doesn’t require complex job descriptions. Clarity matters more than paperwork.

Common mistake:
Assigning responsibilities without authority. If someone is responsible for safety but can’t stop work, that’s a problem.

In real audits, gaps here often surface after incidents. Auditors ask who was responsible—and the answers don’t align.

ISO 45001 Clause 5.4 – Worker Participation & Consultation

Clause 5.4 is one of the most powerful—and misunderstood—parts of ISO 45001.

Participation means workers are actively involved in:

• Hazard identification
• Risk assessment
• Incident investigations
• Improvement actions

Consultation means they are asked and listened to.

Both are required.

Pro tip:
Participation doesn’t have to be formal meetings. It just has to be real.

Common mistake:
Confusing communication with participation. Telling workers about decisions isn’t the same as involving them.

In my experience, organizations that genuinely involve workers don’t struggle to prove it. Evidence exists naturally—in changes made, controls improved, and issues raised early.

Linking Leadership & Worker Participation to OH&S Performance

This is where Clause 5 either works—or falls apart.

Strong leadership encourages reporting.
Worker participation improves risk controls.
Together, they shape safety culture.

Auditors often test this by asking:

• How worker input is used
• How leadership responds to safety concerns
• Whether participation leads to action

Pro tip:
If worker feedback doesn’t lead to visible outcomes, participation looks superficial.

Common mistake:
Treating worker input as informal and undocumented. When nothing is recorded, improvement becomes hard to prove.

In effective systems, leadership and workers reinforce each other. That’s what auditors expect to see.

FAQs – ISO 45001 Clause 5 Leadership & Participation

Does top management need to attend OH&S meetings?
Not always. What matters is involvement, decision-making, and accountability—not attendance for appearance’s sake.

How much worker participation is enough for ISO 45001?
It depends on risk and complexity. Higher risk requires deeper involvement. The key is meaningful participation, not numbers.

Can lack of leadership involvement cause major nonconformities?
Yes. I’ve seen major findings raised when leaders were clearly disengaged from OH&S responsibilities.

Conclusion – Getting ISO 45001 Clause 5 Right from the Start

Clause 5 sets the tone for your entire OH&S management system.

When leadership is engaged and workers are involved:

• Risks are identified earlier
• Controls work better
• Audits feel logical—not adversarial

When leadership is distant and participation is weak, problems show up quickly.

If there’s one thing to remember, it’s this:
Health and safety can’t be delegated away. It has to be led.

Next step:
Review how leadership decisions and worker input actually influence your OH&S system. If the connection isn’t clear, that’s where improvement should start.