Standards Comparison

    ISO 45001

    Voluntary
    2018

    International standard for occupational health and safety management

    VS

    ISO 20000

    Voluntary
    2018

    International standard for service management systems

    Quick Verdict

    ISO 45001 provides occupational health & safety management for all industries, preventing injuries via risk controls and worker participation. ISO 20000 establishes IT service management systems for reliable delivery. Companies adopt them for compliance, risk reduction, and certification-driven trust.

    Occupational Health & Safety

    ISO 45001

    ISO 45001:2018 Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems

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

    Key Features

    • Annex SL high-level structure for IMS integration
    • Top management leadership and accountability requirements
    • Mandatory worker consultation and participation
    • Hierarchy of controls prioritizing hazard elimination
    • Proactive risks and opportunities management approach
    IT Service Management

    ISO 20000

    ISO/IEC 20000-1:2018 Service management system requirements

    Cost
    €€€€
    Complexity
    High
    Implementation Time
    12-18 months

    Key Features

    • Annex SL structure enables integrated management systems
    • Full service lifecycle processes in Clause 8
    • Leadership commitment and risk-based planning required
    • PDCA for performance evaluation and improvement
    • Certifiable SMS for service provider assurance

    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, improve OH&S performance, and integrate safety into business processes. Built on the Annex SL High-Level Structure (HLS) and PDCA cycle, it emphasizes risk-based thinking.

    Key Components

    • Clauses 4-10 covering context, leadership, planning, support, operation, evaluation, and improvement.
    • Core elements: worker participation, hierarchy of controls, change management, contractor controls.
    • No fixed controls; scalable requirements with documented information.
    • Optional third-party certification via audits.

    Why Organizations Use It

    • Reduces incidents, legal risks, and costs; enhances resilience and insurance savings.
    • Builds stakeholder trust, talent retention, and market competitiveness.
    • Aligns with ISO 9001/14001 for integrated systems; voluntary but often contractually required.

    Implementation Overview

    • Phased approach: gap analysis, policy/objectives, controls, audits, certification.
    • Applicable to all sizes/sectors; 6-12 months typical.
    • Involves leadership commitment, training, and continual improvement.

    ISO 20000 Details

    What It Is

    ISO/IEC 20000-1:2018 is the principal international certification standard for service management systems (SMS). It defines auditable requirements to plan, establish, implement, operate, monitor, review, maintain, and improve services across their lifecycle, professionalizing IT service management (ITSM) and beyond. Adopting Annex SL high-level structure and PDCA methodology, it emphasizes risk-based thinking and flexibility with frameworks like ITIL.

    Key Components

    • Clauses 4–10 cover context, leadership, planning, support, operation, performance evaluation, improvement.
    • Clause 8 organizes operations: service portfolio, relationships/agreements, supply/demand, design/transition, resolution/fulfilment, assurance.
    • Core processes include incident/problem management, change/release, configuration/asset, availability/continuity, security.
    • Certifiable via accredited audits (Stage 1/2, surveillance).

    Why Organizations Use It

    • Builds trust, differentiates in markets, reduces risks (e.g., outages, suppliers).
    • Enables integration with ISO 9001, ISO 27001; supports contracts, regulations indirectly.
    • Delivers efficiency, SLA compliance, continual improvement benefits (e.g., 50% certificate growth).

    Implementation Overview

    • Phased: gap analysis, SMS design, process deployment, audits, certification.
    • Applies to all sizes/industries; 12-18 months typical with training, tooling.
    • Requires leadership commitment, evidence-based audits.

    Key Differences

    Scope

    ISO 45001
    Occupational health & safety management
    ISO 20000
    IT service management systems

    Industry

    ISO 45001
    All sectors, high-risk industries emphasized
    ISO 20000
    IT services, all service providers

    Nature

    ISO 45001
    Voluntary certification standard
    ISO 20000
    Voluntary certification standard

    Testing

    ISO 45001
    Internal audits, management reviews
    ISO 20000
    Internal audits, service reporting

    Penalties

    ISO 45001
    Loss of certification, no legal penalties
    ISO 20000
    Loss of certification, no legal penalties

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Common questions about ISO 45001 and ISO 20000

    ISO 45001 FAQ

    ISO 20000 FAQ

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