Climate Action Joins Worker Safety: Update to ISO 45001 Now in Force

A significant development has taken place in occupational health and safety: a climate action amendment to ISO 45001 has been officially published.

In February 2024, ISO released ISO 45001:2018/Amd 1:2024, a brief but vital update that formally integrates climate‑related considerations into the global standard for occupational health and safety management systems. This amendment marks the first time that ISO 45001 acknowledges climate change as a factor in workplace safety.

Why climate matters to worker safety

Climate-related hazards—such as heatwaves, extreme weather, and air pollution—directly affect worker health and well-being. For organizations operating in high-temperature or unstable weather environments, the risk of dehydration, heatstroke, and fatigue is real. Adding climate action to the standard helps companies anticipate and manage these risks methodically.

The amendment comes without new clauses; instead, it enhances the guidance and notes in the existing standard, helping companies align occupational safety with climate risks.

How businesses will benefit

The amendment encourages businesses to integrate climate risk into routine safety assessments. That means looking beyond traditional hazards (like machinery or chemicals) and identifying climate-related impacts—such as rising temperatures, humidity, and extreme weather events. Companies already using ISO 45001 can now update their hazard evaluation procedures to include climate data, offering better protection for employees.

This proactive approach can also improve internal planning. Organizations will be better prepared for climate-linked disruptions, whether through emergency stockpiles of water, revised working hours for heatwaves, or stronger policies around shelter for outdoor crews.

Implementation and next steps

Although the amendment doesn’t require immediate re-certification, it serves as a strategic upgrade. ISO 45001:2018 remains the foundation; organizations simply need to enhance their existing processes by embedding climate risk in planning, support, implementation, performance evaluation, and improvement.

Adopting these changes can open new opportunities:

• Demonstrating leadership in climate-conscious workplace safety

• Reducing climate-related injury and illness

• Boosting confidence from employees, regulators, customers, and insurers

So far, there is no hard deadline—for now, it is strongly recommended to start applying the amendment as part of regular system reviews. Over time, evaluation criteria for ISO 45001 audits will likely evolve to recognize climate risk coverage as a marker of maturity.

What this means for GQA.ch readers

For organizations worldwide—including those in industries vulnerable to climate impacts—this update underlines the importance of future-ready safety systems. Instead of waiting for climate to feel like a direct threat, ISO 45001 now makes clear that climate action is part of modern workplace safety. Businesses planning to stay relevant should begin integrating climate considerations now.

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