System? The notion of management systems is used often in the decision making processes in business and unknowingly also in daily life, whether it is in the purchase of equipment, the extension of business or more simply the selection of new furniture. The application of Occupational Safety and Health Management Systems (OSHMS) is based on relevant OSH criteria, standards and performance. It aims at providing a method to assess and improve performance in the prevention of workplace incidents and accidents via the effective management of hazards and risks in the workplace. It is a logical, stepwise method to decide what needs to be done, how best to do it, monitor progress toward the established goals, evaluate how well it is done and identify areas for improvement. It is and must be capable of being adapted to changes in the business of the organisation and to legislative requirements.
An OSHMS is a logical toolbox that is flexible and can be
tailored to the size and activity of the organisation and be focused on general or specific hazards and risks associated with such activity. Its complexity can range from the simple needs of a small enterprise running a single product process where hazards and risks are easy to identify, to multiple hazard industries such as mining, nuclear power, chemical manufacturing, or construction.
The OSHMS approach ensures that:
the implementation of preventive and protective measures is carried out in an efficient and coherent manner; pertinent policies are established; commitments are made; all the workplace elements to assess hazards and risks are considered, and management and workers are involved in the process at their level of responsibility.
Benefits of a OSH Management system
helping organisations create safer work environments
reducing injuries and injury-related costs by pre-empting
injuries, employers save money on medical expenses, the injured employees wages, insurance claim excesses, replacement labour and increased workers compensation insurance premiums
improving business opportunities - many companies have
preferential purchasing policies that favour purchasing products or services from companies with an OHSMS
providing measurable systems that can verify OHS performance
demonstrating that the organisation is meeting legal