Occupational Health and Safety Management as an Element of Integrated Management Systems in Small and Medium Sized Enterprises

Abstract

Small and medium-sized enterprises often implement Integrated Management Systems with the elements occupational health and safety, quality management and environmental management in order to avoid redundancies and to harness synergies among these matters. For the first step, a theoretical model for Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Management is developed. This goal of this model is to introduce a holistic approach to business management. The characteristics of the prospective OHS Management Model are worked out based upon OHS's legal obligations. Further contents of three health concepts already developed in the field of work and organizational psychology are added. In the second step of empirical investigations of how OHS Management Systems are embedded in and connected with Quality and Environmental Management Systems in small and medium-sized companies, a series of case studies were carried out.