Standards Comparison

    ISO 45001

    Voluntary
    2018

    International standard for occupational health and safety management

    VS

    PRINCE2

    Voluntary
    2023

    Structured project management methodology of 7 principles, practices, processes.

    Quick Verdict

    ISO 45001 provides OH&S management systems for workplace safety across industries, while PRINCE2 offers structured project governance for controlled delivery. Companies adopt ISO 45001 for certification and risk reduction; PRINCE2 for repeatable success and executive oversight.

    Occupational Health & Safety

    ISO 45001

    ISO 45001:2018 Occupational health and safety management systems

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

    Key Features

    • Top management accountability and worker participation
    • Risk-based approach with hierarchy of controls
    • Annex SL structure for IMS integration
    • PDCA cycle for continual improvement
    • Explicit operational controls for contractors and change
    Project Management

    PRINCE2

    PRINCE2 (Projects IN Controlled Environments)

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

    Key Features

    • Seven principles as guiding obligations
    • Seven practices for continuous management
    • Seven processes for lifecycle control
    • Manage by stages and exception tolerances
    • Mandatory tailoring to project context

    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, using a risk-based, PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act) approach aligned with Annex SL for integration.

    Key Components

    • Clauses 4-10 cover context, leadership, planning, support, operation, evaluation, improvement.
    • Emphasizes hierarchy of controls, worker participation, contractor management.
    • Built on HLS for compatibility with ISO 9001/14001.
    • Optional third-party certification via audits.

    Why Organizations Use It

    • Reduces incidents, legal risks, costs (22-29% drops reported).
    • Enhances resilience, insurance savings, talent retention.
    • Builds stakeholder trust, supply-chain advantage.
    • Drives continual improvement, reputation.

    Implementation Overview

    • Phased: gap analysis, policy/objectives, controls, audits (6-12 months typical).
    • Scalable for all sizes/sectors; integrates with IMS.
    • Requires leadership commitment, training, audits.

    PRINCE2 Details

    What It Is

    PRINCE2 (Projects IN Controlled Environments), 7th Edition, is a structured project management framework providing governance, control, and delivery across project lifecycles. Its principle-based approach emphasizes value delivery through staged decisions and exception management.

    Key Components

    • **Three pillars7 Principles (e.g., continued business justification, manage by exception), 7 Practices (business case, risk, progress), 7 Processes (starting up to closing a project).
    • Over 15 management products (e.g., PID, registers).
    • **CertificationFoundation and Practitioner levels via PeopleCert.

    Why Organizations Use It

    • **Strategic benefitsRepeatable governance, reduced overruns, executive efficiency via tolerances.
    • **Risk/complianceAudit trails, stage gates for viability checks.
    • Builds stakeholder trust, supports hybrid/agile integration, enhances success rates through tailoring.

    Implementation Overview

    • **Phased rolloutGap analysis, tailoring blueprint, training, pilots, assurance.
    • Suits all sizes/industries; tailor to context.
    • Focus: Certification pathways, templates, PMO integration. (178 words)

    Key Differences

    Scope

    ISO 45001
    Occupational health & safety management systems
    PRINCE2
    Project governance, processes, and delivery control

    Industry

    ISO 45001
    All sectors, high-risk industries emphasized
    PRINCE2
    All sectors, public sector and regulated common

    Nature

    ISO 45001
    Voluntary international certification standard
    PRINCE2
    Voluntary project management methodology

    Testing

    ISO 45001
    Internal audits, management reviews, certification audits
    PRINCE2
    Stage boundary reviews, exception reports, assurance

    Penalties

    ISO 45001
    Loss of certification, no direct legal penalties
    PRINCE2
    No penalties, internal governance failure risks

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Common questions about ISO 45001 and PRINCE2

    ISO 45001 FAQ

    PRINCE2 FAQ

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