ISO 45001 Certification Consultants
Implementation & Ongoing Compliance Management
Services
Assisting Business with ISO 45001
We assist you to implement and maintain ISO 45001 certification.
What we do
Implement new ISO 45001 systems, support ongoing safety system maintenance, or step in for once-off projects
Who it’s for
Small and medium businesses across Australia who need expert help with ISO, and large businesses needing supplementary support for in-house teams
How we work
On-site with your team, walking your sites and talking to your people. The stability of the same practitioner, and flexibility of no lock-in contracts or retainers
What it costs
We publish indicative cost ranges below as a guide, and on request can provide a no-obligation quotation scoped to your needs.
Who we are
The Australian Productivity Council dates back to the
1960s and has been working
with Australian businesses on management systems for decades.
Our practitioners have implemented and maintained ISO systems across most industries you can think of. We work with all businesses great and small, from owner-operated SMEs to multi-site operators with complex compliance obligations.
Productivity is in our blood so ISO systems that we build or maintain are focused on streamlining your business, not adding extra work.
Our Commitment
to our Clients
We pride ourselves on integrity, usefullness, expertise and value. We are proud that many of our clients have trusted us onging for decades.
Flexible. Practical.
Built Around You.
Your needs come first. Whether you want to move fast or slow, whether you want a ‘done for you’ solution or just some support for your team, we fit in with you.
Tailored Systems That
Actually Work
Forget one-size-fits-all systems where you change everything you do to fit a standard templates. Our systems minimise upheaval and fit seamlessly into your business.
On-Site, Hands-On Expertise
Our consultants are among the most experienced in Australia. We have both qualifications and real-world know-how, work face to face and deliver results.
Guaranteed Results –
No Lock-In Contracts
We stand by our work. If we promise an outcome, you’ll get it. Many clients stay with us for years as they see real results and real value.
Up to Date Digital Knowledge
We’re fluent in online cloud based systems. We can work with your existing IT systems or set up new ones. Prefer old-school? That’s fine too – we adapt to you.
Premium Service. Fair Pricing.
We’re a premium provider without the premium prices. With roots in government productivity programs, our rates are very fair compared to other providers.
What we do
We help implement and maintain ISO 45001
Implement New Systems
We build your ISO 14001 system from the ground up and get you certified. That means gap analysis, writing the documentation, training your team, conducting your internal audit, and supporting you through the external certification audit. We can do rapid turnaround if you’re up against a deadline.
Ongoing Compliance
Keeping your certification alive requires ongoing work such as internal audits, management reviews, tracking targets, and maintaining your system as your business evolves. We handle all of this through regular on-site visits, as often as you need us. We’ll also attend your external surveillance and recertification audits.
Once-Off Assistance
Need someone to run an internal audit while your usual person is unavailable? Got sites in other states that need inspecting? Want expert eyes on your system before a certification audit? We can step in for whatever you need, whenever you need it, with no ongoing commitment required.
What does your business look like?
Either way, we’ve done it before. Tell us what your situation looks like and we’ll tell you honestly how we can help.
No Internal ISO Expertise
If you need it we can step in and handle your ISO system for you – we do the work. You stay focused on running your business. If you are happy keeping most of the work in-house but need occasional expert help we can do that to.
In-house ISO/Compliance Staff
We can work alongside your team if you need extra hands on deck for a specific project or because your staff are at capacity. We are here to help if you have interstate sites to audit, or system updates required when the standard changes.
Industries we work with
We work across a wide range of industries. Some of the industries we see most often include:
Construction, civil and infrastructure
Managing site hazards, contractor safety, and tender compliance
Manufacturing
and engineering
Production environments with significant physical risks and regulatory obligations
Mining and
resources
Complex safety compliance across multiple sites and high-risk activities
Transport and logistics
Managing driver safety, fatigue, loading risks, and fleet obligations
Food and beverage
manufacturing
Managing machinery, chemical handling, and workplace hazards at scale
Trades and subcontracting
Businesses working under Tier 1 contractors who require certification as a baseline
If your industry isn’t listed don’t worry. We’ve worked across too many sectors to list and we more than likely have someone who understands your work
What is
ISO 45001?
ISO 45001 is the international standard for Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems. It is a framework that helps your business identify the hazards your people are exposed to, manage and reduce the risks associated with those hazards, and demonstrate that you are meeting your legal obligations for workplace safety.
It doesn’t tell you that a particular activity is safe or unsafe. It tells you that you need a system for identifying your hazards, assessing the risks, controlling them, and continually improving.
Benefits of ISO 45001
What does ISO 45001 actually do for your business?
Fewer incidents, injuries, and near misses
A properly implemented system gives your business a structured, accountable way to see actual reductions in the things that hurt people
Stronger safety culture
A good system shifts the conversation from “who’s in trouble” to “how do we fix this.” Move from treating safety as something imposed on you to something you own
Tender and
procurement eligibility
For businesses working with Tier 1 contractors, government agencies, or prequalification platforms like Cm3, Pegasus/Avetta, and ISNetworld, certification is increasingly a requirement
Insurance and workers comp premiums
A certified, well-managed safety system can reduce your risk profile in the eyes of insurers and that can translate to lower premiums on workers compensation and liability cover
Reduced downtime and operational disruption
Incidents are expensive beyond the immediate cost. Lost time, investigations, work stoppages, regulator visits, and the hit to morale that follows a serious incident all show up on the bottom line
Legal compliance
and reduced risk
ISO 45001 requires you to identify your safety legal obligations and demonstrate you’re meeting them systematically. For businesses in higher-risk industries, that’s meaningful protection
Attract and retain better people
Good workers notice which businesses take their safety seriously. 45001 certification is one way to signal that and help you land the best people
Credibility with clients and the public
Clients and partners increasingly scrutinise how businesses treat their workers. Certification is independent, verifiable proof that your commitment is real
A framework that
keeps improving
Certification isn’t a one-time event. The standard requires you to investigate incidents, track leading indicators, set targets, and keep raising the bar
Be Tender Ready this Year
For a lot of businesses, ISO 45001 is no longer optional. Most Tier 1 contractors, Australian government tenders, and major corporate procurement processes now require safety certification as a baseline. No certification, no tender.
For a lot of businesses, ISO 45001 is no longer optional. Most Tier 1 contractors, Australian government tenders, and major corporate procurement processes now require safety certification as a baseline. No certification, no tender.
Certification reduces procurement risk for the buyer. A procurement manager who awards work to a certified supplier can defend that decision by pointing to recognised international standards if anything goes wrong. Without certification, suppliers are asking a procurement manager to give them a go based on trust alone, and that is much harder to defend in a procurement audit.
Prequalification platforms (such as Cm3, Pegasus/Avetta, ISNetworld, Sitepass , or Felix) score certified businesses more favourably. State and Federal procurement panels often specifically require it or at least value it highly. An ISO 45001 system also means the foundations of your tender safety documentation are already built, such as hazard registers, risk assessments, training records.
If your business is missing out on tenders or if you’ve been told certification is a precondition for an upcoming bid, we can move quickly. Tell us your deadline and we’ll tell you what’s achievable.
Integrated Management Systems
We can help you incorporate ISO 45001 as part of an Integrated Management System (IMS), bringing it together with standards like ISO 9001 (Quality) and ISO 14001 (Environmental) under one framework.
For safety in particular, this is often where the biggest efficiencies show up. Because risk management, document control, and audit cycles overlap heavily across the three standards, running them in parallel rather than separately saves real time. It also keeps your documentation consistent across quality, environment, and safety, which helps an external audit run smoothly.
Officer due diligence under WHS law
If you’re a director, senior manager, or anyone with significant influence over your business, WHS legislation imposes a positive duty on you.
Directors and other company officers are required to exercise due diligence to ensure the business meets its safety obligations. That means taking reasonable steps to understand your operations, ensure appropriate resources are in place, and verify that your safety systems are actually working.
A well-designed ISO 45001 system is one of the most credible ways to demonstrate that you’re meeting that duty. The standard requires exactly the things due diligence requires, such as identifying hazards, understanding your legal obligations, training your people, investigating incidents, and reviewing performance.
Certification doesn’t make you immune from prosecution, but a system that reflects how your business actually operates and is used and understood by your team is a genuine bulwark. A folder of templates that nobody reads is not, and in fact that can be worse than having nothing at all – you’ve created a paper record showing you had procedures and then failed to follow them. We understand this which is why we have high standards for the systems we handle.
A word on safety consulting
The broader OHS consulting world has long had a habit of selling fear. Prosecutions. Fines. Directors going to jail. The fear does the selling. Then the fix arrives from the salesman.
Safety consulting has a reputation problem. A lot of it is earned.
A package of generic safety documents, a SWMS template library, a compliance portal, and for a few thousand dollars you’re told you’re covered.
That mentality bleeds into the ISO 45001 space too. Consultants who come from that world bring the same habits with them. Now it’s a folder of generic ISO procedures instead of a SWMS library, but the approach is the same. Hand over the documents, take the money, move on.
You are not covered. You now have a folder of documents that describe a business that isn’t yours, and if something happens, that folder becomes evidence that you had a system and didn’t follow it.
A real safety system does reduce your exposure, but the reduction comes from the system being real and from it reflecting how your business actually operates. It comes from your team using it, from incidents being investigated, and from controls actually being in place. None of that comes out of a template.
What most business owners
get wrong about ISO 45001
“We already know how to keep our people safe and we’ve been doing this for years.”
Maybe you do. Plenty of experienced operators run safe businesses on instinct and experience. The trouble is that instinct and experience are hard to defend. If something goes wrong and you’re in front of a regulator or a court, “we haven’t had an accident in years” doesn’t carry much weight. A documented system that shows how you identify hazards, assess risks, and control them is defensible. That’s the difference.
“Our business is low-risk, we don’t really need this.”
Sometimes that’s fair, but low-risk is a spectrum, and low-risk businesses can still benefit from a small, proportionate system. The bonus is that being low-risk makes the system easier to build and maintain. It doesn’t have to be heavy to be real.
“It won’t stop something going wrong anyway, so what’s the point?”
Nothing stops something going wrong with complete certainty. The point is to reduce the likelihood, reduce the severity when something does happen, and give yourself a defensible position afterwards. A good system does all three.
“It’ll cost a fortune.”
The cost is manageable, and quite predictable after we know a bit about your business. We’ll give you a clear picture of what’s involved before you commit to anything.
“The paperwork will bury us.”
Only if your system is built badly. A system that reflects how your business actually works generates its own evidence naturally. You go on doing what you do, and that’s your compliance record.
Services
Why are you here?
Two motivations bring most businesses to ISO 45001. The first is a real commitment to looking after the people who work for you. The second is external pressure, for example a Tier 1 contractor, a tender, an insurer or a procurement panel tells you that you need it. Both are valid reasons, and once you’re in the process the work is the same either way.
You care about worker safety
At the end of the day, this standard exists because people get hurt at work. A properly implemented safety system is how you try and stop that happening in a structured and accountable way. Certification is also a credible, independent signal to clients and workers that you take this seriously.
You’ve been told you need it
At the end of the day, this standard exists because people get hurt at work. A properly implemented safety system is how you try and stop that happening in a structured and accountable way. Certification is also a credible, independent signal to clients and workers that you take this seriously.
Is ISO 45001 right for your business?
If you work in construction, civil, manufacturing, transport, mining, or any industry where physical hazards are part of the job, ISO 45001 is almost certainly worth it.
The case is strongest where you’re bidding for work with Tier 1 contractors or government agencies.
If your business is genuinely motivated to look after its people, the framework gives that commitment real structure and accountability. That has value regardless of what your clients think.
If you’re an office-based business with minimal physical risk, no tender or procurement pressure, and no insurer asking for it then the case is marginal and it might not be the right investment right now.
Where we work
We work with businesses across Australia including Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Canberra, Newcastle, Wollongong, Gold Coast, and Geelong, as well as other major regional centres. If you're outside these areas get in touch as we can work out on-site or remote solutions for regional clients.
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to some of the common questions people have regarding ISO 45001 support services.
How long does ISO 45001 certification take?
For most small and medium businesses taking a steady approach, implementation runs between three and six months from engagement to certification audit. If you’re up against a tender deadline or need to move faster, it is possible to compress that timeline (we’ve done it before). Get in touch and we’ll tell you what’s achievable given your situation.
How much does it cost?
We’ve covered the detail in the What does it cost? section above. In short: $6,000 to $15,000 for most small businesses, $15,000 to $30,000 for most medium businesses, with a handful of variables that move the number. For once-off assistance or help with ongoing maintenance we need to talk to you to give a quote, but we generally find people are pleasantly surprised at how reasonable our rates are.
Who does the certification and what is JAS-ANZ?
We’re consultants, not the certifying body. The actual certification is issued by an independent certification body that is accredited by JAS-ANZ (the Joint Accreditation System of Australia and New Zealand). JAS-ANZ accreditation is the mark of a legitimate certification body in Australia and New Zealand, and we always recommend that you get certified by a proper JAS-ANZ accredited certifier.
How often do you need to recertify?
ISO 45001 certification runs on a three-year cycle. Within that cycle you’ll have annual surveillance audits (less detailed audits to confirm your system is still operating as it should). At the end of the three years you go through a full recertification audit. We can support clients through all of it, not just the initial certification.
What happens if the auditor finds problems?
If the auditor identifies issues, they’ll issue either a minor or major nonconformance. Minor nonconformances are generally not a big deal and are resolved in the normal course. Major nonconformances are more serious, so you’ll need to submit a corrective action plan and later provide evidence that the issue has been fixed. Certification may be suspended in the meantime. If it isn’t resolved within the required timeframe, certification can be cancelled.
The good news: a well-prepared business rarely encounters major nonconformances. With safety in particular, the things that trip people up at audit are usually the things their internal team has stopped looking at. For example maybe a hazard register that hasn’t been reviewed in a year, some corrective actions were closed off but without evidence, or a contractor’s induction expired six months ago. A thorough internal audit catches these before the external auditor does. We can come in and run that internal audit for you as a fresh set of eyes, independent of your internal staff.
Do we need to have zero incidents to get certified?
No. Certification is not about having a perfect safety record. It’s about having a system that identifies hazards, manages risk, and responds properly when things happen. A business that investigates incidents thoroughly and learns from them is exactly what the standard is looking for. What auditors want to see is that your system is real and being used, not that nothing has ever gone wrong.
Can we get ISO 45001 alongside other ISO standards at the same time?
Yes, and for many businesses it makes a lot of sense to do so. Implementing ISO 45001 alongside ISO 9001 or ISO 14001 at the same time allows us to build them together as an Integrated Management System (IMS). Rather than separate systems running in parallel, an IMS combines them into one cohesive framework. It saves time during implementation, reduces duplication, and makes ongoing maintenance considerably easier. If you’re considering more than one standard, it’s worth having that conversation early.
Can the work be done remotely?
Almost all of our work is done on-site. For most clients, that’s the right approach as there’s no substitute for being in the room with the people who do the work. For regional clients we can work remotely using video links, but the work is still done by the same Australian-based practitioners you’d meet in person. We don’t outsource any part of the engagement offshore.
Almost all of our work is done on-site. For most clients, that’s the right approach as there’s no substitute for being in the room with the people who do the work. For regional clients we can work remotely using video links, but the work is still done by the same Australian-based practitioners you’d meet in person. We don’t outsource any part of the engagement offshore.
Is there a minimum business size?
No. We work with businesses of all sizes. What matters is that ISO 45001 is the right fit for your situation.
Contact Us
Got any Questions
If you have any questions about the ISO 9001 standard or what it requires,
our team will do our bes tot clear things up for you.
Resources
A selection of news and articles about the fascinating world of compliance and ISO Management Systems
The Concept of ISO Certification Clearly Explained
The ISO 9000 quality management system had its origins in the American, British and NATO military procurement standards that were designed to manage contract performance.
Read more
31
Jan
Jan
Quality Speaks for Itself: Marketing Strategies
This article explains the benefits of getting an ISO 14001 Environmental Management System, and why it is a great idea to put this on your agenda for 2023.
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18
Mar
Mar
Reasons to get an Environmental Management System in 2025
This article explains the benefits of getting an ISO 14001 Environmental Management System, and why it is a great idea to put this on your agenda for 2023.
Read more
23
Jan
Jan
Quality Assurance, Customer Satisfaction and ISO 9001
An anecdote from our Director's experience at a 1990s Design Award panel assessing a Ford vehicle, highlights how firms need to go beyond surveying customer satisfaction in setting goals for their Quality Management System.
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20
Dec
Dec
What is Quality Assurance
This article explains the concept of Quality Assurance, why it is important to almost every organisation on earth, and distinguishes it from the narrower concept of 'Quality Control'. It also looks at the relationship of Quality [...]
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22
Nov
Nov
ISO 9001 Certification
ISO 9001 is the best known global quality management system standard. This article explains the benefits of certification, how to get ready for audit, and gives a summary of the ISO 9001 Standard.
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20
Sep
Sep
The Introduction of the ISO 9001 Global Quality Standard
The ISO 9001 quality management system had its origins in the American, British and NATO military procurement standards but has grown to be the worldwide standard for quality management systems.
Read more
26
Nov
Nov