ISO 45001 revision advancing toward 2027: what UAE organisations need to know

The revision of ISO 45001, the international standard for occupational health and safety management systems (OH&S), is moving forward. ISO approved the new project in May 2024; the text passed through committee draft in 2025 and reached the Draft International Standard (DIS) stage in 2026. Voting on ISO/DIS 45001 closed on 9 September 2026. ISO's published development record says the revised edition is expected in the first half of 2027, subject to the outcome of the remaining stages.

For UAE employers with an existing certificate, the immediate distinction is straightforward: ISO 45001:2018 remains the published standard, together with its 2024 climate-action amendment. The draft does not change the edition stated on current certificates. Now is a good time to brief safety teams and check how well the current system works; detailed transition actions will depend on the final publication and subsequent certification arrangements.

Where is the ISO 45001 revision now?

ISO's work programme records the revision project as approved on 31 May 2024, a committee draft registered on 21 July 2025, and the DIS registered on 17 April 2026. Members then reviewed the draft during the enquiry ballot, which closed on 9 September 2026. The catalogue still marks the proposed second edition as under development at stage 40.60, rather than published.

The next steps may include resolving ballot comments, preparing a final draft and completing publication checks. ISO's first-half-2027 outlook is a useful planning signal, but it is not a confirmed release date. Neither a draft ballot nor an anticipated year sets a transition deadline for certified businesses. Any precise list of changed clauses also needs checking against the final approved text.

What does ISO 45001:2018 still require?

The current ISO 45001 edition gives organisations a system for preventing work-related injury and ill health, addressing OH&S risks and improving performance. Its core work remains practical: leadership must support the system, workers must be able to participate, and the organisation must identify hazards, assess risks, put controls in place, monitor results and learn from incidents and audits.

The 2024 climate-action amendment also belongs to the current edition. It asks organisations to consider whether climate change is relevant to their context and interested parties. For an OH&S team, the appropriate response depends on real exposure: for example, outdoor work, heat, disrupted operations or emergency arrangements may warrant review. The amendment does not prescribe one identical control for every workplace, and it should not be confused with a new ISO 45001 edition.

An upcoming revision does not pause normal obligations under the current OH&S system. Internal audits, incident investigations, worker consultation, management review and actions on identified risks should continue throughout 2026 and 2027.

How should UAE organisations prepare without guessing the final changes?

1. Brief the right people. Tell leadership, the OH&S manager, worker representatives and internal auditors that a revision is underway. Distinguish the published 2018 edition from the 2026 DIS and the anticipated 2027 edition in training material and tender documents.

2. Review the existing system against current requirements. Check whether hazard registers, legal and other requirements, contractor controls, incident records, worker participation and emergency procedures reflect work as actually performed. Close gaps under ISO 45001:2018 now, without labelling them as confirmed 2027 changes.

3. Examine evidence from workers and operations. Look at near misses, corrective actions, inspections, internal audit findings and worker feedback. A system that responds to these signals will be easier to review once the final revised standard is available.

4. Check the 2024 amendment in context. Document whether climate-related conditions affect worker health and safety at each relevant site and what controls or emergency plans are needed. The answer may vary across offices, factories, transport operations and outdoor project sites.

5. Set one owner for revision monitoring. Ask that person to track ISO's revision record and later guidance from the organisation's certification body. After publication, compare the final text with the current OH&S system and agree any audit or transition timetable with the certification body.

What if the company also holds ISO 9001 or ISO 14001?

Many UAE organisations manage quality, environment and worker safety within one integrated management system. ISO 9001:2026 and ISO 14001:2026 are already published; ISO 45001's next edition is still being developed. A single management review or document-control process can coordinate the work, while keeping each standard's actual edition, applicable requirements and certification timetable distinct.

For example, a multi-site contractor could assign separate owners to quality and environmental transitions while the OH&S team continues its 2018-based audit programme and monitors the DIS. Shared training and audit schedules can reduce duplicated effort, provided they still allow enough attention to worker participation and site-specific safety risks. The ISO 45001 publication outlook does not extend or alter an ISO 9001 or ISO 14001 transition period.

Qdot helps UAE organisations maintain and improve ISO 45001 OH&S systems, including risk-based implementation, staff awareness and preparation for independent certification audits. When the next edition is published, a documented gap review can turn the final requirements into a practical site-by-site plan; the independent certification body will confirm certification arrangements.

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Sources:ISO, ISO 45001:2018 current edition and Amendment 1:2024; ISO, ISO/DIS 45001 revision status, milestones and 2027 outlook; ISO, ISO 9001:2026; ISO, ISO 14001:2026.