This Occupational Health and Safety Assessment Series (OHSAS) Standard specifies requirements for an occupational health and safety (OH&S) management system, to enable an organization to control its OH&S risks and improve its OH&S performance. It does not state specific OH&S performance criteria, not does it give detailed specifications for the design of a management system.

This OHSAS Standard is applicable to any organization that wishes to:-

1. Establish an OH&S management system to eliminate or minimise risks to personnel and other interested parties who could be exposed to OH&S hazards associated with its activities;
2. Implement, maintain and continually improve an OH&S management system;
3. Assure itself of its conformity with its stated OH&S policy;
4. Demonstrate conformity with this OHSAS Standard by:-
1. Making a self-determination and self-declaration, or
2. Seeking confirmation of its conformance by parties having an interest in the organization, such as customers, or
3. Seeking confirmation of its self-declaration by a party external to the organization, or
4. Seeking certification/registration of its OH&S management system by an external organization.

All the requirements in this OHSAS Standard are intended to be incorporated into any OH&S management system. The extent of the application will depend on such factors as the OH&S policy of the organization, the nature of its activities and the risks and complexity of its operations.

This OHSAS Standard is intended to address occupational health and safety, and is not intended to address other health and safety areas such as employee wellbeing/wellness programmes, product safety, property damage or environmental impacts.