ISO 45006 infectious disease risk management in the workplace

For Your Business

Who this service is for and when to start

Suitable for organizations with high personnel density, cross-area mobility, needs for visitor contact, or critical positions whose absence affects delivery. When starting new operations, changing work environments, or updating response plans, exposure and alternative arrangements can be reviewed first.

The Challenge

Common challenges faced by businesses

Measures adopted during the pandemic may not be suitable for all infectious diseases or long-term work situations. Without updated bases and responsible persons, the system may retain outdated requirements or have no one to handle necessary adjustments.

Assign responsibility for health information, absence management and operations separately. Supervisors should not make medical judgements themselves; the process should identify when professional advice is needed.

Our Approach

Methods and applicable requirements

ISO 45006:2023 provides guidelines for workplace infectious disease exposure prevention, control, and related risk management. Units such as hospitals, medical, or biological laboratories that are legally required to implement specific infection control cannot use this guidance as a complete substitute.

The priorities below depend on the organisation’s context. Confirm the scope and level of supporting evidence at the start.

Exposure Scenarios

Organize activities that require attention according to work contact, location, and personnel movement, and identify which matters need occupational health or medical professional assessment.

Management Arrangements

Check the measures that can be taken, resources, and responsibilities, and separately assign information updates and on-site implementation to avoid departments interpreting independently.

Communication and Operations

Arrange clear work notifications, absentee reports, and necessary substitutes; health information should only be processed within properly authorized and necessary scopes.

Review and Adjustment

Review measures based on applicable public health information and actual work changes, and record when actions are initiated, adjusted, or stopped.

Preparation

What documents do companies need to prepare?

• Work Scenarios: Activities involving contact, locations and staff movement.
• Current Measures: Work arrangements, cleaning, and prevention procedures.
• Response and Resources: Absentee management, substitute personnel, and resource arrangements.
• Information and Responsibility: Update sources, notification methods, and professional contacts.

An index or summary is enough for an initial discussion. Before sharing personal data, confidential contract information or system records, agree on access authorisation, redaction and retention.

Project Planning

Estimating time and cost

Costs depend on locations, types of workplace contact and specialist coordination needs. Agree general management consulting separately from medical care, testing, environmental improvements and mandatory infection control. One standard set of measures cannot cover every situation.