Ohutushaldus

Ohutushaldus is a systematic approach to creating and maintaining safe working conditions and operations within an organization. It encompasses policy development, hazard identification, risk assessment, control implementation, training, incident reporting and investigation, emergency preparedness, performance measurement, auditing, and management review. The aim is to prevent injuries, illnesses, property damage, environmental harm, and reputational risk.

Core elements include leadership and governance, planning, implementation, evaluation, and continual improvement. Organizations identify hazards, assess risks, determine control measures using a hierarchy of controls, and monitor performance. Compliance with legal requirements is integrated with organizational policies and procedures.

Standards and frameworks commonly used include ISO 45001 for occupational health and safety management systems, ISO 31000 for risk management, and relationships with ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 where safety is integrated with quality and environmental management. In practice, ohutushaldus is adapted to the specific industry, size, and risk profile of an organization. Estonian contexts may also rely on national regulations and sector-specific rules.

Applications and benefits: It is applied across manufacturing, construction, energy, transport, healthcare, and public services. Benefits include reduced incidents, safer work culture, improved regulatory compliance, operational continuity, and long-term cost savings. Challenges include allocating resources, driving cultural change, managing contractors, and effectively integrating ohutushaldus with existing management systems and data infrastructure.