Airborne Survey Legal Compliance - OHSAS 18001

[SaintJK]

Hi Everyone,

We are busy implementing OHSAS 18001 and I have a couple of questions about legal compliance. I found one thread that relates to my questions but does not answer it exactly.

We are an airborne survey company and we do short surveys in various countries across the globe. Our OHSAS consultant told us that we also have to assess legal requirements in each country that we are going to operate in. This is not practical as it will almost be impossible to find out what legislation applies to us in Equatorial Guinea or the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Is there a simple and practical way around this?

Another question, the standard states: The organization shall establish, implement and maintain a procedure(s) for identifying and accessing the legal and other OH&S requirements that are applicable to it.

Does it mean legal requirements that relates to OH&S only or is it any type of legislation applicable to our business, e.g. employment, tax, finance etc.?

My third question is does anyone have any practical ideas of how to show documented evidence to meet the above requirement? Is it as simple as listing all applicable legislation in a document and having access to the legislation?

Thanks for your help.

 

[Randy]

Re: OHSAS 18001 - Questions on Legal Compliance

We are an airborne survey company and we do short surveys in various countries across the globe. Our OHSAS consultant told us that we also have to assess legal requirements in each country that we are going to operate in. This is not practical as it will almost be impossible to find out what legislation applies to us in Equatorial Guinea or the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Is there a simple and practical way around this?

Another question, the standard states: The organization shall establish, implement and maintain a procedure(s) for identifying and accessing the legal and other OH&S requirements that are applicable to it.

Does it mean legal requirements that relates to OH&S only or is it any type of legislation applicable to our business, e.g. employment, tax, finance etc.?

My third question is does anyone have any practical ideas of how to show documented evidence to meet the above requirement? Is it as simple as listing all applicable legislation in a document and having access to the legislation?

Thanks for your help.

I audit this for a living and run across this problem often with multi-national operations

OK, here's an answer to all your questions...The only legal reguirements concerned are related to OH&S, as far as 18001 is concerned the others have no bearing (they aren't relevant).

You can only do what you can do with regards to legal requirements in countries that either may not have any or what they have aren't clearly defined...So just be able to show that you tried

And no, you don't have to have a documented procedure unless how you go about identifying legal requirements without one isn't effective or can cause a problem down the line, and yes just make a list by country if that's what you want to do...again no requirment for documentation unless there is a potential for an ineffective process.

 

[somashekar]

Re: OHSAS 18001 - Questions on Legal Compliance

Hi Everyone,

We are busy implementing OHSAS 18001 and I have a couple of questions about legal compliance. I found one thread that relates to my questions but does not answer it exactly.

We are an airborne survey company and we do short surveys in various countries across the globe. Our OHSAS consultant told us that we also have to assess legal requirements in each country that we are going to operate in. This is not practical as it will almost be impossible to find out what legislation applies to us in Equatorial Guinea or the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Is there a simple and practical way around this?

Another question, the standard states: The organization shall establish, implement and maintain a procedure(s) for identifying and accessing the legal and other OH&S requirements that are applicable to it.

Does it mean legal requirements that relates to OH&S only or is it any type of legislation applicable to our business, e.g. employment, tax, finance etc.?

My third question is does anyone have any practical ideas of how to show documented evidence to meet the above requirement? Is it as simple as listing all applicable legislation in a document and having access to the legislation?

Thanks for your help.

We are an airborne survey company and we do short surveys in various countries across the globe. Our OHSAS consultant told us that we also have to assess legal requirements in each country that we are going to operate in. This is not practical as it will almost be impossible to find out what legislation applies to us in Equatorial Guinea or the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Do you perform such a survey for a client at his location or for an organization or government at any specified locations ?
As a company aligning to OHSAS requirements, you will have to impress upon the client or organization that all legal requirements as applicable to that location concerning to health and safety of personnel has to be addressed, explained and covered for your personnel conducting the survey. You may have several questions regarding your identified requirements that you will check to ensure if they fall under the legal requirements of the location.

Another question, the standard states: The organization shall establish, implement and maintain a procedure(s) for identifying and accessing the legal and other OH&S requirements that are applicable to it.

Does it mean legal requirements that relates to OH&S only or is it any type of legislation applicable to our business, e.g. employment, tax, finance etc.?

This concerns to OHS only. (Employee health and safety)

My third question is does anyone have any practical ideas of how to show documented evidence to meet the above requirement? Is it as simple as listing all applicable legislation in a document and having access to the legislation?

You will have a procedure perhaps to subscribe to relevant journals or membership to such associations where in all Health and Safety legal requirements, and updates and discussions thereoff are the focus area and you get the benefits of keeping abreast with the requirements / interpretations / applicability of them to your organization.
Factories act, Labour act etc are also released annually which would have captured changes in them. A procedure to list and procure them and later make appropriate use of them can be in your procedure.