Competence is defined in ISO 45001:2018, 3.23, as
“the ability to apply knowledge and skills to achieve intended results”.
Competence enables a person or organization to act effectively in a job or situation. It is acquired through training, education, experience, or a combination of these, as determined by the organization.
Workers whose activities affect or can affect an organization’s OH&S performance, including its ability to fulfill legal requirements and other requirements, should be COMPETENT. Competence can also include the ability to determine the activities or tasks that can have an impact on OH&S performance.
When determining the competence of personnel, organizations can take the following steps:
a) Determining the required competence:
1) The organization should determine the competence requirements for INDIVIDUAL FUNCTIONS, ROLES AND TASKS. When determining the competence required, the following factors should be considered:
i) roles and responsibilities in the workplace (including the nature of the tasks to be performed and their associated OH&S risks);
ii) the complexity and requirements of operating procedures and instructions;
iii) results of incident investigations;
iv) legal requirements and other requirements;
v) individual capability (e.g., literacy, language skills);
vi) the need for workers to understand general OH&S prevention principles so that safer, healthier judgments can be made when the unexpected happens.
2) The organization should give specific consideration to the competence requirements for workers who:
i) report on the performance of the OH&S management system to top management;
ii) assess exposure to OH&S hazards and OH&S risks;
iii) perform audits and behavioral observations;
iv) perform incident investigations;
v) undertake tasks with specific hazards, such as using specific machinery/equipment.
b) Determining and addressing the gaps in current workers’ competence:
1) An organization should determine and assess any differences between the competence needed in relation to OH&S risks and risks to the OH&S management system and the competence currently possessed by the workers, including contractors and temporary workers. These differences should be addressed through, for example, training, additional education and skills development, hiring competent workers, or reassigning currently employed staff, taking into account the existing capabilities of the individual.
2) Training should consider OH&S risks and individual capabilities, such as literacy and language skills. For example, it can sometimes be preferable to use pictures and diagrams, or symbols that can be easily understood. The organization should determine if the training materials are needed in multiple languages or if translators are necessary. In many countries, providing free training to workers is a legal requirement.
3) Organizations that do not have access internally to all of the required competence can procure competent service providers to ensure the achievement of the intended outcomes of the OH&S management system.
4) OH&S competence requirements should be considered before recruiting new workers and/or reassigned workers. The organization should also require contractors to demonstrate that their workers are competent to work safely.
c) Evaluating the effectiveness of actions taken: The organization should evaluate the effectiveness of the training or other actions taken. This can be done in several ways, e.g., by written or oral examination, practical demonstration, observation of behavioral changes over time, or other means of demonstrating competence. In the case of skills-based competence, effectiveness can be evaluated by witnessing workers doing what they have been trained to do.
d) Documented information: Documented information is useful to ensure that identified competence needs are addressed, track progress on closing gaps, and to enable communication of relevant information to interested parties. Appropriate documented information should be retained as evidence of competence.
Source: General guidelines for the implementation of ISO 45001:2018
