ISO/PAS 45005:2020 - General guidelines for safe working during the pandemic

This document includes practical recommendations to organizations and workers on how to manage the risks arising from COVID-19 to protect work-related health, safety and well-being.

This document is applicable to organizations of all sizes and sectors, including those that:

1. have been operating throughout the pandemic;
2. are resuming or planning to resume operations following full or partial closure;
3. are re-occupying workplaces that have been fully or partially closed;
4. are new and planning to operate for the first time.

This document also provides guidance relating to the protection of workers of all types (e.g. workers employed by the organization, workers of external providers, contractors, self-employed individuals, agency workers, older workers, workers with a disability), and other relevant interested parties (e.g. visitors to a workplace, including members of the public).

By implementing the guidance in this document, the organization will be able to:

• take effective action to protect workers and other relevant interested parties from the risks related to COVID-19;
• demonstrate that it is addressing risks related to COVID-19 using a systematic approach;
• put in place a framework to enable effective and timely adaptation to the changing situation.

Organizations using ISO 45001 can use this document to inform their OH&S management system by relating the relevant clauses to the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle, as outlined below. Taking a systems approach facilitates the coordination of resources and efforts that is so important in managing COVID-19.

• Plan: Plan what needs to be done for the organization to work safely (see Clauses 4 to 8).
• Do: Do what the organization has planned to do (see Clauses 9 to 12).
• Check: See how well it is working (see Clause 13).
• Act: Fix problems and look for ways to make what the organization is doing even more effective (see Clause 14).