ISO 45001 clause 6.2.2: turn OH&S objectives into delivery plans

What clause 6.2.2 requires in practice

Clause 6.2.2 covers planning to achieve the OH&S objectives set under clause 6.2.1. The organisation determines what will be done and what resources are needed. It decides who is responsible and when the work will be completed. It also determines how results will be evaluated, including the indicators used for monitoring, and how the actions will be integrated into its business processes.

The second paragraph of the clause requires the organisation to maintain and retain documented information on its objectives and on the plans to achieve them. Together, these elements turn an aspiration into a managed piece of work with owners, resources and a way to tell whether it succeeded. The clause does not prescribe a project-management method or a separate form for each action.

Work backwards from the intended result

Identify the changes needed to achieve the objective and the decisions on which they depend. A goal to improve contractor coordination may require changes in procurement, scheduling, supervision and communication. Assigning a task only to the OH&S coordinator would overlook the functions that control those decisions.

Clarify action ownership and authority. A person can coordinate a plan without controlling every resource, but the necessary contributors and decision routes should be clear. Consider what workers and their representatives, where present, need to contribute through the established involvement processes.

Resource and sequence implementation

Resources can include time, competence, people, equipment, information and funding. The plan should explain the relevant need rather than assume existing capacity is sufficient. Set timing that reflects dependencies and the conditions needed before affected work occurs.

Integration can use existing projects, procurement processes or operational planning. It should preserve the OH&S purpose and required evaluation. An action that disappears into a general project plan without a responsible owner or result measure is not effectively integrated.

Why delivery planning separates intent from results

Many organisations set sensible objectives and then see no change, because nobody was given time, authority or budget to deliver them. Clause 6.2.2 forces those questions into the open before work begins. It also protects against false comfort: a plan that distinguishes completed actions from improved conditions gives management an early warning when activity is high but risk has not moved. For customers, regulators and insurers, a delivery plan with named owners and evaluation shows that improvement is managed, not hoped for.

How to implement clause 6.2.2

A practical route for one objective, adaptable to existing planning tools, is as follows. Keep the plan short and tied to existing business planning so it is used. Involve workers and their representatives, where present, in judging whether each action changed the work. Where an action depends on several departments, agree the sequence with them directly instead of assuming the plan will be read and followed.

1. Work backwards from the intended result and list the changes and decisions it depends on.
2. Identify each function that controls a decision, for instance procurement, scheduling, supervision or communication, and name the owner with authority.
3. Estimate the resources: time, competence, people, equipment, information and funding.
4. Sequence the actions by dependency, including what must be in place before affected work occurs.
5. Choose indicators that show both that actions happened and that conditions improved.
6. Fix the timing and method of evaluation, allowing for infrequent activities.
7. Record the plan where it is controlled and reviewed, and update it with reasons when it changes.

Evidence an auditor expects for clause 6.2.2

An auditor looks for proof that planning led to action and that results were judged. Typical evidence includes the documented objectives and the plans that deliver them, in whatever format the organisation uses. The auditor will usually test whether owners and resources are real by interviewing the people named and checking that they had time and authority.

• Records showing progress against milestones and any revisions, with the reason for each change.
• Indicator results that distinguish completed actions from changed work conditions.
• Observations of the revised process, or worker feedback on it, where the plan relied on them.
• Management review input showing objectives were considered and acted on.

Two illustrative delivery plans

Choose indicators that reveal progress and effect

Use indicators suited to the objective. Some can show whether necessary actions occurred; others can show the result. The distinction helps management recognise whether a problem is delayed implementation or an ineffective approach. Define boundaries and conditions so that comparisons remain meaningful.

Plan when and how evaluation occurs. If the relevant activity is infrequent, an immediate review after document issue may provide little evidence. Preserve uncertainty accurately and decide what further observation or information is needed before concluding that the objective was achieved.

Required records and common mistakes