A.4 Context of the organization: guidance, not a requirement
Annex A.4 explains how to read Clause 4. It is guidance, not an additional requirement, and it does not create a document the auditor can demand. Its value is in the interpretation it gives to issues, interested parties and scope.
What the guidance covers
- How to decide which internal and external issues bear on the OH&S management system, with examples
- How to identify interested parties and decide which of their needs and expectations become requirements
- How to define the boundary of the system without carving out high-risk work
- How the climate change decision added by Amendment 1 fits the context analysis
How to use it
Use A.4 when a context analysis has become a list of categories with no effect on the system. The guidance asks for the issue that changes a control, a plan or a review date. It also supports the scope discussion, because it treats the boundary as a decision about activities, not a list of addresses.
What it does not add
A.4 does not require a particular technique, a SWOT, a PESTLE or a template. It does not add a new record. An auditor can ask for the context analysis because Clause 4.1 requires it to be determined, not because Annex A asks for a document.
The public draft is expected to expand Annex A substantially, and the summaries describe a longer annex intended to give clearer and more consistent interpretation. The A.4 material on diversity and climate is expected to grow.
Read across
Source for Annex A.4: ISO 45001:2018, Annex A, informative, retrieved 18 October 2026. The draft note rests on the public DIS contents and the named summaries. Every source.