Zotefoams leads in qualifying for new ISO 45001 Occupational Health & Safety standard

Zotefoams plc is pleased to announce that it has successfully qualified for the new ISO 45001 international safety standard, following an audit conducted remotely to maintain the company’s safe working practices during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The certification applies to the company’s Croydon, UK headquarters and manufacturing site, where some 310 staff from a total global headcount of 460 are employed.

ISO 45001 is a new standard replacing the current Occupational Health and Safety standard OHSAS 18001, which, since its introduction over 20 years ago, has been a recognised occupational health and safety management system standard against which management systems can be assessed and certified.

OHSAS 18001 will be withdrawn in 2021 and Zotefoams is in the first cohort of UK manufacturers to successfully migrate to the new standard.

In ISO 45001, there is a stronger focus on organisational context, with a requirement to look beyond internal health and safety issues and consider the expectations of interested parties. The standard requires the incorporation of health and safety aspects into the overall management system, thereby encouraging senior management to have a stronger leadership role with respect to the Occupational Health & Safety management system. ISO 45001 incorporates greater emphasis on controlling risks rather than hazards, including the requirement to consider how suppliers and contractors are managing their respective risks.

David Stirling, Group CEO at Zotefoams, comments, “While the requirements of ISO 45001 reflect much of what is already in place at Zotefoams – a comprehensive risk management system, active prioritisation of health, safety and wellbeing by the Executive team, and our accreditation last year as an Authorised Economic Operator – it is nevertheless extremely gratifying to achieve certification at such an early stage.

“The core team responsible for migration has had a particularly busy time over recent months: Zotefoams UK has continued production throughout April and May, adopting and adapting to new safe working practices developed and overseen by our OHSE team. An audit conducted entirely remotely was a new experience but the feedback from all involved was very positive and I am proud of the way in which both the core and extended team rose to the challenge.”

Kate Field, BSI’s Global Head of Health, Safety and Wellbeing, said, “Zotefoams is leading the way in the manufacturing sector by migrating to ISO 45001, well in advance of the 2021 deadline. The Zotefoams team has also shown great resilience and agility by completing migration remotely with BSI during the COVID-19 restrictions and we congratulate all involved.”