Modern Trends in Occupational Safety Management

Abstract

Problems related to work safety have been accompanying humanity since the dawn of time. In times before the Industrial Revolution, human and animal muscle strength was used to work, and “safe work” solutions were developed and introduced individually by the user or supervising the work. Only a change in the way work was done due to the industrial revolution, the introduction of new energy sources, the transformation of manufactories into factories and the birth of the working class brought about greater, concrete changes. It was at that time that various machines and devices began to be introduced into the workplace, which on the one hand improved work and on the other hand created more and more potentially dangerous situations. Security was started holistically and institutionally. With the transformation and return of capitalism, the subject of real work safety returned. Health and safety was to be not only a fashionable slogan, but a value that was supposed to guarantee profit – in accordance with the principle that accidents reduce productivity. It was also connected with the process of adapting Polish law in the field of health and safety to the law of the European Union (EU), which resulted from Poland’s pursuit of EU membership. Moreover, an important factor initiating these changes was the interest of enterprises in quality management systems compliant with the ISO 9000 series and environmental management systems compliant with the ISO 14000 series, and related attempts to adapt the system management concept to the area of occupational health and safety, resulting in PN-N standards 18000 series. This publication analyzes the new standard PN-ISO 45001:2018 – “Occupational health and safety management systems – Requirements with guidance for use” comparing it with the standard PN-N 18001:2004 – “Occupational health and safety management. Requirements”.