b'UPDATE - MOL (OHSMS) ACCREDITATION STANDARDMOLS VOLUNTARY OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM ACCREDITATION STANDARDBY KRISHA RUCHLEWICZ, POLICY ANALYST, OSWCAI n January 2018, theSince the inception of theAs such, a new StandardCOR Ministry of Labour (MOL)voluntary Standard, providers of2019will be available for update, released its first draftOHSMS have been revising theirclosing the identified gaps between Occupational Health andprograms in accordance with theCOR 2012 and MOLs Standard. Safety Management Systemprospective Standard in order toCOR 2012 certified firms may be (OHSMS) Accreditationensure presently certified compa- able to update their certification Standard and Employernies or companies consideringto meet the new Standard without Recognition Program.adopting these systems will, too,entirely renewing the full program; The aim of such a voluntaryreap the benefits provided by MOLthey may instead implement only Standard is to recognize employersAccreditation.the four additional elements into who successfully implementtheir existing system. health and safety managementThat is, firms that are certified systems and go beyond minimumunder the MOL AccreditationIn order to comply with interna-compliance with the Occupationalprogram will be eligible for signifi- tional agreements governing public Health and Safety Act, while alsocant WSIB rebates. For small andprocurement, the International encouraging Ontario employers tomedium-sized firms, these incen- Organization for Standardization improve workplace safety throughtives will be particularly valuable in(ISO) has developed an interna-the adoption of OHSMS.helping to offset the large financialtional Standard that has been investment associated with therecognized as a COR equivalency The Standard will be governedimplementation of an OHSMS. program for the purposes of public by the Chief Prevention Officeprocurement prequalification. (CPO), which will use the proposedThe Infrastructure Health and Standard to evaluate and accreditSafety Association (IHSA) is oneThis Standard, ISO 45001, too, is OHSMS. The CPO will thereforeof the principal organizations have the authority to, firstly,working with the MOL tointended to align with the MOL establish the Standards thatevaluate its current Certificate ofAccreditation Standard when OHSMS need to meet to becomeRecognition (COR), 2012, programformally announced, and as such accredited, and to approve existingagainst the draft Standard. Afterwill provide the same incentives for or new OHSMS that meet theassessing the existing COR system,firms that successfully implement CPOs Standard.four gaps have been identified.such a program.CPO CPO EvaluatesCPO Recognizes EstablishesOHSMS CPO Employers who AccreditationAgainst theAccreditsSuccessfullyStandard CPO Standard OHSMS Implement Accredited OHSMS34 H 2 OSWCAFall/Winter 2019'