Climate change is no longer a peripheral environmental issue. It is now a core occupational health and safety risk. For organisations operating under ISO 45001, particularly in construction and property, the focus has shifted from whether climate risks will have an impact to how prepared your management system is to respond.
With the upcoming ISO 45001 revision expected in 2027, the release of ISO PAS 45007 guidance, and increasing regulatory pressure across the UK, now is the time to carry out a climate ready OHS gap analysis.
The Direction of ISO 45001 2027
The next revision of ISO 45001 is expected in 2027 and is likely to introduce a stronger emphasis on resilience, supply chain accountability, and climate readiness.
Early indicators suggest organisations will be expected to embed climate considerations into core OHS processes. This includes integrating environmental stressors into hazard identification, strengthening supply chain oversight, and aligning more closely with broader sustainability expectations.
Climate risk is moving from an implied consideration to a defined requirement.
The Climate Amendment Is Already Here
Many organisations are already behind current expectations.
A recent amendment to ISO management system standards requires organisations to consider climate change when determining risks, opportunities, and the needs of interested parties. This applies directly to ISO 45001.
In practical terms, your organisation should already be assessing how climate change affects worker safety, whether stakeholders expect climate related controls, and whether these risks are built into your existing OHS processes.
If this is not in place, your system is already misaligned.
ISO PAS 45007 and Practical Climate Risk Management
ISO PAS 45007 provides practical guidance on managing climate related health and safety risks within an OHS management system.
It separates risk into two key categories.
Direct climate risks
These are physical hazards that impact workers directly. Examples include heatwaves leading to heat stress and fatigue, flooding creating unsafe working environments, and poor air quality increasing respiratory risks.
These are no longer theoretical risks. They are already affecting day to day operations across multiple sectors.
Indirect climate risks
These are less visible but equally critical. They include supply chain disruption, material shortages, and infrastructure failures that can introduce new safety risks or weaken existing controls.
ISO PAS 45007 makes it clear that both types of risk should be treated as routine OHS considerations rather than exceptional events.
Relevance to UK Construction and Property
For organisations in construction and the built environment, climate risk aligns directly with regulatory expectations.
Following Grenfell, the Building Safety Regulator has placed increased emphasis on accountability, robust risk management, and proactive hazard control across the entire building lifecycle.
Climate related factors such as extreme heat, flooding, and environmental instability now influence site safety, workforce wellbeing, and project delivery.
This creates a clear overlap between ISO 45001, ISO 14001, and UK building safety requirements.
Treating these areas separately increases risk and reduces visibility.
What a Climate Ready Gap Analysis Should Include
A meaningful gap analysis should go beyond basic compliance and evaluate how effectively your system addresses climate related risks.
This should include reviewing whether climate hazards are formally identified within risk assessments, whether both direct and indirect risks are considered, and whether suitable operational controls are in place.
It should also assess how supply chain risks are managed, including whether contractors and suppliers are evaluated for climate related disruption.
Integration between ISO 45001 and ISO 14001 should be examined to ensure environmental and safety risks are aligned rather than siloed.
Finally, leadership involvement is critical. Climate risk should be reflected in policy, objectives, and strategic planning, with clear evidence of top management engagement.
The Value of a Combined ISO 45001 and ISO 14001 Health Check
For construction and property organisations, a combined approach is now the most effective way to address climate risk.
Climate related issues do not sit neatly within a single management system. They cut across environmental and health and safety disciplines.
A combined health check allows organisations to identify overlapping risks, reduce duplication, and ensure alignment with both current amendments and future revisions.
It also strengthens your position with regulators and clients by demonstrating a coordinated and proactive approach to risk management.
Act Before It Becomes Mandatory
The direction of travel is clear. Climate risk is now embedded within ISO expectations, supported by new guidance, and likely to be formalised in the 2027 revision.
Organisations that act early will reduce transition risk, strengthen compliance, and improve resilience. Those that delay will face more reactive and costly adjustments.
Next Steps
A climate ready OHS gap analysis is now a strategic requirement.
For organisations operating in construction, property, or other high risk sectors, the most effective starting point is a combined ISO 45001 and ISO 14001 health check aligned with current amendments, emerging guidance, and future standard updates.
This provides a clear and practical roadmap to strengthen your system before requirements tighten further.
