Plain answer

Does ISO 45008 replace ISO 45001?

No. ISO 45008 is guidance that sits beside ISO 45001. It can be used independently or as part of an OH&S management system including ISO 45001, and it does not replace the management system standard or change a certificate.

The relationship

The BSI project scope says the guidance can be used independently or as part of an OH&S management system, including one based on ISO 45001. That is a supporting relationship, not a replacement. ISO 45001:2018 remains the published standard a system is certified against.

What the guidance adds

The public record names remote-specific hazards: isolation, reduced access to supervision and support, physical, psychosocial and environmental risks, and shared responsibility between the organization and the worker. It says the guidance includes practical examples, flowcharts and checklists for hazard identification, risk assessment and review as circumstances change.

What it does not do

It does not create a new certification, does not change the ISO 45001 clause numbers and does not impose a transition deadline. It does not state that a certified organization must adopt it. A customer, a regulator or an insurer may choose to require it, and that is a separate obligation to record.

What to do

Keep the ISO 45001 certificate and its surveillance cycle. Use the guidance to strengthen the parts of the system that reach remote workers. Record any customer or regulator requirement in the legal and other requirements register, and do not describe the guidance as a certification.