TS ISO/IEC TS 17021-10

TS ISO/IEC TS 17021-10 is a technical specification focused on the competence of personnel involved in auditing and certifying occupational health and safety management systems. It complements the general requirements already set out in ISO/IEC 17021-1 and defines additional competence expectations for people working in audit, report review, and certification decision activities for OH&S management systems.

Role separation in OH&S certification

Occupational health and safety management systems organise how an organisation identifies hazards, controls risks, and manages legal and operational responsibilities. This technical specification recognises that certification work is not performed by one generic function: it distinguishes auditors, personnel who review audit reports and make certification decisions, and other personnel. That separation matters because on-site assessment, report evaluation, and certification approval require different kinds of competence and responsibility.

Why competence matters in practice

In general technical terms, competence in this field is more than familiarity with management system language. It includes audit principles, awareness of OH&S risk, evidence gathering, impartial judgement, and consistent decision-making. The document supports certification bodies by giving a more specific competence framework for OH&S management system work. It is not itself a management system specification; rather, it adds personnel competence requirements for bodies that audit and certify these systems.