Standards Comparison

    ISO 45001

    Voluntary
    2018

    International standard for occupational health and safety management

    VS

    EN 1090

    Mandatory
    2009

    EU harmonized standard for steel and aluminium structures execution

    Quick Verdict

    ISO 45001 provides voluntary OH&S management systems for global organizations, emphasizing leadership and continual improvement. EN 1090 mandates CE marking for EU structural steel/aluminium via FPC certification. Companies adopt ISO 45001 for safety culture; EN 1090 for legal market access.

    Occupational Health & Safety

    ISO 45001

    ISO 45001:2018 Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems

    Cost
    €€€
    Complexity
    High
    Implementation Time
    6-12 months

    Key Features

    • Strong leadership accountability and worker participation
    • Annex SL structure for IMS integration
    • Hierarchy of controls prioritizing hazard elimination
    • Risk-based planning for hazards and opportunities
    • PDCA cycle driving continual improvement
    Structural Metalwork

    EN 1090

    EN 1090: Execution of steel and aluminium structures

    Cost
    €€€€
    Complexity
    High
    Implementation Time
    6-12 months

    Key Features

    • Risk-based Execution Classes (EXC1-EXC4)
    • Factory Production Control (FPC) certification
    • CE marking and Declaration of Performance
    • Welding quality via ISO 3834 alignment
    • Material traceability and NDT inspection

    Detailed Analysis

    A comprehensive look at the specific requirements, scope, and impact of each standard.

    ISO 45001 Details

    What It Is

    ISO 45001:2018 is the international standard for Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems (OHSMS). It provides a framework to prevent work-related injuries and ill health through proactive risk management. Built on the High-Level Structure (Annex SL) and PDCA cycle, it emphasizes leadership, worker participation, and continual improvement.

    Key Components

    • Clauses 4-10 covering context, leadership, planning, support, operation, evaluation, and improvement.
    • Hierarchy of controls for operational risks.
    • Risk-based approach to hazards, opportunities, and legal requirements.
    • Optional third-party certification via audits.

    Why Organizations Use It

    • Reduces incidents, downtime, and costs; improves resilience.
    • Meets legal/compliance needs; enhances insurance and tenders.
    • Builds safety culture, talent retention, and stakeholder trust.
    • Integrates with ISO 9001/14001 for efficiency.

    Implementation Overview

    • Phased: gap analysis, policy/objectives, controls, audits, reviews.
    • Scalable for all sizes/sectors; 6-12 months typical.
    • Certification involves Stage 1/2 audits, annual surveillance.

    EN 1090 Details

    What It Is

    EN 1090 is a family of harmonized European standards (EN 1090-1, -2, -3) governing execution and conformity assessment of structural steel and aluminium components under the Construction Products Regulation (CPR). It ensures safe fabrication, assembly, and CE marking for load-bearing elements in construction works, using a risk-based approach through Execution Classes (EXC1-4).

    Key Components

    • **Factory Production Control (FPC)Certified internal production oversight system.
    • **Technical requirementsWelding, tolerances, corrosion protection, materials traceability, inspection/NDT.
    • **Execution ClassesMatrix based on consequence, service, production categories.
    • **Welding managementAligned with ISO 3834 levels by EXC.
    • Notified Body certification with surveillance.

    Why Organizations Use It

    • Mandatory for EU/EEA market access via CE marking.
    • Mitigates liability, ensures quality consistency.
    • Enables competitive bidding, builds stakeholder trust.
    • Drives operational maturity, reduces rework.

    Implementation Overview

    Phased: gap analysis, FPC development, personnel/welding qualification, ITT/ITC, NB audits. Targets fabricators; 6-12 months typical; scales with EXC and size.

    Key Differences

    Scope

    ISO 45001
    OH&S management systems across Clauses 4-10
    EN 1090
    Execution and conformity of steel/aluminium structures

    Industry

    ISO 45001
    All sectors worldwide, scalable to size
    EN 1090
    Construction, steel/aluminium fabrication in EU/EEA

    Nature

    ISO 45001
    Voluntary international certification standard
    EN 1090
    Mandatory harmonized standard for CE marking

    Testing

    ISO 45001
    Internal audits, management reviews, monitoring
    EN 1090
    FPC certification, NB surveillance, ITT/ITC

    Penalties

    ISO 45001
    Loss of certification, no legal penalties
    EN 1090
    Market exclusion, fines, legal liability

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Common questions about ISO 45001 and EN 1090

    ISO 45001 FAQ

    EN 1090 FAQ

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