Occupational health and safety performance within an industrial establishment cannot be assessed through one question such as:
“Do we have a safety officer?”
or:
“Is personal protective equipment available?”
Genuine readiness requires an interconnected review covering:
- Legislation.
- Risk assessment.
- Machinery and equipment.
- Chemical substances.
- Emergency preparedness.
- Occupational health.
- Training and competence.
- Incidents.
- Records.
- Worker participation.
- Continual improvement.
The Jordanian Ministry of Labour currently publishes an occupational safety and health legislative framework whose principal references include:
- Occupational Safety and Health and Prevention of Occupational Hazards in Establishments Regulation No. 31 of 2023.
- Preventive and Curative Medical Care for Workers in Establishments Regulation No. 32 of 2023.
- Formation of Occupational Safety and Health Committees and Appointment of Supervisors in Establishments Regulation No. 33 of 2023.
The Ministry also publishes:
- Instructions for Risk Assessment in the Work Environment of 2023.
- Instructions for Identifying Types of Occupational Hazard Sources and the Necessary Precautions and Preventive Measures of 2023.
- Instructions for Classifying the Degree of Risk of Economic Activities of 2023.
- Subsequent decisions concerning occupational safety and health policies.
- Decisions concerning the records employers must retain.
- Approved forms for reporting occupational accidents, injuries, and diseases.
- Requirements for medical first-aid equipment and supplies.
- Instructions for Initial and Periodic Medical Examinations of Workers in Establishments of 2025.
This checklist is therefore intended as an initial internal review tool for industrial establishments. It is not a substitute for a detailed review of the legal obligations applicable to the factory’s specific activity, workforce, risk classification, processes, licences, and regulatory circumstances.
1. Governance and Management Responsibility
Begin with management before entering the factory floor.
Occupational health and safety responsibilities are clearly defined and formally approved.
Top management understands the establishment’s principal occupational health and safety risks.
A clear approval mechanism exists for decisions concerning high risks.
Appropriate resources are available to implement controls and corrective actions.
Occupational health and safety performance is reviewed periodically at management level.
Production, maintenance, and warehouse managers understand their safety responsibilities.
Responsibility is not assigned entirely to the HSE department.
Risks exceeding operational management authority are subject to a defined escalation mechanism.
Occupational health and safety is considered when evaluating changes, projects, and new equipment.
ISO 45001 adopts a management approach built around leadership, hazard identification, risk management, worker participation, emergency preparedness, performance evaluation, and continual improvement.
Occupational Health and Safety Policy
An approved occupational health and safety policy is available where legal requirements apply to the establishment.
The policy is appropriate to the nature and risks of the establishment.
The policy has been communicated to workers in an understandable manner.
The policy is reviewed when significant changes occur.
The policy is not limited to general statements disconnected from workplace practices.
The Ministry of Labour publishes a specific decision concerning the occupational safety and health policy model for employers with 20 or more workers.
2. Identification of Legal Requirements
This area should not be treated merely as a “legal documents file.”
An updated register of occupational health and safety legislation and other requirements is maintained.
Requirements that actually apply to the establishment’s activities have been identified.
Responsibility for implementing each requirement has been assigned.
Evidence demonstrating implementation of legal requirements is available.
Amendments to laws, regulations, instructions, and decisions are monitored.
Compliance status is evaluated periodically.
Clear actions are established to address any case of noncompliance.
Records required by applicable legislation are retained.
Current references published by the Ministry of Labour include Regulations Nos. 31, 32, and 33 of 2023, together with instructions concerning risk assessment, activity-risk classification, occupational hazards, and subsequent decisions and records.
3. Occupational Risk Assessment
This is one of the most important parts of the checklist.
A risk assessment covers the establishment’s actual operations.
Routine and non-routine activities are included.
Maintenance risks are assessed.
Contractor risks are evaluated where applicable.
Risks are assessed before introducing new equipment, materials, or processes.
Workers and process owners participate in hazard identification.
Persons who may be exposed to each hazard have been identified.
Clear criteria are used to estimate likelihood and severity.
Existing controls are evaluated rather than merely listed.
Additional actions are defined where risk is unacceptable.
Each action has an assigned owner and implementation deadline.
Risk levels are reassessed after controls are implemented.
Assessments are updated following changes, incidents, or new information.
Risk assessments are reviewed periodically.
The Ministry of Labour publishes the Instructions for Risk Assessment in the Work Environment of 2023 and separate instructions concerning occupational hazard sources and the precautions and preventive measures necessary to control them.
Quick Verification Question
Select any risk from the risk register and visit the relevant workplace.
Ask:
Can you see the control stated in the register being implemented in practice?
If the answer is no, the register does not adequately reflect workplace reality.
4. Hierarchy of Controls
Personal protective equipment is important, but it is not always the starting point.
Elimination of the hazard is considered where reasonably possible.
Substitution of a material, process, or item of equipment with a less hazardous alternative is evaluated.
Engineering controls are used where appropriate.
Administrative controls and operating procedures are established where necessary.
Personal protective equipment is used as part of the control system rather than as the automatic sole solution.
Control effectiveness is evaluated after implementation.
High risks do not remain untreated or unaccepted without a formally authorized decision.
5. Machinery and Equipment Safety
In the industrial sector, this area requires a genuine workplace inspection.
Moving and hazardous machinery parts are protected by appropriate safeguards.
Machine guards are present and have not been disabled or bypassed.
Emergency-stop devices are available and accessible.
Equipment cannot be started unintentionally during maintenance.
Isolation and energy-control procedures are defined for activities requiring them.
Authorized operators are trained and competent.
Safe operating instructions are available where necessary.
Safety-related equipment failures are recorded and addressed.
Preventive maintenance is implemented according to a defined plan.
Critical equipment is subject to appropriate inspection.
Unauthorized modifications that may create new hazards are prohibited.
Risks are assessed before new or modified equipment is placed into operation.
6. Electrical Safety
Electrical panels are closed, protected, and clearly identified.
Exposed wires and uncontrolled temporary connections are absent.
Access to electrical panels is unobstructed.
Electrical work is controlled and performed by competent personnel.
Electrical tools and equipment are inspected where necessary.
Isolation requirements are clear for maintenance activities.
Electrical risks in wet or hazardous environments have been assessed.
Appropriate signs and warnings are displayed in areas presenting electrical hazards.
7. Chemicals and Hazardous Materials
An updated inventory of chemicals used or stored is maintained.
Chemicals and containers are correctly identified and labelled.
Relevant safety information is accessible to affected workers.
Storage arrangements are appropriate to the characteristics and hazards of the materials.
Incompatible substances are not stored in a manner that creates additional risk.
Suitable spill-containment measures are available where necessary.
Workers understand how to respond to spills and exposure.
Selected personal protective equipment is appropriate to the chemical hazard.
Ventilation controls are available where required.
Occupational exposure is assessed according to the substances and work performed.
Disposal of materials and waste is controlled and consistent with applicable requirements.
8. Fire Safety and Emergency Preparedness
A plan on paper is not sufficient.
Realistic emergency scenarios have been identified.
An approved emergency-response plan is available.
Emergency roles and responsibilities are clear.
Emergency exits are open and accessible.
Evacuation routes are identified and understood.
Assembly points have been designated.
Appropriate firefighting equipment is available in the required locations.
Emergency equipment is inspected and maintained.
Workers understand what to do during an emergency.
Personnel assigned emergency roles have been identified.
Evacuation drills or simulations are conducted according to the establishment’s needs.
Drill results are documented.
Observations arising from drills are addressed.
Visitors and contractors are covered by emergency arrangements where necessary.
A mechanism exists for contacting relevant external parties during emergencies.
ISO 45001 includes emergency preparedness and response within the occupational health and safety management system.
9. First Aid
First-aid needs have been determined according to the establishment’s size and risks.
Required first-aid supplies and equipment are available.
First-aid contents are inspected periodically.
Expired items are replaced.
First aid can be accessed during all relevant shifts.
Workers qualified to provide first aid have been identified where required.
Workers know how to request medical assistance.
Relevant cases are recorded according to internal procedures and applicable legal requirements.
The Ministry of Labour publishes a 2024 decision concerning medical first-aid supplies and equipment for workers within the current occupational safety and health legislative framework.
10. Personal Protective Equipment
PPE is selected based on risk assessment rather than through a general approach.
Equipment is appropriate to the type of hazard.
Correct sizes and fit are available to users.
Replacement, maintenance, inspection, and hygiene arrangements are defined.
Workers are trained in correct use.
PPE use is monitored on the factory floor.
Causes of noncompliance are investigated instead of merely issuing warnings.
PPE is not used to conceal a hazard that could be controlled more effectively through engineering measures.
11. Noise, Heat, and Physical Agents
Areas with elevated noise exposure have been identified.
Occupational measurements are conducted where required by the nature of the risk.
Heat stress has been evaluated for work involving heat exposure.
Lighting has been assessed where it affects safe work performance.
Vibration exposure has been evaluated where applicable.
Engineering or administrative measures are used to control exposure.
Health-surveillance programmes are connected to the nature of exposure where required.
12. Occupational Health and Medical Examinations
Occupational safety is not limited to preventing acute injuries.
Hazards that may affect workers’ short- or long-term health have been identified.
Initial medical examinations are conducted for categories subject to applicable requirements.
Periodic examinations reflect the nature of occupational exposure.
Health information is kept confidential according to applicable requirements.
Health-surveillance findings are used to improve preventive measures where necessary.
A mechanism exists for managing cases that may require work restrictions or adjustments based on competent medical advice.
The Ministry of Labour publishes the Preventive and Curative Medical Care for Workers in Establishments Regulation No. 32 of 2023 and the Instructions for Initial and Periodic Medical Examinations of Workers in Establishments of 2025, which connect the nature of medical examinations to occupational exposures.
13. Training and Competence
A worker’s signature on an attendance record does not, by itself, demonstrate competence.
Competence requirements have been defined for roles affecting occupational health and safety.
New workers receive hazard induction before beginning work.
Training is appropriate to job tasks and associated risks.
Workers are trained following significant changes in processes or equipment where necessary.
Supervisors understand their responsibilities for controlling workplace practices.
Worker understanding or competence is evaluated after training when the activity is critical.
Training records are current.
Refresher-training requirements are identified where necessary.
Training is accessible to relevant workers across different shifts and categories.
ISO 45001 addresses competence, awareness, consultation, and worker participation as interconnected management-system elements—not training as an isolated event.
14. Worker Consultation and Participation
Workers can report hazards without unnecessary obstacles.
A mechanism exists for reporting observations and near misses.
Workers participate in risk assessment where appropriate.
Process owners are involved in incident investigations.
Relevant people are informed about resulting actions.
Worker observations are discussed and followed up.
Workers know where and to whom safety concerns should be escalated.
An effective mechanism exists for consulting workers about decisions that may affect their safety.
Ministry of Labour guidance addresses communication and consultation with workers, risk assessment and review, and training as elements of occupational safety and health policy.
15. Occupational Safety and Health Supervisors and Committees
Do not assume that employing someone with the title “Safety Officer” satisfies every applicable requirement.
The degree of risk associated with the economic activity has been determined according to the applicable reference.
The number of workers in the establishment and its branches has been calculated correctly.
Requirements for appointing one or more occupational safety and health supervisors have been verified.
The applicability of occupational safety and health committee requirements has been assessed.
Supervisors meet the applicable qualification and approval requirements.
The committee is formally established in accordance with applicable requirements where mandatory.
Committee meetings are documented.
The committee addresses risks, incidents, observations, and actions rather than formal matters alone.
Committee decisions are monitored through closure.
Regulation No. 33 of 2023 governs the formation of occupational safety and health committees and the appointment of supervisors. Separate instructions address the classification of the degree of risk associated with economic activities.
Each establishment must determine the requirements applicable to it based on its classification, workforce, branches, and operating circumstances.
16. Contractors and Visitors
Contractors are qualified according to the risk level of the work.
Contractors are informed of site hazards before beginning work.
Contractor safety rules are clearly defined.
Hazardous work is subject to appropriate permits and controls where necessary.
Contractor performance is monitored on site.
Contractors report incidents, near misses, and observations.
Visitors receive appropriate safety instructions before entering operational areas.
Controls prevent unauthorized access to hazardous areas.
17. Non-Routine and High-Risk Activities
Review the activities applicable to your factory, such as maintenance, isolation, lifting operations, confined spaces, hot work, or work at height.
Non-routine and high-risk activities have been identified.
A risk assessment is completed before work begins.
Permit-to-work controls are used where appropriate.
Persons authorized to approve the work have been identified.
Workers performing the task are competent.
Isolation is verified before work begins where necessary.
A rescue plan is available when required by the nature of the work.
The work permit is formally closed after completing the task.
Application-specific verification is required: The type and structure of permit-to-work controls depend on the hazard, activity, sector, and applicable requirements. One generic PTW form should not be applied to every activity without assessment.
18. Housekeeping and Traffic Routes
Walkways are unobstructed.
Emergency exits are not used for storage.
Materials are stored securely and stably.
Spills are addressed promptly.
Floors are free from uncontrolled slip and trip hazards.
Forklift and pedestrian movement is organized.
Hazardous areas are clearly marked.
Vertical storage systems and racking are appropriately inspected.
Waste and scrap materials do not create additional hazards for workers.
19. Forklifts and Materials-Handling Equipment
Operators are competent and authorized for the equipment assigned to them.
Equipment is inspected before operation according to the approved system.
Maintenance activities are documented.
Permitted load capacities are known.
Traffic routes are defined where necessary.
Pedestrian movement is separated from equipment movement as far as reasonably practicable.
Operating speeds are controlled.
Mobile-phone use and other distracting practices are controlled during operation.
Loading and unloading activities are subject to defined controls.
Collisions and near misses are investigated.
20. Incidents, Injuries, and Occupational Diseases
Recording the incident alone is not enough.
All incidents that require recording are documented.
Near misses are treated as opportunities for learning.
Investigations begin within an appropriate timeframe.
Investigations focus on causes rather than blame alone.
Immediate and root causes are identified where appropriate.
Risk assessments are updated after incidents when new information is revealed.
Corrective actions are defined.
Each action has a responsible owner and deadline.
Action effectiveness is verified after implementation.
Legally required forms and records are used where applicable.
Reports are submitted to relevant authorities according to applicable legal requirements.
The Ministry of Labour has approved specific forms for occupational accident and injury reporting registers and occupational disease reporting registers for 2024 and provides them through its official guidance.
21. Records and Documented Information
The risk-assessment register is current.
Training records are available.
Inspection and maintenance records are maintained.
Accident and injury records are current.
Occupational disease records are available where required.
Committee and supervisor records are current where applicable.
Emergency-equipment and first-aid records are current.
Occupational workplace measurement records are available where necessary.
Documented information is protected against loss and unauthorized modification.
Obsolete versions of procedures are not used in the workplace.
Retention periods are defined according to applicable requirements.
In 2024, the Ministry of Labour issued a specific decision concerning the occupational safety and health records employers are required to maintain.
22. Periodic Workplace Inspections
Safety walks can support early detection, but they should not become a formal exercise without follow-up.
A workplace-inspection plan is available.
Inspections cover different areas and shifts where necessary.
Observations are photographed or documented appropriately.
Each observation receives a priority classification.
Each action has an assigned owner.
A target closure date is defined.
Closure is verified in the workplace.
Causes of recurring observations are analyzed.
Inspection results are used to update risk assessments where necessary.
23. Occupational Health and Safety Performance Indicators
Do not rely on the “number of accidents” alone.
Indicators are appropriate to the nature and risks of the establishment.
Management reviews accident and injury trends.
Near misses are monitored where adopted as an indicator.
Overdue corrective actions are tracked.
Inspection results are monitored.
Training and competence are monitored.
Performance of critical controls is monitored.
Leading indicators are used alongside lagging incident outcomes.
Management takes decisions when indicators deviate from their targets.
ISO published ISO 45004:2024 as guidance for evaluating occupational health and safety performance within the ISO 45000 family of standards.
24. Internal Audit
Where an establishment implements or is preparing for ISO 45001, daily inspections do not replace internal auditing.
An internal audit programme is established.
The programme covers the system scope and significant processes.
Risk levels and previous audit results are considered.
Auditors are competent and appropriately independent of the work being audited.
Evidence is gathered from the workplace rather than through document review alone.
Nonconformities are documented clearly.
Their causes are analyzed.
Corrective actions are completed.
Closure effectiveness is verified.
Audit results are communicated to the responsible management functions.
IAC’s consulting catalogue includes internal auditing, control-effectiveness measurement, and continual-improvement programmes within its ISO 45001 pathway.
25. Management Review and Continual Improvement
Management reviews audit results.
Management reviews incidents, injuries, and performance trends.
Progress against occupational health and safety objectives is reviewed.
The status of relevant legal obligations is reviewed.
Principal risks and relevant changes are reviewed.
Resources and competence requirements are reviewed.
Worker participation and significant observations are reviewed.
Specific improvement decisions are made.
Every decision has an owner and deadline.
Implementation is followed up during the next review cycle.
Management review should be a decision-making meeting—not merely a presentation of statistics.
A Quick Management Readiness Test
To obtain a rapid indication of the occupational health and safety system’s maturity, select one high risk and ask:
- Who identified it?
- Where was it assessed?
- What is its risk level?
- What controls are currently in place?
- Are those controls implemented in the workplace?
- Who owns the risk?
- When was control effectiveness last evaluated?
- Do affected workers understand the risk?
- Which record demonstrates monitoring?
- What will happen if the control fails?
If the answers cannot be connected, the gap is not merely a missing form. It indicates weakness in the risk-management system.
How Should This Checklist Be Used?
Do not use it only as:
Yes = Compliant
No = Noncompliant
A more useful approach is to add fields for:
- Status.
- Evidence.
- Required action.
- Responsible person.
- Target date.
For example:ItemStatusEvidenceRequired actionOwner and target dateProduction-line risk assessmentPartially conformingCurrent risk registerUpdate the assessment to cover the new production lineHSE Manager — specified dateOperator trainingConformingTraining and competence records——Emergency planRequires development2024 emergency planUpdate scenarios and conduct a drillOperations Manager — specified date
Classify each item as:
- Conforming.
- Partially conforming.
- Nonconforming or gap identified.
- Not applicable, with justification.
- Opportunity for improvement.
This converts the checklist from an inspection sheet into a traceable improvement plan.
Does Completing This Checklist Demonstrate Full Legal Compliance?
No.